A recent tweet by the Saudi Customs Authority answering a question about the ban imposed on Christmas trees in Saudi Arabia has been going viral.

In response to a question whether it is legal to allow Christmas trees into Saudi Arabia or not, the Customs Authority confirmed Christmas trees are still banned from entering the ultra-conservative Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the 2018 Christmas season.

Translation: “Hello. The entry of the Christmas tree is still prohibited from entering Saudi Arabia. Glad to respond to you.”

This is not something new in Saudi Arabia.

Christmas trees or the holding of any Christmas-related festivals has been banned for decades in Saudi Arabia

However, Saudi Customs were condemned and widely criticized for their tweet.

Translation: “It is not your right to ban it. There are many foreign Christian workers who work in this country and this is being disrespectful to their beliefs.”

On the other hand however, some bloggers do support Saudi Customs for their decision.

Translation: “Thank you. May God grant victory for this country and save it with Islam and save Islam with it.”

But things are changing in Saudi Arabia in other ways. Last Friday, and for the first-time-ever, Egyptian pop singer Amr Diab took to the stage in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, to perform in one of the biggest events in the country where males and females are allowed to attend the same concert together without separating them with barriers or in different halls.

The concert raised many questions that the Saudi authorities should give priority to allowing the Christmas tree rather than organizing pop concerts in the region to prove their openness and freedoms. Better still, it would be nice to do both.