December is Dubai’s showpiece month. Days settle to about 26°C with 17°C nights, the country marks Commemoration Day and National Day on 1 to 3 December, the Shopping Festival opens mid-month, and the year ends with a Burj Khalifa fireworks display that is one of the largest in the world. It is also, with January, the most expensive time to be here.
The weather, precisely
December is comfortable rather than hot. Midday is pleasant, the sun is gentle, and evenings are genuinely cool at around 17°C – a jacket is needed after dark, and a desert night will feel cold. The sea drops to about 24°C, still swimmable but no longer warm; many hotel pools are heated from now until March.
December is also, with January and February, one of the few months when rain is possible. It is uncommon, arrives heavily when it does, and floods roads quickly.
Commemoration Day and National Day, 1 to 3 December
- Wednesday 1 December – Commemoration Day, honouring Emiratis who died in service. It is a solemn occasion, with a moment of silence, and entertainment is toned down.
- Thursday 2 and Friday 3 December – National Day, marking the 1971 founding of the United Arab Emirates. This is the opposite in tone: flags on every car, parades, air displays by the Al Fursan aerobatic team, fireworks and events across the city.
Together they form a long public holiday. Roads are busy, malls and attractions are packed, and hotel rates rise. It is a genuinely good time to see the country celebrating itself – but book ahead and do not plan to drive anywhere quickly.
New Year’s Eve
Dubai stages one of the largest New Year firework displays in the world, centred on the Burj Khalifa and Downtown, with further displays at the Palm, the Marina and Bluewaters. Practical reality:
- Downtown viewing areas fill hours ahead and road closures begin in the afternoon. The metro is the only sensible way in and out, and it runs extended hours.
- Restaurants and hotels with a view sell fixed packages with high minimum spends, often booked months in advance.
- Hotel rates over 31 December are the highest of the year, frequently with multi-night minimum stays.
- The free option is one of the other displays – the Marina and the Palm are far less crushed than Downtown.
What else is on
- The Dubai Shopping Festival usually begins mid-December and runs into late January – citywide discounts, raffles and nightly fireworks.
- Global Village and the Miracle Garden are both in full season.
- Christmas is not a public holiday in the UAE, but it is widely and commercially marked: hotel and mall decorations, Christmas markets, brunches and carol events. Shops, attractions and transport all run normally on 25 December.
- Desert camps are excellent – warm days, cold nights. Take more layers than you expect.
Prices and crowds
Peak season, and the last ten days are the peak of the peak. If you want December weather without December prices, the first week – after the National Day holiday – is the cheapest part of the month, and November is better still. See what a Dubai trip costs.
What to pack
Summer clothing for the day and a real jacket or fleece for the evening – 17°C after dark, and colder in the desert, catches people out every year. Swimwear, sunscreen and sunglasses still apply. A light waterproof for the small chance of rain. Smart clothes if you have booked a New Year dinner, most of which enforce a dress code. Modest options for mosques, souks and older districts.
The December 2027 calendar
- Wednesday 1 December – Commemoration Day; a solemn public holiday, entertainment toned down.
- Thursday 2 and Friday 3 December – National Day; parades, air displays, fireworks, and a busy long weekend.
- Around mid-December – the Dubai Shopping Festival begins, running into late January.
- Through December – Global Village and the Miracle Garden in full season; excellent desert conditions with cold nights.
- Saturday 25 December – Christmas Day; not a UAE public holiday, and the city runs normally.
- Friday 31 December – New Year’s Eve; Burj Khalifa fireworks, Downtown road closures, extended metro hours, peak rates.
- Saturday 1 January 2028 – New Year’s Day, a UAE public holiday.
Read alongside
- Dubai in November – the same comfort, a warmer sea, lower prices.
- Dubai in January – the coolest month and the Shopping Festival’s second half.
- Dubai in February – the best weather of the year.
- Best time to visit Dubai – all twelve months compared.
- Dubai itinerary – how to structure the days.
- Things to do in Dubai – indoor and out.
- Dubai trip cost – what peak season costs.
Frequently asked
How hot is Dubai in December?
About 26°C by day and 17°C at night. Comfortable rather than hot, with evenings cool enough to need a jacket and desert nights colder still.
When is UAE National Day?
2 and 3 December, marking the 1971 founding of the United Arab Emirates, preceded by Commemoration Day on 1 December. Together they make a long public holiday with parades, air displays and fireworks.
Is Christmas a holiday in Dubai?
No. Christmas is not a UAE public holiday, and shops, attractions and transport run normally on 25 December. It is still widely marked commercially, with hotel and mall decorations, markets and brunches.
What happens in Dubai on New Year’s Eve?
One of the largest firework displays in the world, centred on the Burj Khalifa, with further displays at the Palm, the Marina and Bluewaters. Downtown viewing areas fill hours ahead, roads close from the afternoon, and the metro runs extended hours.
Can you swim in Dubai in December?
Yes, though the sea drops to about 24°C and is no longer warm. Many hotel pools are heated from December to March – worth checking before booking.
Is December expensive in Dubai?
It is the peak, and the last ten days are the most expensive of the year, often with minimum-stay requirements. The first week, after National Day, is the cheapest part of the month.
Does it rain in Dubai in December?
Occasionally. December, January and February account for nearly all of Dubai’s small annual rainfall. It arrives heavily and briefly, and floods roads quickly.
Is December good for a desert safari?
It is one of the best months – warm days and genuinely cold nights, which is what a desert should feel like. Take more layers than the operator suggests for an overnight camp.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
