Jeddah

Till a few years ago Christmas was a small festival celebrated in closed rooms in the homes of the expatriates but this year, in the changing political and religious environment of the Kingdom, the festival is being celebrated with traditional pomp and ceremony, almost like it’s done in the Western world.

Markets and shops in Riyadh, Jeddah, and many towns were heavily decorated with shoppers thronging not only to make the most of the discounted sales but to soak themselves in the festive environment.

The increasing number of foreign tourists arriving in Saudi Arabia is a manifestation of the Kingdom's commitment to upholding the tenets of religious tolerance as the hallmark of the Kingdom's reform agenda.

Snowman in Jeddah square

In one of Jeddah's busiest neighborhoods, residents can be seen sipping coffee and hot chocolate at Mariah Carey's bakery under the theme of 'All I Want for Christmas is You'.

In the capital Riyadh, one could see decorated Christmas trees; there were snowmen in the Jeddah market and models of Santa Claus in Al Khobar. The expatriates seem to be feeling at home in Saudi Arabia.

This is thanks to the Vision 2030 policy of the Kingdom.

The change has also allowed local market shops and e-commerce platforms to sell a wide range of festival-related products.

A shop decorated for Christmas

According to a report in Arab, Wajdan al-Khattabi, a Saudi marketing professional who works at Napco National in Jeddah, said 'I work in a place where 70 percent of the employees are Christians, and this year Christmas items are in high demand.'' He said that some of the company's employees go to their home countries to celebrate religious ceremonies and some of them manage here.

Earlier, the Christians living in the country did not have the products available to celebrate Christmas. Al-Khattabi said, "I helped my daughter decorate a Christmas tree at a Christian friend's house in Jeddah."

He ordered this particular type of tree online that took a week to reach here. “We easily purchased decorative items from different places. Shopping through e-commerce has made it easier for Christian households in the kingdom to access gifts and decorations and share their traditions with friends and neighbors.”

"We've all enjoyed this preparation environment and I love it and it's an example of enlightenment with people with different perspectives," Al-Khattabi said.

Elaine Karam, a Lebanese citizen residing in Saudi Arabia, says, "I can confirm that it is easier to find Christmas decorations in various stores in the Kingdom than in previous years." Elaine said that 'earlier such decorations were only available in certain places, we used to buy them all from the Christmas markets in different embassies.

These days, some cafes and restaurants in many cities and towns across the country have various imported decorations and Christmas-themed cups on offer.

Similarly, many shops in the capital's popular shopping centers and malls are selling Christmas decorations and gifts. Widad Al-Maliki, a shopkeeper at the mall, said, "Majority of Christmas celebrants have placed special orders with us ahead of time and the Christmas package is in high demand."

"We've all enjoyed this preparation environment and I love it and it's an example of enlightenment with people with different perspectives," Al-Khattabi said.

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Elaine Karam, a Lebanese citizen residing in Saudi Arabia, says, "I can confirm that it is easier to find Christmas decorations in various stores in the Kingdom than in previous years." Elaine said that 'earlier such decorations were only available in certain places, we used to buy them all from the Christmas markets in different embassies.

These days, some cafes and restaurants in many cities and towns across the country have various imported decorations and Christmas-themed cups on offer.

Similarly, many shops in the capital's popular shopping centers and malls are selling Christmas decorations and gifts. Widad Al-Maliki, a shopkeeper at the mall, said, "Majority of Christmas celebrants have placed special orders with us ahead of time and the Christmas package is in high demand."

Jeddah-based Jordanian Naima Al-Sabi said she welcomed Christmas this year with a complete winter-themed set, including electric fireplaces, snowmen, traditional trees, and sparkling ornaments. Advertising agencies in the Kingdom have also made the Christmas theme a part of their business and have released new advertisements featuring images of festive scenes.

However, all this has changed in the last few years. Shops are stocked with Christmas-related items and gifts.

Less than a decade ago, such scenes were not seen anywhere in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia remained a country where celebrating Christmas in public was unthinkable. Now the symbols, songs, and traditions of this festival have been integrated into the commercial and social life of Saudi citiesIn the past, religious festivals like Christmas were celebrated in Saudi Arabia, but not on a large scale, but confined to expatriate residences behind the high walls of houses and compounds.

Everyone has their own opinion about this major social change in Saudi Arabia, but on the whole, people are happy with the change - seeing it as a sign and symbol of an open society, even if it is religiously debatable. Believing in celebrating it at a distance

Munira Al-Najman, an English major at Al Amira Noora University, said that "it seems that many Saudi citizens have shown tolerance. I strongly believe in cultural tolerance, which means allowing Christians in Saudi Arabia to practice their religious beliefs. I do not celebrate because they do not reflect my religious or cultural identity."

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Dentist Muawiyah al-Hazim, who studied in New York, says she misses the Christmas atmosphere after returning to the kingdom. "I don't celebrate it religiously because I am a Muslim. But it's always nice to be a part of other people's happiness. I have been invited to many Christmas functions here.”