Saudi Gazette For many people the holy month is a period where they concentrate on balancing the spiritual, the psychic, and materialistic sides of their lives. Hopes are created, memories are built, social relations become sturdier, and inner peace is cultivated. Subconsciously, many Muslims follow several habits and social phenomena during Ramadan, as well as some new trends appear every year. We have put together a list of some of the common old habits and new trends that people in the Kingdom follow during Ramadan. Worship Muslims during Ramadan are eager to pray the Taraweeh and read Quraan. In the past decade many Saudis start to distribute meals before Iftar, as well as distributing food boxes for the needy that includes rice and oil in the last days of Shaaban. "My habit is to read Quran and distribute Iftar meals to people," Ahlam Redwan, a Saudi female, said. Family and friends Gathering during Iftar Many Saudis must have their Iftar at their grandparents or parents houses, especially during the first few days of the month. Most of the time, young people in the Kingdom have a one-day gathering, called the Ramadan reunion. Suhaib Qammash, a Saudi male in his 30s, said: "one Ramadan habits is to visit my family and friends. Every year, we visit the house of the elder person in the Family to have Iftar in the first day of Ramadan." Shopping Shopping before and during Ramadan is one of the cultural traditions that most women carry out during this time of year, particularly for clothes. In the past few years, a new trend has appeared: shopping for Ramadan decorations. People buy everything that presents the theme of Ramadan, including accessories, flags, and glasses. One of the new habits of newly married couples is to buy gifts for the singles and children to make them feel special. Sarah Khalil, a Saudi female in her 30s, said that during Ramadan she decorates the house, and her office at work. She also buys new thobes and gifts for her close friends. Car Journey before Sunset In Jeddah most people would take their kids to the Corniche to play in the sand and create sand houses, collect seashells, ride beach buggies or horses, and buy snacks while driving along the Corniche. Nowadays, the trend is to take a car ride and park next to the sea for a while and buy snacks or dessert. "When I was a child, I use to come with my parents and siblings to the Corniche and play, and until now I have the same habit of visiting the Corniche at the late afternoon and after that I buy sweets," Khoulod, a Saudi female in her 30s, said. Wardrobe for Ramadan During Ramadan, Saudis, in the past few years, have taken to a new trend of wearing a their regions traditional wardrobe. Some of them start to create their own, new styles of thobes. Qammash explained that men, during the Holy month, start to wear Saudi thobes with different colors, while Redwan mentioned that the current fashion for men is wearing the Omamah. She added that both genders started to wear the older, Hejazi thobes, and females are wearing them in different colors and designs.
