The pleasures of the holiday season, as celebrated in Aramco camps throughout the 1950s, are depicted here in photographs from the Arabian Sun & Flare.
The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 24, 1952.
A Christmas scene, typical in many Aramco houses this holiday season, is portrayed by the Rolf C. Christopherson family. While Jerry Karen finishes tying an intricate bow on her Christmas package, Mrs. Christopherson adds another box to the presents under the tree and Rolf relaxes in reading the Christmas Story. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 21, 1955.
Mrs. Betty McCoy and children, Patricia, center, Bryan “Bing”, right, the family of Dr. Leslie F. McCoy, although they have been residents of Saudi Arabia a mere five weeks, are typical of American families all over the world in their preparation for the celebration of the Christmas holidays. This, their first Yuletide season in Dhahran, is much the same as past Christmases in their home state of Michigan. Only the snow is missing. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 19, 1956.
Ricky Weidman, beginning his letter to Santa Claus, ponders the wonderous possibilities of Christmas. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 25, 1957.
The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 23, 1959.
Preview of Christmas Morning: Mrs. and Mrs. Arnold Satterthwait, of Dhahran, gave their kids an advance showing of what The Great Day will be like so that the SUN & FLARE could do the same for its readers. With Christmas tree above them, and a fireplace complete with stocking, the Satterthwaits and their five children present a perfect picture of Christmas as it should look. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 24, 1952.
Sopha Scott and Boyd Roy see that even the very top branch is decorated the tree in the Machine Accounting office, Abqaiq. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 19, 1956.
Santa starts his Saudi Arabian rounds at Abqaiq, via the ship of the desert, after carefully checking his reindeer in some colder climate. He says reassuringly, “I haven’t forgotten anybody. The presents, if you are wondering, are hidden in the camel saddle-bags.” The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 19, 1956.
Ras Tanura youngsters gather around the 12 Christmas tree, decorated and festooned for the occasion, in the Surf House Lounge. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 19, 1956.
Linda, Tom and Dave Mestrezat resist the lure of the electric train display to bring their Christmas gifts to the tree. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 19, 1956.
It was the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring, so Johnny and Kit Milam, with their pet Siamese cat Thai, decide to read the Christmas story and wait for Santa. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 19, 1956.
Tony Kay and Kim Zinszer of Dhahran provide the finishing decorative touches to their family Christmas tree. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 25, 1957.
Jimmy Fullerton arranges a caroler and Christmas tree on this roof. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 19, 1956.
Michele and Lani Rousseau of Dhahran hang up their stockings – specially made to challenge Santa Claus. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 25, 1957.
Jack and Tracy Morris lend a hand to Adamano Felippo in lifting Santa to Decorate Dhahran. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 25, 1957.
Jonathan Lohnaas of Dhahran struggles to wrap a Christmas package before its contents can be discovered by the rest of the family. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 25, 1957.
With gifts in hand Michele and Michael Parsley of Dhahran leave for a Christmas party. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 25, 1957.
Santa Claus makes a stop in Ras Tanura on Christmas eve and gives Candy Grimes the thrill of a child’s life. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 25, 1957.
And on Christmas day Scott Taylor of Dhahran discovers that all of the anticipation during the days of waiting is more than fulfilled. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 25, 1957.
Kay Brown, surrounded by her family, gets them in the yuletide spirit by reading aloud the poem. The Browns are (left to right) Barbara, Kay, Greg, Larry, Bobs (junior and senior). The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 24, 1958.
Dhahran Aramco employees of Administration Building South, Mary Gillis, left, and Pat Palomares, right, with several assistants, turned willing hands to decorate the Christmas tree in the lobby. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 24, 1958.
Abqaiq Glee Club members (left to right) Paddy Lou Dagenaisharon Davis and Gloria Storm, took part in the choral prelude to Abqaiq in two-part Christmas program on Dec. 21-22. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 24, 1958.
This trio of Clem Marino, David Smith and Corky Pering (left to right) sand with the student chorus in Abqaiq’s Christmas program Sunday and Monday nights. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 24, 1958.
Central figure of a community housing display on 7th Street Circle North, Dhahran, is a house-high snow man atop an icy hill surrounded by gleeful children busy with winter sports. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 24, 1958.
Carleton MacConnell, as Amahl, and Montez Beavers, as his mother, took leading parts in Abqaiq’s Christmas play “Amahl and the Night Visitors”. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 24, 1958.
Dick Kelley, as one of the Three Wise Men, receives a last-minute inspection by Betty Salvo, who was in charge of the Three Wisemen’s costumes. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 23, 1959.
Wise Man Alex Johnson makes the acquaintance of villagers Bonnie George and Tom Stoffer as the angels Mary Ann Parsley and Pat Dixon watch the procedure. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 23, 1959.
Village women Helen Seidler and Mary Lynn Colgan lift their water jars to their shoulders. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 23, 1959.
Diane Sherman and Karen Ferguson assume angelic poses. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 23, 1959.
Bethlehem sheperds, (left to right) are Jimmy Vroom and Martin Mueller. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 23, 1959.
Creche figures are: (left to right) Mary, Lynn Martin; angels, Susan Williams, Pat Dixon and Pegeen McGrath; and Joseph Randy Miller. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 23, 1959.
AEA Christmas Decoration Chairman, Howard Self, with the help of neighbor Johnny Briley, sets a good example for holiday decor. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 19, 1956.
Flying Home for Christmas: Spending Christmas at home will be a happy event to those 64 fortunate Aramco employees who were waiting to board KLM’s charter flight last Saturday at Dhahran Airport. An earlier flight last Thursday carried 48 persons for a three-week short vacation. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 21, 1955.
The Abqaiq Women’s Group has Christmas tea in the Palms. The striking decorations elegantly evidence the beauty of Yuletide. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 19, 1956.
Basket Display: Displaying their Hong Kong woven basket wares at the Ras Tanura Women’s Group Christmas party, Dec. 15, are (from left to right) Mrs. Cy Coryus, Mrs. W.P. Hale and Mrs. G.R. Gulovsen. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 21, 1955.
Agatha Voorbrood makes pastries for a holiday tree. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 19, 1956.
Betty Powell takes an hour from a busy morning to airmail Yuletide greetings. Terry McMullen and Isabel Christiansen join the rush. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 19, 1956.
Choristers raise their voices in song to provide background music for the Abqaiq Senior Staff School presentation of Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol”. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 25, 1957.
Bobby Waters, Bobby Hairston, Ed Plackwir, Hugh Gelston, and Eric Christenson, also in the Abqaiq production, provide musical Christmas spirit. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 25, 1957.
A gingerbread man and wife stand in front of their gingerbread house with its lollypop garden, looking in wonder at Santa’s reindeer and the brilliantly lit tree on 7th Street Circle South which has already become a Christmas tradition in Dhahran. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 24, 1958.
Community housing decoration on Dhahran’s Sixth Street features the creche which won first prize in the 1957 AEA Christmas decoration contest. This year’s display had more cut-out figures added. The Arabian Sun & Flare, December 24, 1958.