Swiss touch to Christmas shopping
Entry is free to annual event being held in a replica of an Alpine village with 40 chalets
Areplica of a Swiss Alpine village featuring 40 wooden decorated chalets is the highlight of the 11th edition of the Swiss Christmas Market that opened at the Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Entry is free at the market — open till tomorrow — put together by the Swiss Business Council in Abu Dhabi.
Souvenirs, gift boxes, cutlery, handmade accessories, candles, flowers, soaps, photographs, frames and gingerbread men can be bought at the market.
More Cafe’s chalet offers a variety of gingerbread men, the Palm Lights chalet offers a range of chemical-free, handmade candles, the Fluke Imagery chalet offers Ashwood frames and boxes sheltered with pictures of some of the country’s iconic landmarks while handmade Kenyan ‘Kikoy Towels’, which are usually wrapped around the body and tied at the waist or below the armpits, are on offer at the M&M stand.
Special paintings
The Special Care Centre in Abu Dhabi is also displaying paintings by children with special needs with the money from their sales going to charity.
Visitors were also treated to free chocolate goodies from the Lindt stand.
Jean-Marc Suter, president of the Swiss Business Council, said: “This event has been a success story. We only started with 15 or 20 chalets and now we have 40, so it has been growing. It is all about bringing a Swiss flavour to the UAE.”
Original Appenzeller Streichmusik Alder, a Swiss folklore band, along with local school choirs, performed at the opening ceremony.
Another musical band dressed in Santa Claus costumes performed Jingle Bells as they toured the market with huge crowds singing along.
Visitors can also write messages on the ‘Wall of Christmas wishes’ at the market.