Sultanate of Brunei: Celebrate despite the ban on Christmas

Decorated streets, Christmas carols, Christmas trees – none of that exists in Brunei. There is a ban on Christmas in the Sultanate, and violators face imprisonment for several years. We celebrate anyway – at home and in the church.

Priest Arin Sugit stands in front of the Catholic Church in Brunei. The service has just ended. Many still want to shake his hand when they say goodbye, to talk to him. One topic: Christmas preparations.

The congregation wants to decorate the church building. Not a matter of course in Brunei. In 2014, the Sultan of Brunei imposed a Christmas ban. With high fines and imprisonment for anyone who violates it. But the ban has its limits, explains Priest Sugit and lights the candles of the Advent wreath in the church.

Less commercial festival

The priest explains that it is not a Christmas ban in the sense that Christmas can no longer be celebrated at all. “We can celebrate Christmas – on our church grounds and at home.” There is a Christmas tree decorated with red balls next to the altar. It’s forbidden in public.

There are no Christmas decorations in shopping centers and restaurants, and no Christmas carols are played in public. The priest can also get something positive out of it. For this reason, Christmas in Brunei is not a major commercial event like in other countries, but focuses entirely on faith and family.

Festive lights only in Ramadan

The British Sarah Boye has also come to terms with this and can understand the ban. “They said the country should save the festive lights for the end of Ramadan,” says Boye. “For the biggest feast day in the Muslim calendar and not for Christmas, a non-Muslim holiday.”

She celebrates Christmas at home with her husband from Munich and their two children. “We decorated everything at home, we celebrate Advent and Christmas,” says the Briton. The turkey is already cold.

No Christmas decorations in public

In an international hotel in Brunei’s capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, manager Miriam Wolber looks at her Christmas tree in the lobby with some concern. “It’s possible that someone from the ministry will come by and say that’s okay or that’s not okay,” says Wolber. “And if it’s not okay, we’ll just have to take it down.”

Because hotels are public places. So they don’t fall under the exception. Actually, the small Christmas tree should be in a corner by the pool and not visible. But one employee seems to have understood the order differently. Wolber wants to wait and see what happens. She is currently preparing several Christmas parties for international guests. “We don’t call it ‘Christmas’. For us it’s called ‘Festive Season’,” the manager explains her trick. “It’s allowed that we can call it that. We will also have subtle decoration.”

In the Catholic Church, they planned bigger, says Priest Sugit. He expects up to 2,000 people in the parking lot in front of the community center on December 25th. They want to eat together, celebrate, sing Christmas carols. On the grounds of the church they are allowed to.