Welcome back to our UO global gifting year-end countdown! Today’s gifting suggestions come to us from Saudi Arabia via current UO student Mohammed Almuaishi (Journalism) and a trio of our amazing Saudi alumni: Fawzi Alkadi, BS ’96 (Marketing); Abdulrhman (AJ) Aljaafari, BS ’16 (Business Administration); and Abdullah Alshabannah, BS ’19 ( Business Administration/Family and Human Services)! Following their personal gift picks, our student and alums have also shared some information about popular gifting holidays in Saudi Arabia.
Fawzi Alkadi is both an alum and a proud Duck parent. He is CEO of the investment management company FFK Enterprises and is the first international citizen to serve on the University of Oregon Alumni Association’s Board of Directors. AJ Aljafaari is Corporate Communications and Marketing Manager for International Maritime Industries and is also President of the Saudi Arabia chapter of the University of Oregon Alumni Association. Since graduating last year, Abdullah Alshabannah joined Saudi Payments as a purchasing officer. He continues to explore his passion for the intersection of marketing and mobility and accessibility products.
Mohammed Almuaishi’s interests include fencing, soccer, watching sports, and filming and editing. He is also deeply interested in social issues, diversity, cultures, and storytelling. Mo has served as an international cultural liaison and leader of the Fencing Club. He has been active in the UO Arab Student Union, and International Student Peer Mentor Program. Currently, his primary involvement is with Mills International Center and the School of Journalism and communication, where he is a student employee. He also creates YouTube videos about cross cultural topics on his channel Mo13Tube.
Fawzi Alkadi, BS ’96; Abdulrhman (AJ) Aljaafari, BS ’16; and Abdullah Alshabannah, BS ’19
(Photos top to bottom)
Top gifts: Trends and traditions
Fawzi: Traditional Clothing Items
For men, this is: 1) Thawb – a long shirt 2) Bisht – a long cloak and 3) A three part head covering (skull cap, cloth covering, and cord circlet).For women, it is much better to give perfumes or jewelry since women’s clothing is more diverse and many women enjoy choosing their own!
AJ: Dates and traditional sweets
Dates are a tresured treat here! So are traditional sweet dishes like ma’amoul, luquaimat, kunafa, etc. You can learn more about these sweet dishes here.
Abdullah: Chocolates
Chocolates are a good gift! I love all of the crunchy chocolates, like Patchi and Anoosh which are locally popular, as well as Kit Kat – anything crunchy or with nuts!
Fawzi: Coffee
Good, strong Arabic coffee is something we give, not necessarily as a gift, but as an act of hospitality. We traditionally make gahwa, a coffee spiced with saffron and cardamom. You can try to make it using this recipe.
Top gifts: Personal picks
Fawzi: Incense
Oud (agarwood) incense is often included on religious occasions and other special occasions.
Abdullah: Hats
I love baseball hats, especially some of the ones I have from the UO!
AJ: Luxury pen set
This kind of gift is both beautiful and functional. Plus, since I use pens all of the time, I get to be reminded very often of the ones who gift them to me.
Abdullah: Personalized gifts
I really appreciate the sentiment of giving, no matter what the gift is. I like personalized gifts, like homemade cards and items or home-cooked treats.
Mohammed Almuaishi
Current UO Journalism student, fierce fencing opponent, and intercultural humorist
My top gifts: Trends and traditions
Big Parties
For celebrating birthdays, it is becoming more and more popular to gift the birthday person a big party. It could be big or small, every family is different. In my neighborhood, people actually do not open the gifts in front of others. People are taught to accept the gift and just thank the givers, and not tell who gave or who did not give a gift.
Perfume
Oud or agarwood is a popular gift for all giving occasions, and its perfume is a traditional favorite. Of course, all of the most popular high-end international brands that most people in the U.S. know far also popular in Saudi.
Shared Meals
Again, this is part of our culture of hospitality, but less formal than the big parties. This is an everyday thing, where people enjoy the simple pleasure of paying the bill for a meal with a co-worker, friend, or family member. The dish pictured is the popular Saudi dish kabsa (rice and chicken). You can learn to cook it on this popular Saudi Cooking YouTube channel if you would like to give it a try!
Watches
Watches are a popular gift. International brands are issuing special limited edition watches exclusive to Saudi Arabia.
My top gifts: Personal picks
Personal time - Give it to both friends and strangers
The best gift to give someone is your time and a smile because we do not know what people go through and that small act of kindness could have a huge impact on them.
The International Cultural Service Program Fund
I am happy to share more information about this fund and the amazing things it does for outstanding international students and the UO local community. The cultural and presentation training I have received from the program and the insights I gain everyday from my cohort of students from all around the world has been amazing!
A donation to the UO Students in Crisis Fund
A donation to the Students in Crisis Fund is definitely one of the best gifts that can be given within the UO community. It has helped all kinds of students impacted by the COVID-a9 pandemic. International students have benefitted, as have domestic students and undocumented students. There are still students struggling and they could use this help.
Gifting in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has a strong gifting culture, with hospitality playing a very important role! Saudi Arabia has different gifting norms in different parts of the country, and people who have moved from one part of the country to another will sometimes blend the traditions of both their original home and their new one – creating even more gifting diversity!
Abdullah Alshabannah shares that “[gifting] occasions are endless such as getting a new position, coming from a travel, moving to new home, birthdays etc., but the official holidays are Eid-Al-Fitr (marks the breaking of fasting that takes place during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan) , Eid-Al-Adha (an Islamic day of prayer commemorating Abraham (Ibrahim)’s willingness to follow the command of Allah to sacrifice his son), and the Saudi National Day. Lately it has becoming popular to also gift people on International Women’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day. Mohammed Almuaishi adds, “usually people give donations on Fridays after the prayer, and also before Eid Al-Fitr. Donation before Eid Al-Fitr is considered obligatory for many Muslims and this is called Zakat.”
He continues, “Eid Al-Fitr is diffrent from a place to place. In my neighborhood, we visit all of our relatives in that day and eat a meal or have snacks with them. Usually, the older people give something big or small to the younger people from the same family. Kids could get anything from anyone older than them even if they are not relatives. Kids usually usually get candies from non-relatives, and money from their family. Everyone knows everyone in my neighborhood, so that is ok to give a kid some candies.”
Saudi Arabia Ducks
There are approximately 350 Saudi Ducks, with Ducks in almost every major city of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Arabia University of Oregon Alumni Association chapter is fairly new (established in 2017). The group hosts alumni receptions on an annual basis and is planning some exciting online events for 2021!
