A sea of red in Saudi shops but no mention of Valentine's Day

Many in conservative country now embrace festival, whether they call it by its name or not

RIYADH • Red clothing and underwear are displayed in Saudi shopfronts, but the increasingly popular Valentine’s Day promotions are missing one thing: the festival’s name.

While sales surge and Valentine’s gifts become more common among the youthful Saudi population, the word “Valentine’s” is nowhere to be seen.

“Management has asked us to decorate the window display with red lingerie... but without mentioning anywhere Valentine’s Day,” said a saleswoman at a mall in the capital Riyadh, who did not want to be named as she was not authorised to speak to the media.

The displays represent change in Saudi Arabia, where stick-toting religious police once cracked down on sales of Valentine’s Day paraphernalia and even on people wearing red during the Feb 14 festival.