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Street decorations for the national holidays evoke joy and bring delight. Kuwait City's Al-Mubarakiya area is bedecked with Kuwaiti flags, ornaments, decorative lighting and national songs. Scores of local and regional visitors come to Souq Al-Mubarakiya every week, gathering with friends and family in a simple traditional atmosphere.

Some older Kuwaiti women wear the abaya and veil to cover their faces, even if they don't usually wear it elsewhere, in stark contrast to the younger generation. One of them told me that she doesn't want to be recognized in Mubarakiya! But only a few meters away, you see young hijabi women riding their bicycles through the crowd.

The Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has decorated the streets of Souq Mubarakiya as it has done for many years in Ahmadi, another place worth visiting during the national holidays. Street decorations are a symbol of the grace of security and freedom. If the celebration spirit hasn't yet captivated you, come to Mubarakiya!

Story and photos by Athoob Al-Shuaibi