5 Things Expats Spending Christmas in Cairo Need to Know
I’m a foreigner (from the UK to be specific). I moved to Egypt. It’s now December, and Santa Claus was supposed to be an alien creature from an alternate universe around here, but he isn’t. Oh, and there are Christmas trees everywhere. What is happening? Am I even in the Middle East? Contrary to popular belief, Egyptians really love Christmas, so I’ve decided to collect some facts about the festive season in Om El Donya (what Egyptians call their country – it translates to the Mother of the World), so thay any expats spending Christmas in Cairo know what they’re in for!
Christmas bazaars are a serious thing, and they are everywhere
Most, if not all, flower shops turn into a Christmas tree fiesta
They don’t just have one Christmas day, they have two: December 25th and January 7th
Everyone wishes you a Merry Christmas, especially when they find out you’re an expat
Some Egyptians think Christmas and the New Year are the same thing and that’s okay
