JEDDAH: SARAH ABDULLAH
Monday 29 July 2013

Ramadan traditions among Jeddah residents usually include the family getting together in the kitchen to cook traditional dishes such as samboosak, soups and other popular food items.

However, this year the tradition has been broken, with many families opting to get out of the kitchen and break their fast at local malls and get a head start in Eid shopping.

“We prefer to go to different malls every day,” Iman Shaheen, a Saudi high school student raised in Jeddah, told Arab News. She said that they usually have iftar in the food court and then immediately to the shops to search for new clothes for Eid to beat the heavy rush of traffic that occurs after the breaking of the fast.

Abrar Labban, a Saudi newlywed from Jeddah, said this is the first Ramadan for her as a married woman.

“I was excited by the prospect of making traditional food for my husband for the first time,” Labban said. “But he said he would rather spend time going out and experiencing Ramadan together,” Labban said.

She said most people have busier schedules and want to make their lives more relaxed and enjoyable.

“In the past, our mothers didn’t have the option of visiting hypermarkets and malls for enjoyment,” Labban said. “Their only option was to cook traditional food for iftar and have a family gathering at home. I feel that traditions are bound to change as more options become available.”

Likewise, it is a tradition for many Jeddawis to spend Ramadan at home and Eid at well-known resorts. However, this year, some families have decided to visit the resorts early.

“My sisters and I have decided to pool our money and rent a cabin for the last 10 days of Ramadan before prices rise during the Eid,” Hala, a Saudi mother of five said.

She feels it is a way to break the usual routine and enjoy the month. “I have found I have a better chance to pray and read the Qur’an while my children play and stay busy,” she said.

According to data from the National Committee of Tourism and Hotels, chalets and beach resorts across the Kingdom brought in revenues of SR130 million during Eid-Al-Fitr in 2012.