The Rudolph rebellion (or adversity in advent)

 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!