Ramadan bazaars help set the scene for the holy month

JEDDAH: With Ramadan almost upon us, preparations for the holy month are at their peak. Families are preparing food in advance for luscious iftars, decorating their homes and gearing up for prayers and Qur’an recitals.

Supermarkets are fully stocked and offering the best products and prices, while mosques are scheduling iftars and sahoors for people in need. New shows have been announced by the TV channels for what is their highest-rated month of the year. The government has also been busy arranging events and activities to benefit businesses and citizens.

Different malls and shopping centers also organize special Ramadan bazaars with special offers for the holy month. 

These bazaars cater to all aspects of Ramadan, from food to decorations and collectibles. Many vendors offer unusual, often one-of-a-kind, products. To make such places attractive to families, many activities are also organized for all family members. Such markets add color to Ramadan celebrations.

These markets are usually decorated in the traditional style adorned with lanterns and vibrant colors, and filled with a sense of excitement for the arrival of Ramadan. 

Sara Al-Sobaie is a graduate of culinary school who specializes in European desserts such as macarons and meringues. 

She also sells unusual items such as edible flowers and glitter, which are not readily available in Saudi Arabia.

“We import products that people can use in baking that are hard to find here,” she said. 

“We try to import from countries such as France.”

Ahmad Shareef and Faiz Shareef are partners in The Honey Jar, which sells unusual flavors of honey, such as extra sweet, spicy and ginger. 

They aim to provide pure honey with no additives, which can be hard to find. They import their products from Peshawar, Yemen and Ethiopia.

“We sell different types of honey from different parts of the world,” said Ahmad. 

“We currently have seven types of honey but we hope to add more in the future."