Creativity and Secret Celebrations

The end of the year is drawing nigh and for we western types who wrote 'Christian' on our visa to get into this country, whether we are practicing or not, that means Christmas and New Year are also fast approaching.  If you're relatively new to Saudi Arabia you've likely figured out by now that Christmas is not celebrated here.  Not in public anyway.  There is no holiday.  No carols over mall sound systems.  No publicly decorated trees with decorative balls, fat santas or reindeer.  Expats, unless they have applied for a day off, are expected to be working on Xmas Day.

It's fair to say the festive mood is a little toned down in Saudi.  Seasoned expats staying in Saudi over the Christmas season will know that seasonal activities on December 25th will likely be private invites to private dinners, so if you haven't got any yet, go make some friends quick smart.

Decking out your compound home with festive decorations is not for the time management challenged expats who think they can wait till the last minute to deck their halls with boughs of holly.  Anything even vaguely Christmas looking begins to be removed from shops around about November, so you should have bought your red and green tinsel at the latest in early October.

Keeping your ear to the ground for notice of end of year compound bazaars will score quite a few nice decorations into December, many handmade by crafty expats.  But compound bazaars are pretty much over and done by the end of the first week of December - not good news for the last minute decorator!  I'm usually a last minute decorator.  It feels kind of strange tonight, though I'm also rather chuffed, to be sitting here looking at decorations that have been hanging from the tree in our apartment, an evergreen scraggly looking thing I bought at Sultan Gardens, since December 1st.

I don't like plastic trees much, so a real tree, even if not exactly a pyramid shape that doesn't fill the house with pine smells, gives me warm, fuzzy feelings when I look at the results of my creative garnishing and the lights are twinkling in the lounge.  Even the Hubster, who initially thought I was crazy, was suitably impressed.

My friend, Miss Margaret, could rarely make it to the Bazaars because she was a working woman here in Riyadh.  So she would make her own home made decorations out of treasures she'd dig out from a couple of local shops.  I would tag along because her enthusiasm was infectious and I thought her creative spark might rub off on me.  (It didn't!)

The first place she'd usually go for crafty bits is Al Sharq stationary shop in Al Owayis souq.  It may not look like much from the outside, but inside can be a treasure trove for the homemade craft decorator with creative flair.  She's walked out with styrofoam balls of varying sizes, glue and glitter, card making supplies, beads, star shapes and feather boas.

DMC Accessories Store, in one of the Circon buildings down Musah bin Nasser St, and the Ribbon Souq, located in small corner of Al Owayis, are two places with plentiful colorful, shiny and baubled materials to make decorations for any occasion, not just Christmas.  And you can get service with a smile.  Limited English, but a smile.

As an aside to this story, in one shop we found a couple of vintage looking sewing machines for sale.  There haven't been many sewing machines for sale in Saudi since 2009 when a rumour gripped the country that Singer Sewing machines contained a magical substance called Red Mercury that could turn you into a genie and grant you anything you desired (or something like that).  Sewing machines were being stolen left, right and center.  If you weren't into theft, the prices to buy a machine sky rocketed upwards of 50,000SR by some reports.

Of course, there is no such thing as magical mercury out of sewing machines.
That was a hoax for the truly gullible.
Though I do think people who can sew, particularly those who create garments from their own patterns, are brilliantly talented, and in that sense, quite magical, because I can't even sew a straight seam!

But back to our home made creativity.

Jariir bookstore has a fairly decent art section with bits and pieces that could easily be given a Happy Holiday flair.  When the grandkids were here I bought paints and boxes and let them loose expressing their artistic side.

If you have someone who can drive, you can do a run to Al Zamil stores in Al Khobar for a rummage through their party and art supplies.

Those are just some of the places you can go to find bits and pieces to turn into your own version of Christmas ornaments.  But really, the beginnings of creative pieces can be found all over this city.  Dirrah souq has loads of pieces that can enhance a Christmas scene, like camel candles. old lamps and Morrocan lanterns - just add your finishing touch to them.

Of course, those not wishing to spend this traditional family time in Saudi Arabia can always high tail it to places more tolerant of the Xmas season and get their decorating, carol singing, gift giving and family togetherness fix in various other parts of the world.  I'm doing that this Christmas.  I'm going home.

Best of the Season to y'all.



Ka Kite,
Kiwi

Christmas In Riyadh 2012

It's Christmas in Riyadh, 2012.
Most of the expats have already left the city for their home towns or holiday destinations to reconnect with family and friends.  I wish them safe travels and good times.

We are staying in Riyadh for Christmas, as are a number of people we know.

Our remaining in the Middle East requires us to be overseas grandparents and we're getting better at it each year.  Money has been transferred for the grandchildren's Xmas  presents.   And Hubster organised the Christmas ham to be delivered from the famous Pokeno Butchers for the family's Christmas Day feast.   Making a Christmas video for Dad is the only other thing we have left to do.

