With the celebration of Valentine's Day banned in the Kingdom and scholars stressing that such celebrations are unacceptable in Islam, some couples have turned to electronic means to express their love for one another. Internet is being used to send e-Valentine's Day cards, gifts, flowers, and songs via e-mails, Facebook, Twitter, and other websites. Some of these gifts are free, while others are not. Many young Saudi women are using electronic means to send a message to their loved ones without fear of being criticized by the government or society. Jawaher Al-Oni, a 25-year-old resident of Jeddah, would like to send a gift to her fiancé who works in another part of the Kingdom. Al-Oni explained to Saudi Gazette that she is not certain that her family will agree, but if they refuse she will resort to sending an e-Valentine gift. Many expatriates who work in Saudi Arabia use the Internet as a way to celebrate Valentine's Day with their loved ones overseas. “There are a lot of sites that offer Valentine's Day gifts. I sent my wife in the Philippine a bouquet of red roses and a box of strawberries dipped in chocolate,” said Peter M. a Filipino engineer who works in Riyadh. However, love via Internet cannot be a substitute for love in real life even if it does take time to choose a song and an e-card to send to someone. “I would not be happy if my husband merely sent me an e-card because I prefer spending the day together romantically,” said Hala Radi, an Egyptian housewife who lives in Jeddah with her husband.
