Maybe its just my head playing mind games but I feel this year in Kuwait there is a lack of Christmas spirit. Usually a lot of places would have Christmas decorations and music playing but this year there are very few. I was at Marina Mall the other day and I didn’t notice any Christmas decorations done by the mall. On the other hand (and surprisingly) Souk Sharq have Christmas decorations. Kuwait is so unchristmassy.
35 replies on “Christmas Spirit”
dude christmas is haram.
really???
I feel the lack of spirit too. I can’t put my finger on why, it’s just a feeling.
lol@ holla..! this is a mulla country mark…what do u expect?They are planning to cancel the licenses of all the churches in Kuwait ,leave alone the Christmas spirit…..!
Checkout Home Selection Al-Rayya complex they have the Largest Xmas tree in Kuwait, They do carry Christmas stuff, ie candels etc you get the idea.
Mohammed, they are selling Christmas stuff everywhere but no one is decorating… as in no public place. Usually by this time, restaurants/malls/supermarkets/ etc would be decorated.
I heard a rumor someone wasn’t too happy with Christmas decorating in Kuwait and decided to “frown” on it.
I also heard that Dubai has over-decorated from Christmas.
*sigh*
i think it’s funny to see muslims celebrate in christmas, so stupid 🙂
Christmas is for everyone…and guys stop ur stupid thinking..
Mark don’t forget that you are leaving in an Islamic country which the extremes would be annoyed with any kind of un-Islamic Celebration other than Eid Alfitr and Eid Aldha which are the only 2 celebration in Islam.
in Dubai it would feel like effin xmas in new york city if it weren’t for the election advertising .. i mean why. where are we living, even in scandinavia they probably don’t celebrate as much as they do here.
i reject xmas celebrations myself but agree with armani exchange on the matter
Honestly Christmas is just a shopping season and let people enjoy it.
The religious MPs are just out of their mind! Everything is fucking haraam to them! They should make smoking haraam and see what happens from then!
Kuwait was known for its openness and religion is something of a private matter. You should never force your religion on others, but some of these rules are just out the window! No thinking behind it!
Marzouq is 100% right. And besides, Kuwait has been celebrating Christmas for decades. I remember when Salmiya high street used to be totally decorated like Oxford Street! Even the small little no-name boutiques had trees and lights up. Remember Fay in Old Salmiya? Even if we’re “living in an Islamic country” – the point is that something has significantly changed over the past few years, and not for the better. Why not just let people have their harmless fun? I quote rampurple: *sigh*
Is it really true they’re planning on canceling the church licenses in Kuwait?! That is INSANE if it is true!!! What is happening to our country?
Sultan’s playing Chrismas music, which was fun to stroll to. Though Jesus is recognized in Islam as a Prophet, the religion doesn’t celebrate the birthdays of any Prophets. (Some births are observed but does not celebrated, I should say.) Al Adha which celebrates the Prophet Abraham’s dedication to God and God’s mercy is recognized by both religions, and celebrated in Islam. We pretty much have more than a lot in common, but yeah, as an Islamic country I think spreading the cheer and spirit of Christmas is more on an individual level. It’s a beautiful spirit. We shared similar spirit in Ramadan. The spirit, which ever one it is, is more about how you observe your faith and share it with people. Are you homesick, probably. While living in the US, Ramadan was a hard month for me. I think I know how you feel.
i think thats a good thing , i hate Christmas and i hate its spirit even more.
don’t get me started on thanksgiving also…
its the parliament, I tell you!
i love christmas.
I agree with what Marzouq said, its true..
Kuwait was known as the less-religous one out of the gulf country’s but its slowly changing..
however christmas is another thing, its a completly different religion so i dont think the government would ever think of doing something for christmas since this is a muslim country..
but i still think that shops and malls should be able to be decorated for christmas..
Its pretty, i love christmas decorations !
I think it is more of a lack of appreciation for decoration rather than not celebrating christmas. Even in ramadan, everything is pretty boring. In comparison to the decoration done elsewhere, Kuwait probably gets a big fat F. Oh well, I think its just like anything else in this country.
btw.. The One supposedly has alot of nice Christmas decorations.
Sultan Centre in Salmiya has decorated the outside reasonably nicely (read: tastefully, for Kuwait). And trust me, Christmas is celebrated wayyyyy less in Thailand than even in “Kuwait today”. The mulla’s don’t need to worry about the celebration of Jesus anyway – I heard the latest calculation was March or May or something.
Christmas is more a commercial holiday these days. I consider it about as religious as Halloween or Valentine’s Day. Of course, despite my atheism, my family’s Christian so there’s still a nativity scene or two around the house. Come Christmas morning, though, Santa’s the one that gets top billing. Of course, depending on how argumentative one wants to be, you could always argue the Christian relationship of *that* figure, but that’s a distinction without a difference.
