Tehran, Dec 20 (EFE).- Several people dressed up as Santa Claus vie for the attention of passers-by, colorful lights sparkle and Christmas carols ring out, a scene common at the end of December in much of the world, except in Tehran, the capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Passersby walk next to a shop displaying Christmas decorations in the city center of Teheran, Iran, 20 December 2024. Christmas decorations would seem normal in many cities around the world, except in Teheran, capital of the Islamic Republic of Teheran. EFE/ Jaime Leon
Christmas activity in the Iranian capital is concentrated in the Armenian minority’s Christian neighborhoods, where shop decorations provide a spectacle for curious Muslims, attracted by the colorful and «divine» aspect of the holiday beyond religious considerations.
A man dressed as Father Christmas is seen at a supermarket in the city center of Teheran, Iran, 20 December 2024. Christmas decorations would seem normal in many cities around the world, except in Teheran, capital of the Islamic Republic of Teheran. EFE/ Jaime Leon
«We want to take part in this festival. We are Muslims, but we don’t care about its origin or religious aspect. We just want to be happy,» Yasin, a 39-year-old Tehran resident accompanied by his wife and young son, told EFE.
The boy is beaming with happiness as he buys a Santa Claus figure and other Christmas decorations in a shop on Mirzaye Shirazi Street, one of the main streets of the country’s Armenian community.
Outside the shop, crowds of people jostle for space to take a selfie in front of the window decorated with Santa Clauses, Christmas baubles, colored lights, and reindeer.
The sign prohibiting photography and filming does not seem to deter anyone.
«We came to take Instagram photos,» said Mobina, a 22-year-old architecture student accompanied by a group of friends.
«In Iran, they don’t put up Christmas trees or Santa Clauses, so we come to the shops to see them,» she added.
Leila, a 44-year-old housewife, also came to take photos with her two daughters.
«With the (Christmas) tree and Santa Claus in the background, (the photos) will look divine,» she said with a laugh.
A passer-by says «Milad-e Masih Mubarak», which literally means «Happy Birth of Christ» in Persian.
For visitors to the Armenian neighborhood, Christmas is a colorful, beautiful celebration that they know through Western culture and especially thanks to social networks such as Instagram, which is hugely popular in the country despite being banned by the authorities.
The owner of the popular shop is a Muslim who has been running the business for four years and previously ran a similar shop for 17 years.
«Most of the people you see here don’t come to buy. They just come to take pictures,» he said.
One of the shoppers is Muslim housewife Mahin, 53, who has been decorating her home for Christmas for a long time.
«We like everything pretty and the Christmas celebrations are one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. (It is) maybe the most colorful party,» she said.
Elsewhere in the neighborhood, several people dressed as Santa Claus are recreating the popular ‘ho ho ho!’, while a man plays carols on an accordion and cafes decked out in Christmas decorations are bustling with people.
Christmas is the time of year when the culture and traditions of the 350,000 Christians who live in Iran, a country of 80 million, become more visible.
According to Artush, an Armenian who has been dressing up as Santa Claus for 27 years, this year the authorities have put up some festive lights in the Mirzaye Shirazi area for the Christmas season.
«This is the first time they have put up lights for our celebration. But they were only on for one day and then they were switched off due to the lack of electricity,» he said. EFE
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