Some gift flowers others gift puppies, but in Saudi Arabia, camels seem to be a more popular option ... especially during the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival season.
Back in February, MBC TV host Narjes Al Awami realized camels are another level of appreciation for ones work when she received three camels while covering the festival. A participant in one of the pageants, Radi Sunaid Al Shemmari, was the generous man behind the even more generous gift.
After receiving the present, Al Awami got excited and said she'll be taking part in future camel races and pageants held in the kingdom. In a TV interview with MBC, she revealed she's been since gifted four other camels from a different person.
For decades, races held as part of the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival were off-limits to women. But this all recently changed after Saudi princess Sirene bint Abdul Rahman bin Khalid al-Saud became the first-ever woman to take part in a race held at the festival.
The news of this not-so-ordinary present came to light this week, garnering a lot of attention and astonishment.
"Narjes Al Awami is so cute. She's now a camel owner and is challenging everyone"
"Good on you, Narjes. You deserve all the best"
"Mashallah"
"We hope to see you taking part in future camel pageants"
The camel festival is running until March 20
The pageant is an annual festival that began in 1999 and was started by a group of local Bedouins who decided they wanted to set up a contest for the most beautiful camel.
After receiving support form the Saudi royal family, the festival went on to become a major cultural event.
It aims to preserve purebred Arabian camel strains and celebrate the historic relation between man and camel across the Arabian peninsula.
This year, the festival runs until March 20 and features daily events, races, and pageants that are all open to the public.