According to local Arabic daily Arrayah, the shops started receiving orders for different types of decorative swords last month as people started gearing up for the December 18 festivities.
The volume of orders has been steadily increasing since then, shop operators say.
Besides the National Day celebrations, swords are used to perform the traditional folk dance at local wedding ceremonies and many Qataris also use them to decorate their homes, especially the majlis (lounge).
In addition, for many people the sword symbolises the act of defending the country, a prominent theme in the country’s heritage.
It takes 10 days or more to make a specially crafted sword depending on the specifications, shop owners point out.
Some of the orders are for expensive swords studded with diamonds and precious stones on the handle and a sheath made of natural leather.
Ghanim al-Muraihki, a Qatari, said many Qataris are keen to own swords and keep them in their homes or offices mostly for celebratory and decorative purposes, in addition to being a symbol of defending the nation.
He said swords made locally are usually of better quality than imported ones, as their makers use high-quality materials. Such swords are shaped according to local requirements, he added.
Ali al-Tamimi, another Qatari, said some shops sell exquisite custom-made swords to meet the high standards of local customers, who have an expert eye that could easily detect if the product is of genuine value.
Mohamed al-Ahmed, a shop manager, said his shop has received a number of requests for swords over the past couple of months and similar reports have come from several others stores as well.
He informed that some customers have ordered swords made of gold, silver with ivory handles and containing precious stones, which are highly expensive.
Other orders include making inscriptions of patriotic and national themes on the body of the sword.
Shops in Doha sell a wide variety of swords.