For the last three years, I have spent the majority of the
Advent season in Saudi
Arabia. Despite the respect for other faiths
encouraged within the Qur’an, the Saudi religious leaders believe they know
better and maintain an uncompromising ban on all things which might precipitate
Christmassy thoughts. As a result, the western shops which normally utilize
standard global livery must take special care to expunge all items red, green
or gold!
Two years ago, in their infinite wisdom, the Mutawah (Saudi
religious police) decided to harass those emerging from Starbucks with red,
snowflake emblazoned cups. Thereafter, plain white cups were standard issue for
the entire months of December and January and Saudi minds remained uncorrupted by
thoughts of Bethlehem
(God forbid), mangers and Virgin births. Following worrying press articles that
year describing the exact nature of sanctions meted out to subversively festive
souls, I hid my advent calendar in the safe and undertook twenty four days of sinful
activity under cover.
One evening, suffering from a paucity of Christmas merriment,
my colleague and I donned our (obligatory) abayas and journeyed to the Red Sea
Mall (see To buy an abaya – October 2013) in a quest for things Yuletide which
had ‘slipped beneath the religious radar’. Imagine our joy when in a ‘home
decorating’ store we found for sale a large bowl, rim bedecked with the
portraits of our friends Donner, Blitzen, Prancer, Dancer, Vixen, Cupid, Comet
and rosy nosed Rudolph. Indeed racy little Blitzen appeared to be imbibing from
something resembling the stirrup cup!
We bought the bowl which was cripplingly expensive, having
been shipped a very long way indeed to Saudi! We installed it in our office for all
callers to admire and we lived to tell the tale! Moreover, a point was made:
those who would censor others’ beliefs must be very thorough in their
research if they are to achieve their dubious aims!
Best wishes to all
who intend to celebrate Christ’s birth this year whether in your opinion he is the son of
God, a prophet or neither!
