Secret Santa in the office

Good morning, wonderful people, and welcome to the final Enterprise Weekend Edition in 2023. The Weekend Edition will be off next Friday to recharge our batteries and prepare for the next year.

In the Enterprise guide this week: We are ending the year on a high Christmassy note with this year's Secret Santa guide. We have crafted a playbook to give you the how, what, and where when it comes to organizing this annual activity.

Enterprise Weekend comes out each Friday at 9:00am CLT. We’ll be back on Sunday at 6am with EnterpriseAM. Until then: Enjoy the weekend.

LAST WEEK IN 3 MINS-

POLITICS-

#1- It’s official, results on Mondaysaw President Abdel Fattah El Sisi secure a third term as President, lasting until 2030, with an 89.6% majority, and the nation’s talk show hosts have already taken to the airwaves to chew over prospects for a post-election cabinet shuffle.

#2- Another unsuccessful round of GERD talks wrap up: The fourth and final round of negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan over the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) wrapped on Tuesday without any success. Egypt blamed Ethiopia’s “persistent refusal” to accept any solutions proposed and accused Ethiopia of “exploiting the negotiation process as a cover to solidify a fait accompli on the ground.”

MACRO-

The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) decided to hold its rate position yesterday, in line with expectations . The overnight deposit rate remains at 19.25%, while the overnight lending rate is 20.25%, and the main operation and disc. rates are at 19.75%, according to a MPC meeting press release.

IN OTHER CBE NEWS- Many banks have decided to restrict the use of newly-issued credit cards abroad upon verbal instructions from the central bank, a banking source told Enterprise yesterday. Holders of new cards will only be allowed to make USD 250 a month in local FX transactions and may wait 6 months to have the same eased limits available for older cards. The new move comes to close another loophole for businesses and individuals trying to bypass restrictions imposed on credit card transactions since October, the source added.

THERE’S A LOT GOING ON IN THE RED SEA-

Major shipping companies are avoiding the Red Sea. Mediterranean Shipping (MSC), AP Moller-Maersk, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, and others have halted operations through the waterway as a result of intensifying Houthi attacks on passing vessels.

Over 100 container ships have already rerouted away from the Red Sea, taking the longer course around the Cape of Good Hope. Traffic through the Bab Al-Mandab strait was down 14% between 15-19 December compared with 8-12 December.

The US has formed a naval security coalition with 10 other mostly NATO countries to secure the waterway. The announcement has done little to deter the Houthis in Yemen, who claim that they “will not stand idly by if the Americans are tempted to escalate further and commit foolishness.”

PRIVATIZATION-

That’s a wrap on historic hotels sale: Talaat Moustafa Group (TMG) now officially owns a 39% stake in seven of historic hotels through its subsidiary Icon, Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly said during a presser on Wednesday. That wraps a transaction that has been months in the making.

The agreement will eventually see TMG’s Icon hold a 51% stake in the hotels, bringing the transaction’s value to USD 800 mn, to be financed through Icon’s internal resources, TMG said in a statement (pdf).An undisclosed “international strategic investor” will acquire a minority stake in Icon via a USD 882.5 mn capital increase, giving it an indirect stake in the hotels. This will result in “one of the largest foreign direct inflows into Egypt in the last several years.”

IPO-

Raya Holding is planning on going public with30-35%of its IT arm Raya Informationtechnology, the company shared in a statement (pdf) . The IPO is set for 1H 2024 with listing requirements already done and EFG Hermes advising the transaction.

ENERGY-

A USD 4 bn green hydrogen plant in SCZone: Saudi Arabia renewable energy giant Acwa Power will set up a green hydrogen plant in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) at a cost of at least USD 4 bn, according to a framework agreement inked with the Madbouly government on Wednesday.

TOURISM-

Fresh EGP 50 mn for hospitality sector: The Madbouly cabinet has approved a new EGP 50 bn tourism initiative that will see the government offer financial incentives to encourage hospitality players to increase their hotel room capacity. This came during the cabinet’s latest weekly meeting on Wednesday.

YOUR MOST CLICKED LINKS-

Our UAE edition is launching soon and several of you were keen to be subscribed. Have you subscribed yet? (Enterprise UAE edition subscription)
Looks like many were wondering why they were not early birds. (Article on circadian rhythms)
Talaat Moustafa Group’s move to become a majority owner of some of Egypt’s most historic hotels was widely read. (TMG statement)
Apparently this wedding at the Pyramids was newsworthy to our subscribers — maybe because it made it to the times? (New York Times)
…and the New York Times Vows lifestyle column also got some love. (Vows column)

AROUND THE WORLD IN SEVEN DAYS-

It was another war heavy news week in the international press as the western world grapples with the consequences of Israel’s war on Gaza.