It's a very quiet lead up to Christmas Day.
We aren't complaining.
Living overseas has its pluses and minuses.
Hubster finds being away from family at Christmas time a huge minus as do most other expats who, for whatever reason, are also spending their Christmas 2012 in KSA.

Christmas Day is business as usual here in Riyadh.
Hubster and I are both working.  Perhaps Hubster will be taking a few hours to enjoy a lunch with friends but then it's nose back into the computer.

The only thing I've found in Riyadh's local shops that acknowledges Christmas might exist is this.....

... and that was a week ago.  When I checked this morning the trees had all gone though the orbs and the sleigh were still in situ.

In the past the NZ Embassy has organised a pre-Christmas get-together for fellow kiwi's resident in Riyadh but this year the NZ Government thought it a good idea to have an Embassy clear out, as a cost cutting measure, so most of the staff were recently sent home and those that are left have enough on their festive plates.

So, instead, a group of friends organised a small get-together singing the Kiwi version of The Twelve Days of Christmas round the piano at The House of Louise.  It was a fun evening with much food (The House of Louise always has loads of food) and NZ merriment.

Christmas isn't publicly acknowledged by the masses in Saudi but every year a newby expat tells a story about a Saudi, or two, expecting the office will be closed so they, Saudi's, can have Christmas Day day off.  It makes one wonder if the average Saudi truly understands the rules in his own country.
Church gatherings are practically clandestine.
Activities that celebrate Christian events are code named.
December 25th is not a day off.

But none of that really matters.
Christmas is about blessings, large and small.
Like the taxi driver from Bangladesh I hailed off the street who wished me a nice Christmas.  Yes, he's Muslim but he's human and thinks being kind to each other is what life is about.

Or, like the fabulous technology we have at our fingertips (and we're very grateful for it).
Family and friends send us Christmas messages via e-mail and Facebook.
We'll Skype most of them tomorrow and catch up on family news.
We can't wait to see the grand kids faces.
And hear their 'I got this from Aunty So 'n So' stories.

That's what matters.
That's what makes us smile.

Best of the season to you all.
Kiwi, and her Hubster, in Saudi.

New Zealand for Christmas

We are in New Zealand for Christmas.
This is Hubby's first christmas back in NZ for three years.

It is certainly nice to be home again, though I admit the Christmas commercialism and the push to Buy, Buy, Buy!, followed the very next day by SALE, SALE, SALE is really annoying.

It has always perplexed me why the sales are after Christmas.  It makes one question retailers perception of Goodwill to all Peoples.  That is one good thing about being in Saudi Arabia for Christmas....you will not find it advertised in public anywhere.

Not that I pay much attention to the advertising,

Immunity to in your face advertising for the Festive Season kicked in about the same time as our debt reducing strategies and both have helped us sail through that hideous present buying stress we now watch others suffer.

A huge arse credit card bill in our first year together buying presents for Hubsters 7 brothers and 1 sister and my 3 brothers and 2 sisters, along with any nieces and nephews and other rellies who were promising to turn up on Christmas Day, and that took a year to pay off, brought us to our senses about over spending at Christmas time quick smart.

We decided many years ago that we'd only buy for the kids.   Adult Chrismas, we decided, is about spending time with family, eating good food and watching kids who still believe in Christmas magic opening presents from Santa.

Now that our kids are grown, we only buy for our moko's and even then we don't actually do the shopping.  As we live overseas we transfer over the cash and their parents do the shopping.  How stress free is that!

Except for this Christmas of course.  As I'm in the country I did go to town and buy two gifts, for two moko's.  It took me about two hours which included drive time and coffee time.  It also helps to know exactly what you're getting.  That's part of our grandparent gift buying strategy - ask the parents what to buy.

It all sounds very unexciting, but for a person who detests shopping, it's a perfect system - stress free, and credit card friendly. 

Hangi Master

Being in debt should not be what Christmas is about.  The weather at Christmas time in New Zealand is way too nice.  It's perfect for beachside picnics, back yard Bar-B's or, our family favourite, a hangi.

Yes I am enjoying being back in New Zealand for Christmas and the most stressful thing I had to do was make enough sponge cake decorated with strawberries and cream for the whanau to share for dessert after our Christmas Day hangi.




Ka Kite,
Kiwi

Christmas in Riyadh

Christmas Evening in Riyadh -  Gees I could've done my hair.

I was hoping to regale you all with tales of Christmas in Riyadh.  What we did, who we saw, where we went.  All that.  Instead, I was sick with a flu, or something, which has been going around.  Grrreat!

What are the symptoms, because as I write I am still undergoing some of them?  Chills, shakes, body aches, major headache, zombie head, loss of appetite.  I know I told the universe I don't want to get carried away on food this Christmas, and if this is the universe manifesting my desire  I guess I should be happy - but really! 

Being sick was certainly not what I had planned for my first ever Christmas Eve in Riyadh.

