Cookie decorating and waiting for Santa at Al Ghurair Rayhaan

There's so much for families to during Christmas in Dubai, that I'm sure no one's missing home! Especially for kids, this is a fun time of the year - full of magic, and cookies, and gifts. We were invited to the Waiting For Santa brunch at the Liwan restaurant at Al Ghurair Rayhaan by Rotana in Dubai.

This special festive brunch for families has all the elements of a fun morning for children. Their Kids Corner was the first place Little Dude wanted to visit as soon as we entered. This soft play area has a bouncy castle, a ball pit, and toys to keep children busy while their parents tuck in. There is one supervisory staff at all times in the play area.

The good thing is that there are some snacks for the kids at the Kids Corner itself, because they are reluctant to leave! We got to choose from noodles (Little Dude's favourite!), sausage wraps, and chicken fingers. There's also a popcorn machine. Activities for the kids here include an arts corner, and a balloon twister.

We were also paid a surprise visit by Winnie The Pooh, but I think Little Dude just really wanted to meet Santa!

The brunch itself has a large drinks station (non-alcoholic only), and a salad bar with more variety than you'd expect, including sushi and cheese.

The food choices included Indian, Chinese, Mexican, and Mediterranean dishes. The lamb curry was delicious!

The desserts corner had lots of festive treats such as frosted cookies, Christmas pudding with vanilla cream, Stollen, and a Yule log.

The highlight of the Waiting For Santa brunch is the Little Chefs activity, in which children can decorate their own cookies! This is part of the brunch, and definitely something that kids will love. Little Dude was given a complete chef's dress. He was assisted in decorating his gingerbread man cookie with icing and candies. He also received a Little Chef Diploma, even though his gingerbread man looks a little unconventional!

And as the brunch is about waiting for Santa, the jolly man did arrive with little gifts for all the children!

For us, it was a morning well spent. There was enough to keep Little Dude busy, although it was hard to actually get him to eat much! If you are looking for an affordable way to spend a Friday with your family, Liwan is a good choice.

The good news is that Liwan is continuing the Little Chefs activity every Friday during its Family Brunch. It costs AED 125 per person. Children between five and ten can dine at half price.
Call the restaurant on 04 293 3000 or email them at [email protected] for bookings. Click here for more details on the Little Chefs Family Brunch.

For the festive season, Liwan is hosting a Christmas Eve Dinner Buffet (AED 165), Little Chefs Christmas Day Brunch Buffet (AED 165), and a New Year's Eve Gala Dinner (AED 250). Check out their website for details.

We were invited to the Waiting For Santa brunch, but all views and opinions are my own.