In Turkey, we have many traditions and ways to celebrate holidays..

NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS…

New Year’s Eve is one of the most popular holidays in Turkey. The New Year’s Eve traditions in our country include a family dinner, a national lottery drawing and a countdown to midnight. New Year’s Eve falls on December 31.

Many people in Turkey start celebrating New Year’s Eve with a large family dinner. The main course is traditionally a roasted turkey.

Variety shows on television begin in late afternoon and continue until early morning of the next day. Many people play games while waiting for the clock to strike midnight.

State TV channels announce the winning numbers of a New Year’s national lottery just before midnight. Many people in Turkey try to buy a New Year’s lottery ticket because it promises a large sum of money to the winner.

Many people also congratulate each other, toast to a New Year and exchange small gifts at midnight

National Sovereignty and Children's Day …

This day is celebrated on April 23rd each year and various festivals are organized.

This day commemorates the Turkish Parliament’s creation and celebrates children’s role in the country’s development.

Children take seats in the Turkish Parliament and symbolically govern the country for one day.

REBUPLIC DAY

Many people in Turkey celebrate Republic Day on October 29 by attending performances and participating in traditional processions with flags and musical bands. The Turkish Republic’s founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk proclaimed Republic Day as Turkey’s most important holiday.

Republic Day marks the creation of the Turkish Republic in 1923. After Turkey’s victory in the War of Independence (1919-1923), the Turkish parliament proclaimed the new Turkish state as a republic.

OTHER…

In Turkey, we kiss older people’s hands in bairams and festivals to express our respest to them. If you are lucky enough, you can get a huge tip in return

After the ritual worship on the first day of the bairam, people make a line or a circle, shake hands and wish each other happy and healthy days.

Presents are given to children in bairams and holidays..

We also visit graves to make our grandparents live the happiness and exicement of the holidays and bairams..

To sum up, in Turkish culture we have various holidays with different traditions and important days that make our nation one body!

…wish you happy holidays…

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