Monday 04 / November / 2024
On Friday, November 18th, all the boys and the girls, men and women of the Sultanate will take to the streets to celebrate the most significant annual event of the year—National Day. On the 46th National Day, you can expect the streets to be filled with thousands of locals and expatriates cheering and waving Omani flags, youngsters performing traditional dances, and main thoroughfares transformed by parades of patriotically decorated cars, children holding Omani flags atop their parents’ Land Cruisers, honking, cheering, and processionals in red, white, and green.
That’s because one of the most beloved ways to celebrate National Day in Oman is through these impromptu parades for which cars are hand-painted and decaled, people adorn themselves in the national colours, and crowds come together to show deep pride and gratitude for our homeland.
My brother and I start decorating our ride a week before the event, sometimes affixing posters of His Majesty or even hand-painting the entire car. Since the parade kicks off sometime in the afternoon, my brother and I have a quick bite, put on our Omani dishdashas and flag-inspired masks, vests, and scarves, and then head to the petrol station to fill our tanks before starting our drive to the Sultan Qaboos Highway, where the joyful madness awaits. Out of all the dancing, singing, honking, and flag-waving, my favourite part of these afternoons is taking in all the creative and beautifully enhanced vehicles. It certainly has become a sort of competition, of which the spectators, and all of us lucky enough to celebrate in this great country, are the true winners. — [email protected]
The Guide for Celebration Decoration:
1. Stickers
Putting stickers on your car for national day is a no-brainer; almost everyone on the road will have some sort of a sticker design. The most popular way to do it is to stick three-lines of white, red, and green in the form of a slopping set of lines on each side. Finish the look with the national logo of swords and khanjar.
2. Posters
His Majesty posters are also popular decorations. For this type, you either have to go-big or go-home. Use gigantic posters to cover your entire car hood or you can stick them on the back window, or backseat windows. It’s best to go to specialty shop to have it done as they will make sure it is a perfect fit. As for the materials, opt for the dotted posters as they are easily removable.
3. Hand-Painting
This is a new art that’s become popular over the last few years. Artists use water-based colours to draw beautiful designs in the national colours. The most popular designs are floral. You can paint the entire car, but it will look cartoonish, so I’d recommend a beautiful, statement design on the hood, or a few touches on each side of the car. The colours can be washed off easily, so keep your fingers crossed that it doesn’t rain.
4. Balloons
It’s pretty rare to spot a car wearing balloons, but when you do, it stands out. Adding balloons lends a whimsical, fun vibe; you can tie the balloons to side mirrors, attach them to the rooftop, or trap them from the hood or trunk. Be sure the baloon placement does not hinder your visibility, and drive slowly to keep them from popping.
5. LED
Another new and unique decoration trend is adding LED lights to make your car glow, but it’s only appealing if you pick the perfect spot to add the glow, otherwise you’ll end up with a Christmas tree. The best places to light-up include lower sides and lower back, just below the plate number.
6. Flags
Flags are the most important element of parade cars. Most people will carry small-scaled national flags to wave as they cheer for His Majesty, but you can go all out and get yourself a flag made of fabric to fix to the rooftop or to a long antenna for a real patriotic showstopper.
Things to Keep in Mind:
1. The decorations are allowed by the ROP only until the 30th of November
2. Decorations cannot cover vehicle plate numbers
3. Decorations cannot cover windshield or driver’s side window
4. Keep your Fast and Furious drifting experiments to yourself—the ROP will take serious measures against extreme traffic violations and recklessness.
For Patriotic Hand Painting
Call Ahmed Al Jardani
+968 9691 6619
Instagram: @a7med_painter
For National Day Decorative Products
Call Prestige Oman
+968 9444 7422
Instagram: @prestigeoman
For Stickers and LED lights
Call Al Jazeera Car Decoration
+968 9640 1541
Souq Juma Street, Wadi Kabir, Muscat
