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These sales began to appear gradually in the kingdom in recent years, in a gesture related to the easing of social restrictions after the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, pledged to lead a kingdom “moderate and free” of ideas extremists.
The Kingdom prohibits the practice of any religious rites on its territory other than Islamic rites.
In addition to Christmas trees, the gift shop sells Santa Claus, lights, and more.
“I never imagined seeing this” in Saudi Arabia, said a Riyadh resident, who declined to be named. “I am amazed.”
It was almost impossible to openly sell these products in Saudi Arabia some three years ago, but the kingdom finally saw the end of the role of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which served as the religious police in the country.
For decades, people bought Christmas items almost in secret, while Christians in the Philippines, Lebanon and other countries celebrated Christmas behind closed doors or in areas where foreigners resided.
In the past, Mary, a Lebanese resident of Riyadh, says it was “very difficult to find similar materials” for Christmas in the kingdom.
“Many of my friends used to buy them in Lebanon or Syria and then secretly bring them into the country,” he added.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman carried out major reforms in Saudi Arabia, under which he allowed concerts, reopened cinemas and allowed women to drive as part of his project to modernize the kingdom.
For his part, the manager of the store that sells Christmas decorations in Riyadh, who identified himself only as Omar, confirms that he also sold cosplay costumes in the past on the occasion of Halloween.
Washington includes Saudi Arabia on its blacklist of countries that violate religious freedoms.
It accuses these countries of practicing “systematic, continuous and flagrant violations of religious freedoms” or of tolerating these practices.