Disapproval of Biden’s handling of the Israeli war on Gaza among voters is cornering the incumbent as the US heads into an election year: Polls indicatingwidespread disapproval of US president Joe Biden’s foreign policy on the war in Gaza, particularly among younger voters, is starting to threaten the incumbent’s chances of reelection in 2024. About three quarters of voters aged 18-29 disapprove of Biden’s handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 49% of the same group also report they would more likely opt for Trump, compared to 43% who said they would vote for Biden next year. Earlier this year, Biden polled about 10% higher than Trump with the same group.

Meta was accused of acting too harshly when moderating content related to the Israel-Hamas conflict on its platforms. Meta’s oversight board has determined that the tech giant was “too heavy handed” in removing content from its platform related to Israel’s war on Gaza. Content on Meta’s platforms are moderated by automated tools designed to detect violations of the platforms’ policies. The threshold for removing potentially violating content was lowered after the October 7 attacks, which led to a higher chance that non-violating content was caught by its filters and removed — ultimately curtailing freedom of expression that human rights organizations claim to have unfairly targeted Palestinian voices.

ALSO- Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah died earlier this weekaged 86 after a brief three year reign of the Gulf nation. He is succeeded by 83 year old Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, who has previously been in charge of the country’s security services and has served as the de-facto leader of Kuwait since 2021.

☀️ THE WEATHER THIS WEEKEND- Today will be sunny with a high of 19°C and drop to a cool 13°C in the evening. Saturday will bring some clouds and the mercury will rise to a high of 20°C in the day and drop to a cold 11°C at night, tells us our favorite weather app.

HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND-

Theater-

Art and friendship clash in Fann by Kenoma Theater at Rawabet Art Space. Their most recent production is an Egyptian adaptation and production of renowned playwright Yasmine Reza’s Art. The play will have only three performances starting today, tomorrow, and Saturday. You can buy your tickets here.

ART-

See the tale of three women through art at the A Tale of an Ethereal City exhibition by Khadiga Abou Hussien in collaboration with Rasha Arous & Sara Kouedi at Bibliothek Art Gallery. The exhibition opened its doors last Saturday and will continue until Tuesday, 2 January from 7-10pm.

MUSIC-

The Cairo Symphony Orchestra will host a Christmas concert on Saturday, 23 December at 8pm. You can book your ticket from here.

Want to sit back and enjoy some Christmasy tunes? Arkan Plaza has you covered. Their Christmas Show, put together by Gaby Bishara, will bring you the smooth sounds of Louis Armstrong and Ol’ Blue Eyes himself in a blend of your favorite jazz tunes and classic Christmas tracks. Clear your schedule today to head on over.

SPORTS-

Double Dribble Leagues is for the guys and gals who play ball. Time to dust off your basketball and jersey and head over to Maadi Sporting Club to watch this season of the Double Dribble league that focuses on adult men, women and mixed-team basketball games. The season’s games are on every Friday and end on Saturday, 23 February 2024. Click here for more details.

FILM-

Zawya cinema will be screening five movies for the late director Ali Badrakhan until next Tuesday, 26 December. You can check out the schedule here.

EVENTS-

Eins Christmas Bazaar is bringing you some handmade goodies, kicking off this past Friday and continuing until Sunday, 1 January, 2024. The bazaar is being held at the Gallery, in Maadi.

Don’t let this year’s Secret Santa scare you

You better watch out, Secret Santa is coming to town…or to your office. The seasonal activity, whether you’re excited about it or not, tends to find its way into your office. In case you have been tasked with organizing it, fret not, we have some ideas for you.

GET ORGANIZED-

HOW MANY- Decide who will participate in the Secret Santa exchange. If you’re super organized, you can send a template to most employees and set a date for them to get back to you. Or you can just email your colleagues and wait for them to respond (we won’t judge).

SET A DATE AND TIME- Duh.

ORGANIZE THE DRAW- Randomly assign everyone a Secret Santa recipient. This can be done online with Secret Santa generators such as Drawnames, Pickster (Appstore | Playstore), Elfster, and others.

HOW MUCH- Establish a budget for the gifts to ensure everyone is comfortable with the spending limit. Make sure it’s an amount that works for everyone involved, and that it gets a suitable gift. At Enterprise HQ, we opted for EGP 400… (shh, don’t tell).

