Christmas on its way to Dubai

By Julia Wheeler
BBC News Gulf correspondent

Christmas is on its way to the Gulf Emirate of Dubai in the form of 1,500 Christmas trees being sent from Yorkshire, in the north of England.

People in Dubai prefer the Nordmann Fir because it doesn't lose its needles

They were cut earlier this month and are being sent in refrigerated containers to ensure they survive the three-week journey by sea.

Christmas is big in Dubai. Jesus Christ is recognised within the Islamic faith, and many Muslims in this tolerant Emirate enjoy the Christian festival.

Luxury hotels fill their lobbies with decorations for visiting tourists, and shopping centres encourage festive spending among residents with giant trees and garlands.

Some are gaudily artificial, but both commercial and private buyers are prepared to pay a premium for the real thing.

About 1,500 trees are on their way from Bradford, in the north of England, in large, refrigerated containers.

$100 for a modest tree

They are the special Nordmann Fir variety, bred in the United States not to drop their needles.

The growers say chilling the trees during their sea voyage should ensure they retain their looks - and needles - until the new year.

At the equivalent of over $100 for even a relatively modest 1.5m tree, buyers will be hoping so.

Ironically, most of the cut trees on display in Dubai over Christmas will be kept in cooler conditions than those in European or North American homes - in air conditioning rather than central heating.