Four trees, three reindeer and too many Santas to count. For Marie and Nelson Gibb, no festive season is complete without the incredible decorations they spend a month putting up to enchant their six grandchildren.
The home in Dubai’s Al Safa 2 also has colour-themed rooms and an entire Christmas village at this time of year. Marie places hundreds of baubles and ornaments around the extensive house, both indoors and out, in a tradition that has spanned decades and brings as much joy to her family and her as it does to visitors and passers-by.
Tis the season
Marie arrived in the UAE from Scotland in 1986 with her husband after a couple of years spent working in Muscat, and has a deep affinity for the festive season. “I just love it,” she says. “My mum loved Christmas, and my siblings and I were always the first ones up on our street. The neighbours would come in and our grandparents would stay; it was always very exciting.”
From her early Christmas memories in East Kilbride to her Dubai home, Marie credits her annual Christmas Eve party as the catalyst for sparking her ever-growing decoration collection.
“I’ve been hosting a Christmas Eve party for 24 years,” she says. “I used to have more than 300 people when my children were teenagers, and they would invite all their friends, plus there would be visiting friends and family. Over the years, people have left, but while the party has got smaller, the decorations have gotten bigger.”
It’s impossible to put a number on the decorations, lights and baubles Marie has amassed, largely because the collection regularly gets bigger. “Each year, I go out to the shops and end up coming back with decorations. I’ve never just bought one bauble,” she says. “People give me decorations as gifts, and I always know I’ll find a space for them.”
Marie is a mother of three and grandma of six; her two sons live in Dubai, while her daughter lives in Scotland. So, what do they think of her collection?
“My eldest grandchild did once say: ‘Granny goes overboard with the decorations,’” she says with a laugh. “But all my children love Christmas. When I’ve occasionally said: ‘I’m not doing this again’, they say: ‘Oh you have to do it for our kids.’”
A very Marie Christmas
Marie’s decorations are colour-themed and spread across the three main rooms of the house – gold in the lounge, red in the dining room and a white winter forest theme, complete with animals, in the television room. Outside, a real tree, candy canes and fairy lights bring a Christmas vibe to the pool area, as well as the downstairs bathroom, because why not? “Sometimes you buy something and think: ‘Where will I put it?’ Then you’re like: ‘I’ll just put it in the bathroom', and that’s how it started,” she says.
So how does one begin festive decorating on such a grand scale? “I start decorating at the beginning of November,” says Marie. “I give myself four weeks to do it, maybe eight hours one day and a couple of hours the next, which allows me to do it at my own pace.” It also takes her about eight days to pack everything away, in early January.
“When I first start to think about doing it, I do feel a bit overwhelmed. But once I start, I’ll do a little bit each day. Then all the decorations start coming out and I think: ‘Oh, I’ll just do that and that’, and before you know it, it’s all done.”
Marie starts with the tree in each room, “as that’s the longest job”, and she switches on all the lights on UAE National Day, on December 2. Her collection of Swarovski crystal ornaments takes centre stage on revolving platforms in the gold-themed room, allowing them to catch the sunlight. Taking pride of place in the red dining room is a new Swarovski ornament advent calendar, a gift from Nelson, who not only loves the decorations his wife goes to so much trouble with, but is only too happy to add to her ever-growing collection each year.
“I love my crystals. Swarovski does new Christmas pieces each year, and the kids will always get me something,” she says.
Ringing in memories
When it comes to picking her favourite pieces, Marie says it’s less about the ornament and more about the story behind it. “One of my friends, Pat, died a while ago, so it’s the pieces she bought me over the years that hold special meaning,” she says. “There are also baubles from other friends that remind me of them when I’m unpacking them.
“To be honest, I’m quite minimalist in my everyday decor, I don’t have that many ornaments on display throughout the year. Christmas seems to bring out the maximalist in me.”
Does there ever come a time when she thinks this might be the last year she goes all out on the decor, and limits the decorations to a tree and a few fairy lights? “I think it every June,” she says. “Then the summer goes and the festive season comes around. But I like it, it cheers me up. I think old age might stop me doing it. I give myself another five or six years because it is hard work.
“But I will never get tired of being Christmassy. Everyone’s Christmas is their own. You make your own memories and traditions.”
Step by step
2070km to run
38 days
273,600 calories consumed
28kg of fruit
40kg of vegetables
45 pairs of running shoes
1 yoga matt
1 oxygen chamber
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
'Nope'
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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MATCH SCHEDULE
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tuesday, April 24 (10.45pm)
Liverpool v Roma
Wednesday, April 25
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid (10.45pm)
Europa League semi-final, first leg
Thursday, April 26
Arsenal v Atletico Madrid (11.05pm)
Marseille v Salzburg (11.05pm)
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELuv%20Ranjan%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERanbir%20Kapoor%2C%20Shraddha%20Kapoor%2C%20Anubhav%20Singh%20Bassi%20and%20Dimple%20Kapadia%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Pakistan Super League
Previous winners
2016 Islamabad United
2017 Peshawar Zalmi
2018 Islamabad United
2019 Quetta Gladiators
Most runs Kamran Akmal – 1,286
Most wickets Wahab Riaz –65
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Honeymoonish
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The specs
Engine: 2.3-litre, turbo four-cylinder
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Power: 300hp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: Dh189,900
On sale: now
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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RESULTS
2.15pm: Al Marwan Group Holding – Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner: SS Jalmod, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
2.45pm: Sharjah Equine Hospital – Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Ghallieah, Sebastien Martino, Jean-Claude Pecout
3.15pm: Al Marwan Group Holding – Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Inthar, Saif Al Balushi, Khalifa Al Neyadi
3.45pm: Al Ain Stud Emirates Breeders Trophy – Conditions (PA) Dh50,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: MH Rahal, Richard Mullen, Elise Jeanne
4.25pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Cup – Prestige Handicap (PA) Dh100,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: JAP Aneed, Ray Dawson, Irfan Ellahi
4.45pm: Sharjah Equine Hospital – Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Edaraat, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
Last five meetings
2013: South Korea 0-2 Brazil
2002: South Korea 2-3 Brazil
1999: South Korea 1-0 Brazil
1997: South Korea 1-2 Brazil
1995: South Korea 0-1 Brazil
Note: All friendlies
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Alnawar, Connor Beasley (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Raniah, Noel Garbutt, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 2,200m
Winner: Saarookh, Richard Mullen, Ana Mendez
6.30pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (PA) Rated Conditions Dh125,000 1,600m
Winner: RB Torch, Tadhg O’Shea, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Al Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: MH Wari, Antonio Fresu, Elise Jeane
7.30pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,600m
Winner: Mailshot, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
Profile box
Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India
