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.
This story is from the February 14, 2022 edition of The Straits Times.
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This story is from the February 14, 2022 edition of The Straits Times.
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