This is what I had planned:  A lunch time get together on another compound with some expat-bloggers living in Saudi who I've met online.  That soiree was to be followed by an evening dinner at our compound coffee shop with fellow compound dwellers who were, for whatever reason, also spending Christmas in the magic kingdom.

And it is magic.

Though rumours abound of negative Big H messages being sent forth to the masses via loud speaker (as I don't understand the Arabic I cannot confirm this rumour.  Lots of little birdies twitter out there about it, but none I know personally and I'm not going to believe just anyone) the Saudi people I know send me texts wishing me a happy Christmas and a wonderful day.  They do that of their own free will and, though I'm guessing at their reasons, I would say their rational goes something like this: we are friends, they are wonderful people.  Now isn't that magic.

Whats the big H Kiwi?  When the kids were little there were a couple of words that were banned from their vocabulary.  One was the Big H.  Hate is a word attached to very strong, intense feelings with horribly negative tones that spring from deep seated plain old nasty...not nice-ness.  Use of the word willy nilly, as far as we were concerned, was unacceptable.  Thesaurus allowed them other words they could use to express their discontent or antipathy of a situation or person should they need to - ' intensely dislike' was a favourite phrase. 

Yep. That was the Christmas Eve plan.
I didn't get to do any of it.
At least Glenn got to enjoy it all, which is a huge difference to how he has spent the last two Christmases in Riyadh.  Working.

I would have asked him, when he got home, how things went, but I was in 'pass in, pass out', mumble 'tea please', zombie brain mode. 

Glenn rang the children when he got home from his festive activities to wish them a great day and to have a word with the grand kids.  He left the loud speaker on so I could hear (11.30pm our Christmas Eve was early morning their Christmas Day).  Aren't kids awesome at Christmas.  They were so excited.  Our granddaughter told us all about Santa eating the cookies and drinking all the milk she left out.  And the reindeer ate the carrot.  Our grandson told us about his new green undies, cos his old blue ones are too small.  Sooo cute.  As our daughter said, Christmas is much more fun with kids - until they know you buy the presents and aren't the least bit appreciative.  Then it's time they got a job.

I, unfortunately, was in no state to contribute to any conversation.  Never mind - I heard it. 

So, now it is Christmas Day in Riyadh and Glenn is currently at the function that was planned for our Christmas Day.

Oh he did work today.  Christmas Day is not a day off in Saudi although apparently a number of Saudi's were perfectly happy to take a day off because they presumed that all westerners would be absent so their own attendance at work wasn't required.  What the??

But after work he headed off to spend the evening with the tennis crew and friends enjoying a meal, a secret Santa and a few beverages (You know ginger tea, stuff like that. Yeah whateva Gae!) that, had I been there, would have taken us well into the night singing Christmas Carols. 

How did my Christmas day pan out?

Once the fever broke (last night) I've spent today with lessening, but not gone headache, return of appetite to nibble on apple slices, a bitch of a cough that does my head in and seriously hurts my chest, which is bunged up, and the pièce de résistance (I had to look that up to see how to spell it) - the runs. Grrrreaat.  How can I have the runs - I haven't eaten anything!!!

I have recovered enough to type into my blog between dozes.  Since about 10am sleeping has been difficult because the rumblings of my bowel have me heading to the bathroom at frequent intervals - a real test on those butt muscles, which I have to say, are rather slack!  (Even coughing lets a few squitters escape - I'm on to my third pair of knickers for the day.)  Awweeesuume!

I have to say, one thing I did not miss in the lead up to Christmas in Riyadh was the commercialism.  'Buy this, they'll love you'.
'No, buy this - you'll be the only one of almost every other family that has it'.
'Jingle Bells your pay away because advertising says this is what Christmas is about'.
No, I don't think I missed that at all.

I did miss a few carols.  Not the constant stream you get forced through your eardrums at shopping malls from the start of the day till the end.  That is overkill.  Nope.  Didn't miss that.  But sitting round a piano with a few friends singing a few carols would have been nice.

Glenn enjoyed this Christmas because, even though I wasn't in attendance at planned events (which he says just weren't the same without me there - awww, what a sweetie), at least this year I was in the country.

Glenn has just texted.  He is on his way home.  No doubt he will have a chinwag about the evening.  I have some good news for him too.  I can pass wind now, without any extra accompaniments. Oh the small, yet wonderful things we rejoice in.

************

It's boxing day.  I fell asleep soon after Glenn arrived home with pressies and left overs - I nibbled the roast potato, a bit of kumara and a little surprise I wasn't expecting.  Very nice.

 
I may have missed wishing all a Merry Christmas, (and I certainly hope your day was festive, fun and family and friends filled), but I figure there's plenty of time to recover so I can be ready for bringing in the New Year.

And I'm looking forward to my next Christmas, which may or may not, be in Riyadh.

Ka Kite,
Kiwi