The annual Valentine's Day ban in Saudi Arabia has prompted some discussion in the local media. Regardless of what Saudis actually think about it, the fact that this issue can now be discussed so openly is one reflection of the way the kingdom is changing.

Judging by comments from the anti-Valentine crowd, the objections are only partly religious: it's also seen as an imposition of western culture. One man quoted in Arab News says:

“We are embracing western culture at the expense of our religious teachings, and that is very dangerous. It will erode aspects of our culture and stray us from our religion. Even music and those who trade in it must be banned.”

And a female schoolteacher says:

“What next? Shall we be coerced into buying and decorating Christmas trees? Why our young are so easily attracted to the less significant aspects of western culture? Why cannot they adopt the more serious characteristics of those societies like hard work, discipline, and proper work ethics? This is a lost generation.”

As often happens with official attempts to dictate personal behaviour, many Saudis seem to be ignoring the authorities (and, in some cases, the wishes of their own families) by marking the day in secret. In the Saudi Gazette, Noha, a female university student, says:

“This year my fiancé is working in Riyadh, and I cannot celebrate the day with him, that is why I am trying to find a way to send a gift by mail, without telling my family ... Sending a gift or celebrating Valentine’s Day is something shameful in my family – that is why I am trying to hide this issue, even though I am celebrating it with my fiancé.”

The Saudi Gazette found several shops planning to defy the ban by selling gifts, chocolates and flowers under cover:

“We will have a new collection of cakes decorated with hearts and red colors especially for Valentine’s Day, but we are planning to show it in a way that cannot be identified by the religious officials,” said a chocolate shop owner. 

“We will present the collection without advertising that it is for Valentine’s Day.”

According to the shopkeeper, only observant people will be able to spot the Valentine’s Day cake collection in the shop.

Meanwhile, the paper says, others are relying on the internet for solutions:

"Some couples have turned to electronic means to express their love for one another. Internet is being used to send e-Valentine’s Day cards, gifts, flowers, and songs via emails, Facebook, Twitter, and other websites ... Many young Saudi women are using electronic means to send a message to their loved ones without fear of being criticised by the government or society."

Posted by Brian Whitaker, 14 February 2010.