Though Thursday is not a public holiday, banks and other financial institutions in Qatar will remain closed on New Year’s Day, a Qatar Central Bank representative has confirmed to Doha News.
However, bank employees will still be reporting to work to conduct the annual closing of accounts.
The reason that Jan. 1, 2015 will be a work day for most people is that Qatar does not officially celebrate the new year, and there are no fireworks or big public events planned for Wednesday night.
However, several things are going on around town – mostly at hotels, but also at beaches and other venues – for those looking to ring in the New Year with company.
Check out our guide for more information here.
For those planning to stay home, Dubai is going to be live-streaming its fireworks show from Burj Khalifa.
Keep in mind that the emirate is one hour ahead of us, so the spectacle should begin around 11pm our time on Dec. 31.
What are your plans? Thoughts?
*Dec 31
Good catch, thanks 🙂
While the rest of the world celebrates New Years, Qatar does not. Dare I say that has something to do with religion?
no more to do with difference in culture… not the whole world celebrates it and not the whole world gives an official day off… public holidays in Qatar are only given for the two Eids and National day, plus sports day which is officially not a day off but no one bothers to show up at work…
unlike other parts of the world we do not have a day off for new years, labor day, prophet birthday or other western holidays like easter, xmas, thanksgiving, new years…
sorry our national holidays are not in sync with western holidays… we promise we will try to harder in 2015 as to not inconvenience any of our western expats… or arab as the case may be…
Again there you go again dividing us into West and, I guess East. To say this has nothing to do with the Islamic calendar would be naive. Wouldn’t want to piss off our friends the IS now would we. And where else do they NOT celebrate New Years? Yes Sports Day is a National Holiday. You’d think you’d know that.
Ah yes I’m insulted
You don’t even know your own national holidays. idj
Clearly we should follow the fine examples of your country, Egypt, Oh wait nevermind.
Funny you assume I’m Egyptian. Although given the choice of here or there I’d take there every time.
Dude don’t get so angry, theres nothing wrong with being egyptian
I’m not angry. I’d be proud to say so.
And by the way, No one is forcing you to stay here, No one even wants you here, If you’d take there any time why not just go? or is there another reason you love staying here?
Egypt is poor but money can’t buy what this country lacks.
Egypt is worse than poor bro, Calling it corrupt would be an understatement.
If the West stuck to the Julian Calendar instead of the Gregorian Calendar New Year’s Day would be celebrated on January 12 instead.
If the moon was made of cheese then world hunger would cease to exist…. ???
it is nothing to do with religion new year is not religious at all…. and the calender change was driven by science to reflect the true lunar cycle and sun orbit
But the Islamic New year is different from the “western” new year.
They just used the lunar calendar which was easy for less advanved cultures to use, many different cultures adopting this method as it is easy to follow the phases of the moon, nothing religious at all. What surprises me is that God did not reveal in the Koran the solar calendar, much more useful for knowing seasons and much more logical. Must have skipped his mind.
Even if it is a matter of religion, why do you need to question it? Are you so frustrated that even the smallest thing bothers you?
I’m just saying it’s a bit ludicrous that it’s not a national holiday here, like in the rest of the world.
Nah it’s not
whats so ludicrous about it?
“the rest of the world”??? ludicrous???
Although i disagree with his comment and disagree with yours more. Everything needs to be questioned, especially religions as they make outrageous claims.
Whats wrong with mine :’ (
Just because in the UAE the government announced Jan 1 and Jan 3 both as holidays (New Years Day and Prophet’s Birthday) doesn’t mean Qatar will, or should, follow suit.
I was in Abu Dhabi on the 24th October for a crazy expat weekend away, you know, the one where we just go to brunches drink alcohol and do crazy middle age westerner stuff like demand hand towels to freshen up and was told NO it’s Muslim New Year. The hotel does not permit alcohol, music, dancing, smiling, fraternising, enjoyment or any sort or smirking during the next 48 hours. Obviously I was annoyed, a weekend away meant much smirking at my partner as he attempted to relive his crazy expat youth. Sadly no fireworks. Just how many New Years can one country bear?
lol
Holidays in the West are money-making days. Qatar has enough money and doesn’t need to milk its people on designated days. They can do that every day.
Holidays everywhere are money making days.
Happy New Year everyone… chillax and stop fighting.. enjoy the weekend if you are working on 1st. 🙂
Was never much into New Years celebrations; just seems like any other day to me. There has and will be many “new years” don’t really see where it’s that special or worth “celebration”. Just one year closer for my bits to become all saggy 😛 (just kidding…kind of) It’s not a big deal if Qatar does nothing for it.
All I know is that only the calendar changes…..not any ones attitude, for god’s sake!
is Eid al-Adha federal public holiday in the United States and UK? …Just curious.
Whats wrong in pronouncing Eid al-Adha federal public holiday in the United States and UK? Millions of Muslims are citizens….
Why isn’t Christmas here?
desertCard, i asked this question because many people voiced their concern about new year not pronounced public holiday here.
Unless the planet earth has changed since I last looked, North Korea, China and the North Pole are not western countries!