Of course, unless I’m mistaken, almost every holiday has become, at least in some small part, commercialized; that’s just the way it is.
I suppose my point is this: retail outlets (or districts, for that matter) decorating for Christmas does not imply endorsement of Christianity; it simply implies endorsement of capitalism. I’m sure if there were a market for Kwanzaa in Kuwait, we’d see kinaras on local shelves.
Heh. That’s a lot of Ks.
BA HUMBUG!
thats because ppl dont want to offend any communities which are non-christian… maybe someone might get offended and sue that person/company/shop
Last year Al-Rayya and Marina Mall had nice Xmas trees… what’s going on this year? I haven’t been anywhere yet
Al-Rayya have a large christmas tree outside Home Collection. When I was last there the mall wasnt decorated.
Marina Mall nothing this year. The One has a christmas decoration section but thats it.
Souk Sharq had barely any decorations when i first passed by but yesterday there was a lot.
When I last passed by Sultan they were just selling decorations but they hadnt decorated themselves.
Ikea nothing and just barely selling some christmas decorations just before the exit.
Unless there is a specific rule which says no one is allowed to decorate their shops, I wouldn’t worry too much guys.
Let’s not forget that the majority of these malls / shops / retail are owned by a few families. If they aren’t feeling the Christmas spirit – that’s their choice.
Best to open your own shop and decorate it exactly how you want – no one will say anything.
This really sucks.. I understand that it is an islamic country, but don’t forget that there are a lot of chrisitan who live and work and contribute in this country.. they respect and live by the rules, they fast during ramadan etc.. so i think a little bit of consideration and making them feel a bit less nostalgic on xmas, wouldn’t harm them at all!!!
I think its a good gesture when business’s in Kuwait, whether Muslim or Christian owned put on decorations in their shops and home. Whether decorations have increased this year or not in kuwait, they are doing A LOT more than other non muslims nations do for islamic holidays. For example, come to Europe and you will not see shops decorated with EID banners during Ramadan. Anyways…..I do hope to see more xmas decorations in Kuwait, not only for the christians but for everyone else too.
KLEIO-The licenses are not being revoked. They are actually building a NEW church in kuwait.
For everyone-Whether you believe in Santa or not, i hope you all have behaved good this year 8)
Ahmed; appreciate you clearing up what I hoped was just a rumor!
Ahmed: Thanks for the info. Thank goodness it’s not true, because that would mean a lot about the direction in which Kuwait might be going! Also, you do see some Eid banners in certain parts of England where there is a high Muslim population (just as there is a high Christian population in Kuwait). Like you said, it’s a gesture.
Someone above mentioned something about not expecting the government to take steps towards celebrating Christmas because it is an Islamic country. I don’t think that is what anyone here has been asking for. Christmas everywhere in the world has become a commercial holiday before it is a religious one. Like equalizer said, it’s about all holidays in Kuwait. It seems as though the one holiday they love to decorate for is Valentine’s Day, when you see all the flower shops decorated in gaudy pink and red (and even then, it’s in such poor taste that it shouldn’t even count). I don’t think it’s a matter of religious restriction that is stopping the places from decorating lately (or at least I hope it’s not). I think it’s more about apathy. Apathy for everything that takes a little bit of extra effort. Unless it’s gonna bring in more money, we’re not gonna do it. That’s what the business sentiment seems to be like in Kuwait these days. I might be wrong. But anyway…
Merry Christmas to all!
Not to rub it in for those of you who are missing Christmas in Kuwait this year, but just after I posted my last comment, the store beneath my flat in London just started blasting out Christmas songs (currently playing the Jackson Five). So the whole street is getting a heavy dose of the Christmas spirit. 🙂
Strange, I’m totally feeling the Christmas spirit thingy. I turn the temperature at home supercold, make some hot apple cider, sit by the decorated tree and listen to Sinatra sing some carols. Works for me :)!
hey guys ..
stop being so liberal , this is not America and its not a free country ,
its a muslim country , like it or not .. its said in the constitution , therfor As a country , we dont celebrate other religion’s holidays . and you should respect that .
and the country doesnt prevent foreigners from celebrating their own religious holidays , but you can do it in your home and in your private places , there is no need to allow decoration in public . i really agree with that law .
most of the kuwaiti people are conservative muslims , so dont force them to celebrate a holiday not their own . in their own country
mommy – i lived in london almost my whole life, i dont see them doing anything in ramadan or eid to make us feel a bit more respected..
Foriegners expect so much from us while they never do anything for us in return..
Just like Christmas, a lot of the joy of love is found in the giving.
OMG my family came up today and christmas is almost up!!!! srry for those people in kuwait. i dont mean to brag at all. lol MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!