ENCOURAGE CREATIVITY- Push participants to think outside the box and be creative with their gift choices. It could be something personalized, handmade, or have something to do with their hobbies. Which might prompt a bit of research from the gifter’s side. You can also send them our list of ideas for Christmas gifts on a budget.

CREATE A FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE- Decorate the space with Christmas-themed decorations, a mini-tree, maybe? Play holiday music, and maybe a garland or two. Not going overboard is key, of course — it is the simplest thing that can manifest the merriness needed.

IDEAS FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS ON BUDGET-

#1- CUSTOM COFFEE MUG: A big hit at Enterprise HQ, mugs are useful and thoughtful gifts. Custom-made coffee or tea mugs with a design or message that relates to the giftee’s interests or personality. It can carry a meaningful message, morning-inspo, or his/her name or initials. You can check Mug It, Egypt Factory (they also offers customized-printed tote bags), and Ellie Home where they can customize a pottery mug with the person’s initials name or engrave their initials.

#2- BOARD GAME OR PUZZLE: Local board games have grown in popularity and can serve as a creative and out-of-the-box Secret Santa gift. Who does not like Bank El Haz and Monopoly?

Other board games to consider include:

Kataflam: The game involves flashcards that have questions and sentences related to well-known Egyptian films and series, and participants have to guess where and when they were said.
Zag Games: They offer three creative flash-card games and two Egyptian-themed puzzles.
2oolameme (Say a meme): This company was founded by a young girl called Sara Abou Elkhair and has a variety of creative comedy games. See the whole line-up here.
Nilco Games: One of the well-known brands in Egypt that brought us famous games such as Lido, Monopoly, and Snakes and Ladders. It offers a wider range of games for both adults and children. You can check their games and puzzles collection here.

#3- PLANNERS AND NOTEBOOKS: A journal or notebook can be a thoughtful and practical gift for someone who enjoys writing, doodling, and keeping notes. There are a variety of local brands that you can choose from such as Dots (where you can engrave the giftee’s name on the notebook), Stick To The Plan, Mofekera, the Write Concept, and Nootah (they recently added Platestine-themed notebooks, and the proceeds of which will support Gaza).

#4- FUNNY SOCKS: Actually, a set of cool socks with funny prints can be a simple and fun Secret Santa gift to give. Local brands like In Your Shoe, Tale of Socks, and Lazybut have wide sock collections that include Christmas-themed ones.

#5- COZY BLANKETS: A soft and cozy blanket might be a suitable gift, especially during these colder months. Options include Blank-Out, Square Trends, Snuggs (you can order them online or check their stores at the Yard Mall, New Cairo and Mall of Egypt, Sixth of October), Bashkeery, and XHBT Shop (they offer coloring blankets that you can individually color in).

#6- SCENTED CANDLES: The Secret Santa classic that never grows old. Candles can be an elegant and practical gift that certainly goes nicely with this weather, even if it is never used. You can order some handmade candles from these online brands that include: The Candle Co, Amcandes, Wicks and More, Muse Organic Candles, Areej Aromatherapy, and Fairouza Candles.

#7- SELF-CARE PRODUCTS: Items such as bath bombs, face masks, body lotions, handmade soaps, relaxing oils, nourishing creams, scrubs, and others. You can pick locally-made skin care products from these brands: Norshek, Areej, Bubblz, The Bath Land, Hathor Organics, Nerfertari, Black Lotus, and Raw African. You can check our guide of skincare to learn more about the local brands and where to find them.

#8- KITCHEN GEAR: We all have that one colleague/friend who can’t have enough spatulas. The well-known Chef and TV presenter May Yacoubi has an online platform that has a wide range of kitchen tools and tableware that can suit any budget. Also, a local brand called Paillettes offers customized wooden boards, coasters, and trays in addition to other kitchen tools such as spoons and knives. You can have your loved one’s name engraved on these wooden products.

#9- CUSTOMIZED PHOTO ALBUM: This is the ultimate gift for that closest buddy at work: Actualprinted photos of you two together. You can download Instaprints where you can send them the photos you want to print, select the album or frame, and you will have it delivered to your place within days. You can have a look at their Instagram account here.

Wonka focuses on the chocolatier’s backstory + Don’t miss out on Kimbiz chicken meals

? AT THE MOVIES-

Wonka (trailer: runtime: 2:27) was wacky and whimsical. In this prequel to Roald Dahl’s beloved Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Timothée Chalamet plays a young, bright eyed and bushy tailed Willy Wonka trying to pursue his chocolate making dreams. But, there are a couple of obstacles he must overcome in his path to becoming a world famous chocolatier.

