Dubai: The ‘plants street’ (Al Hudaiba Street) in Dubai’s Satwa neighbourhood is once again lined with Christmas trees for sale.
According to Gulshan Abdul Gafoor, sales manager of National Flower Shop in Satwa, prices of Christmas trees this year are hovering around the same range as last year. “We have trees from Dh200 all the way up to Dh7,500,” he said.
“The 3.3-metre-tall Christmas tree is priced around Dh2,200. While our most expensive tree, priced Dh7,500, is 4.5 metre tall.”
He said the shop has sourced its Christmas trees mainly from Denmark and Canada. “This year we ordered two containers of trees going by the demand in the market. Over 1,200 variety of trees have arrived into the National Flower shop in Satwa. They are mostly Nordman from Denmark and Fraser Fir from Canada,” the manager explained.
“We have sold [almost two] containers of trees. Some 300 trees are left, which we are confident will be bought soon since the Russian Orthodox Christmas will also be coming after New Year.”
Another vendor in Satwa, Shabeer Shah of Madina Gardens, said this year the demand has been mostly for the 2.5-metre to 3-metre trees at his shop. “We imported our trees from Canada and the UK. The Canadian fir trees are more popular here in Dubai,” he added.
On the streets of Satwa are smaller trees fit to be placed in a corner or entrance of the house – or a towering floor-to-ceiling grand piece.
Gafoor said the Christmas trees arrived into his shop in November. “There is usually a surge in purchase just before Christmas. Then the demand continues up until the Russian Orthodox Christmas.”
Family bonding
For Pakistani expat Hisham Wyne, his Irish wife Eve Hester-Wyne and children Edith Hester-Wyne and Bernadette Hester-Wyne, purchasing a Christmas tree is a family bonding time.
“My twin girls are always excited to search for trees. They learn a lot too about the varieties in the market. We usually explore Satwa and eat out here before heading home with our tree,” he said.
Wyne said the family keeps a reusable tree in front of the house but prefers a real fir tree to adorn their home for Christmas.
“Every year it is like an adventure shopping for real trees. The smell and look of the tree is always enticing and just gives an authentic feel to Christmas. It smells brilliant. Every tree brings a different look and feel from texture and aroma it leaves around in the house. Decorating a real tree is so exciting for our children.”
German expat Petra Kaltenbach said she picked up a Canadian Fraser fir tree this year.
“I paid around Dh700 for almost a seven-foot tree. It’s very pretty. I shop at Satwa every year. It’s a tradition. There’s a great choice available at Satwa, catering to all price demands.”
