While revellers around the world rung in the New Year, many of Qatar’s residents wondered why New Year’s Day was not an official public holiday. However, some others felt there was no need for it. “Qatar and Saudi Arabia remain the only two Gulf states not to have made January 1 an annual holiday, even though a large number of companies are either closed or work at reduced hours,” a resident said yesterday. Another said the loss of productivity due to people going on vacation during the season, and others taking the day off or working shorter hours makes it difficult to justify businesses remaining open, and unfair for many people who must still go to work. A number of respondents highlighted the fact that New Year’s Day is not a traditional Islamic holiday and is usually celebrated with boisterous parties. As celebrating it would be inconsistent with the country’s religious values, many have argued that it would in fact be unfair to have a holiday that the country’s citizens do not celebrate. The holiday would also not be celebrated by many supermarket employees, emergency workers and other essential staff. However, many of the country’s expatriates favoured some kind of a semi-official approval for those wishing to celebrate the New Year. Some respondents remarked that the only way they are ever able to celebrate the New Year is when it happens to coincide with a weekend, and usually are unable to join in the festivities. That is not to say that the New Year passed by quietly. Partygoers danced the night away at a number of hotels that hosted special events, and many people threw their own private get-togethers in their homes with friends and family. “However, New Year’s Eve excitement in Qatar falls short of the jubilant atmosphere and wild celebration seen in the UAE, for example, which hosts hundreds of large concerts and parties featuring major international acts such as Coldplay who gave a performance in Abu Dhabi on New Year’s Eve,” a resident added.
While revellers around the world rung in the New Year, many of Qatar’s residents wondered why New Year’s Day was not an official public holiday.
However, some others felt there was no need for it.
“Qatar and Saudi Arabia remain the only two Gulf states not to have made January 1 an annual holiday, even though a large number of companies are either closed or work at reduced hours,” a resident said yesterday.
Another said the loss of productivity due to people going on vacation during the season, and others taking the day off or working shorter hours makes it difficult to justify businesses remaining open, and unfair for many people who must still go to work.
A number of respondents highlighted the fact that New Year’s Day is not a traditional Islamic holiday and is usually celebrated with boisterous parties. As celebrating it would be inconsistent with the country’s religious values, many have argued that it would in fact be unfair to have a holiday that the country’s citizens do not celebrate.
The holiday would also not be celebrated by many supermarket employees, emergency workers and other essential staff.
However, many of the country’s expatriates favoured some kind of a semi-official approval for those wishing to celebrate the New Year.
Some respondents remarked that the only way they are ever able to celebrate the New Year is when it happens to coincide with a weekend, and usually are unable to join in the festivities.
That is not to say that the New Year passed by quietly. Partygoers danced the night away at a number of hotels that hosted special events, and many people threw their own private get-togethers in their homes with friends and family.
“However, New Year’s Eve excitement in Qatar falls short of the jubilant atmosphere and wild celebration seen in the UAE, for example, which hosts hundreds of large concerts and parties featuring major international acts such as Coldplay who gave a performance in Abu Dhabi on New Year’s Eve,” a resident added.
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