The greedy hurt the needy, as Wonka’s partner in crime Noodle (Calah Lane) reminds him. The pair, along with three other accomplices, must try to free themselves from an evil innkeeper, Ms. Scrubitt (Olivia Coleman), who holds them hostage in her laundry facility until they can pay off their artificially inflated debts. All the while, a trio of evil chocolatiers, who run a sort of cartel on the tasty treat, try to do everything in their power to prevent Wonka from selling his creations and threatening their own watered down, overpriced product.

Fantastical and flashy: Through song, dance, and colorful displays of all kinds of sweets,we witness the rag-tag group of misfits come together to make Wonka’s dream come true while trying to gain freedom from their debts. The musical features mostly new songs with a couple of old ones from the original 1971 version like Pure Imagination. The sets were fun and interactive, and definitely triggered the nostalgia feels.

But, the heart sometimes got lost in the whimsy. While singing songs of friendship and dream-chasing, those elements didn’t always translate in the vague plotlines. Wonka’s relationship with Noodle was heartwarming, but the rest of the gang deserved more character development. Also, Hugh Grant’s absolutely absurd orange-skinned and green-haired Oompa Loompa character, named Lofty, brought bouts of comedy, but felt more alluded to than actually present in the film. We’re happy his iteration of the tiny chocolate lover is less problematic though.

The star-studded cast delivered on the spectacle. Coleman was fabulous, but we’ve yet to see her disappoint in any of her roles. Lane, although young, stole the show perhaps because of her simplicity in her performance amongst a cast of highly unusual characters.

Chalamet vs. Depp vs. Wilder: Chalamet had big shoes to fill in his reprise of the Wonka role. His embodiment of the chocolatier was less eccentric than Johnny Depp’s (watch trailer: runtime: 2:55) and contained less malevolent undertones than Gene Wilder’s(watch trailer: runtime: 1:35). Luckily, Wonka wasn’t trying to emulate those versions but make something new for itself. Frankly, Chalamet, although having delivered a great performance at times especially in scenes relating to Wonka’s late mother, felt like he was forcing the act a bit. The oddball persona seemed to turn on and off like a light switch and translated scripted loopiness.

Comparisons aside, the movie was fun to watch, nostalgic in every way, and had a few great numbers in it. If you’re older, you can enjoy reliving the adored world of Roald Dahl, but a younger audience would also be enthralled by the spectacle. It hasn’t quite replaced the 1971 or 2005 movies as a comfort watch, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

You can watch Wonka in theaters atEl Bandar, Galaxy Cineplex Maadi, Zamalek Cinema, Citystars,CFC, VOX Almaza or Mall of Egypt, Sea Cinema Arabella, Renaissance Cinemas, and Dandy Mall.

? FROM THE BOOKSTORE-

If you are a night owl, consider this an invitation to join the5 AM Club. The Robin Sharma — a.k.a one of the world’s iconic leadership speakers — authored a life-changing book that delves into the power of waking up early and embracing a morning routine for personal growth and success.

Sharma shares valuable insights, practical techniques, and inspiring stories that might get you to reset your alarm. He uncovers the morning rituals of exceptional minds, accomplished business figures, and entrepreneurs shedding light on how these routines play a vital role in their remarkable accomplishments…

… but he does so with a little story. The narrative is that two struggling individuals: The entrepreneur and the artist, meet a billionaire, who acts as their secret mentor. They both accompany him on a trip around the world where the billionaire and his advisor, The Spellbinder, set them on a path of personal growth and success. Going through this tale, Sharma shares valuable insights and practical guidance on the power of waking up early.

WHERE TO FIND IT- You find the book in Diwan Bookstores, Amazon Egypt, Zumia.

? HOT AND FRESH OUT OF THE KITCHEN-

The winner of chicken dinner? Located in New Cairo’s Downtown Katameya mall, Kimbiz’s is bringing us the goods all the while keeping it simple. With only three sandwiches to choose from, the chicken joint keeps things easy and tasty. After a round of yummy appetizers, it doesn’t hurt to have your options boiled down to the essentials.

They have a variety of mains, aside from their sandwiches. We started off with a diplomat salad, which was nice and fresh before opting for wings: The buffalo and BBQ sauces were a no-brainer for us but you can also go for the Asian or sweeter wings if you feel like switching things up. As far as main courses go, the lemon fettuccine with baked chicken was tasty and of course the range of whole or half chickens with sides is tender and juicy. But we were really there for the sandwiches.

Fry me a river: We’d love to take credit for the pun, but that’s actually the name of the joint’s fried chicken sandwich. The bread was fresh, the chicken crispy and well marinated, and the sides were interesting and we went for the thin fries as a side. If you’re in the mood for a healthier option, the grilled chicken breast sandwich will make you feel less guilty. Couple it with a side of roasted vegetables and you’ve struck a nice, balanced meal. If you’re not super hungry, however, and just want a light pick me up, the chicken wrap is the right order for you.

NOTE- Kimbiz delivers and you can also pick up your order from the store. If you feel like bbq-ing or frying your food yourself? The restaurant offers frozen marinated options that are ready to cook in the comfort of your home.

? Per person: EGP 250-350

? Outdoor seating: No

? Alcohol: No

? Accessibility friendly: Yes

Perhaps it’s an obsession, perhaps it’s a cult

Sounds Like a Cult, but is it, really? This podcast is hosted by writer, actor, and comedian Isa Medina, and Amanda Montell, an author and linguist who penned a book on how cults use language to gain power called Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism.

Wait, am I in a cult? You might find yourself asking that question after listening to Medina and Montell discuss modern day cultural zeitgeists in each episode and ultimately decide how culty they are and how bad. In a recent episode, they discussed AI, and we’d say that calling it a cult might not be so far off, especially after an ex-Google engineer recently founded the Church of Artificial Intelligence.

High fashion, podcasting, and more: The hosts are always ready with a new topic and they’ll do it while balancing humor, usually from Medina, and research, more so from Montell.

They take the definition loosely a bit too seriously…but at the end of the day, the point of the show is to tackle cultural movements, or happenings that amass a following and how and why they were able to do so. We’ve all been guilty of obsessing over something — Dolly Parton, podcasts, Wall Street, ‘NSYNC, the list is endless — so it’s interesting to examine how we got there along with so many other people. At its core, the podcast analyses shared human experience.

It can get chatty, so be warned if that’s not your kind of thing. But, using anecdotes, humor, and research, the pair really paint a picture of their chosen topic.

WHERE TO LISTEN- You can listen for yourself on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or their sporadic updates on YouTube.

THE ENTERPRISE ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

DECEMBER

10-26 December (Sunday-Tuesday): Ali Badrakhan’s cinema at Zawya Cinema.

21-23 December (Thursday-Saturday): Art staged performance by Yasmina Riza at Rawabet Art Space.

22-23 December (Friday-Saturday): Family Fun Fest by Kult Creative at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.

22 December (Friday): The Christmas Show by Gaby Bishara at Theatro Arkan.

22 December (Friday): Tamer Ashour Live Concert at Dandy Mall.

22 December (Friday): The High Five Stand Up Comedy Show at The Marquee, CFC.

22-23 December (Friday-Saturday): The Garden Market, Christmas Edition at Merryland Park.

22-23 December (Friday-Saturday): LA Winter Vibes Market at the Egyptian International Exhibition Center.

23 December (Saturday): Pyramids Half Marathon by The TriFactory.

23 December (Saturday): The Cairo Symphony Orchestra’s concert at Cairo Opera House.

24 December (Sunday): Christmas Eve at Villa Belle Époque.

25 December (Monday): Walt Disney concert at Cairo Opera House.

25 December (Monday): Christmas Dinner at Kazoku.

26-30 December (Tuesday-Saturday): The Nutcracker at Cairo Opera House.

31 December (Sunday): The Cairo Symphony Orchestra New Year’s Eve concert at Cairo Opera House.

EVENTS WITH NO SET DATE

Q1 2024: Opening of the newly developed Pyramids Plateau in Giza.

2024

JANUARY

7 January (Sunday): Coptic Christmas (national holiday).

25 January (Thursday): Revolution Day / Police Day (national holiday).

26 January-6 February (Friday-Tuesday): Cairo International Book Fair.

MARCH

1 March (Friday): Cairo Half Marathon by Cairo Runners.

APRIL

9 April (Tuesday): Eid El Fitr (TBC) (national holiday).

25 April (Thursday): National holiday in observance of Sinai Liberation Day (national holiday).

MAY

1 May (Wednesday): National holiday in observance of Labor Day (national holiday).

5 May (Sunday): Coptic Easter.

6 May (Monday): Sham El Nessim. (national holiday).

JUNE

15-19 June (Saturday-Wednesday): Eid El Adha (TBC) (national holiday).

30 June (Sunday): June 30 Revolution Day (TBC) (national holiday).

JULY

7 July (Sunday): National holiday in observance of Islamic New Year (TBC).

23 July (Tuesday): Revolution Day (TBC).

SEPTEMBER

15 September (Sunday): National holiday in observance of Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (TBC).

OCTOBER

6 October (Sunday): Armed Forces Day.

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