How Does Turkey Celebrate Christmas 2024?

Christmas celebration is also held like other ceremonies and festivals, such as the Color Festival Istanbul, Tulip Festival in Istanbul, and Istanbul International Jazz Festival in Turkey, especially in Istanbul. The atmosphere of Christmas in Turkey is similar to Christmas in the West, except that Turks do not celebrate the birth of Christ but only prepare themselves for the New Year. But to know better “how does Turkey celebrate Christmas”, follow the Travelling Topic magazine until the end of the article.

Usually From mid-December, the streets of Turkey are decorated like in Western countries, and you can see a lot of Christmas trees, lights, and Santa Claus on the main streets. At this time of the year, many concerts of Turkish singers are held in concert halls throughout the city. Among the places to see at this time of the year, we can mention the Istanbul churches, the holy places of Christianity in Antalya, and the ancient city of Ephesus.

At Christmas time, these historical places are decorated with Christmas decorations that surprise visitors with a lively atmosphere and lighting.🎁

Christmas in Turkey | How does Turkey celebrate Christmas?

To better understand how Turkey celebrates Christmas, it is better to know that although Turkey is a Muslim country, other religions live there, like Christians, Jews, and Yazidis, who have been living side by side for years.

Before the Ottoman Empire, most of the population of Turkey was Christian. Christmas Day is normal in Turkey, but the New Year celebration, which begins in January, is very important in Turkey. But In Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Izmir, and dozens of other cities where Christians live and are near the big churches, they have a unique celebration for the birth of Christ.

How does Turkey celebrate Christmas?

Although Christmas is not on the Turkish national calendar, many Turkish Christian families celebrate this night. The Christmas Eve ceremony in Türkiye is such that most families have a party and a roast Turkey for dinner. And this is how they spend this night happily.

Christmas holidays in Turkey

Türkiye is a perfect environment for celebrating Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The country has better temperatures during the winter than other parts of Europe and is much quieter than in the summer. For this reason, in recent years, it has become a popular destination for foreigners, and celebrating Christmas in Turkey is becoming increasingly popular.

At the same time as Christmas in Turkey, shopping malls offer the most discounts, that’s why many people travel to Turkey this time of year to shop for Christmas discounts in Istanbul. Also, in popular tourist areas (for example, Istanbul, Alanya, and Antalya), restaurants offer delicious Christmas food and entertainment programs.

It is interesting to know that Christmas in Turkey is only one day off, so if you want to participate in the special Christmas ceremony in the church, just go to Anthony of Padua, the largest Catholic church in Istanbul. Also, if you plan to go to Istanbul for Christmas shopping, read the article “Where to buy cheap clothes in Istanbul.”

The most suitable city in Turkey for Christmas

One of the most suitable cities in Turkey for Christmas is Istanbul because the Bosphorus Strait passes through the city and is divided into two eastern and western parts. The fireworks on the Bosphorus Strait have a unique beauty. St. Anthony’s Church also hosts many world-famous musicians, and you can enjoy a Turkish concert by purchasing a separate ticket. In Taksim Square and Istiklal Street, you can see the most important Christmas ceremony and experience Christmas in Turkey.

New Year’s Traditions in Turkey

The New Year holiday starts at the same time as January. In the new year in Turkey, there are different customs. Although Christmas is not a holiday in Turkey, New Year holidays are similar in Western countries. One of the New Year traditions in Turkey is that near the New Year holidays, Turkish women take a handful of salt from the kitchen and sprinkle it on the door, which they believe brings blessings.

If you were in Turkey during the New Year holidays, you can see it. Another popular tradition among Turkish people is that they give each other red underwear, and they believe that if they wear it on New Year’s Eve, they will bring great luck until the end of the year.

Some people throw a pomegranate from the house’s roof on New Year’s Eve in Turkey to bring luck in other months. Most Turkish families celebrate indoors on New Year’s Eve, and many streets may be deserted.

Examining the mood of cities at Christmas

In Turkey, when December arrives, you may notice a sudden change in the streets. Christmas trees, statues, and other structures covered in colorful lights are part of the New Year decorations. You’ll see deer-shaped crowns or Santa hats hanging from poles in shop windows.

From mid-December, the streets and shopping malls change their store decorations for Christmas so that everyone, especially tourists, can see Santa Claus all over the city.

New Year’s Eve ends with a countdown to herald the arrival of the new year, and the festivities continue until the morning of January 1st, with a spectacular fireworks display in the city center at midnight.

The most important churches in Türkiye on Christmas Eve

Turkey during Christmas is magnificent, and if you travel to Turkey during Christmas, you will see that a special ceremony is held in the important churches of Turkey. The largest church in Istanbul is St. Padua Anthony, located on İstiklal Street; in this church, mass is performed from eight o’clock, in which many Christians participate. You can watch this event if you are interested in anthropology and religious beliefs. This church is one of the old churches of Turkey, which was first built in the 18th century and was renovated in the 20th century.

One of the most important churches in Turkey on Christmas Eve is Santa Maria Draperis, located near St. Anthony of Padua Church. This church was built in the 16th century and rebuilt in the late 18th century. You can see the Mass on Christmas Eve in Turkey in this church. This ceremony will be held at eight o’clock.

All in all

In this article, I answered the question, how does Turkey celebrate Christmas? and explained the most important Turkey traditions for the Christmas celebration. Although Turkey’s population is predominately Muslim, Christmas and New Year celebrations have become a tradition across the country, with large pine trees lining the roads and Christmas decorations in major cities.

Turks do not celebrate Christmas or the birth of Jesus Christ, but they celebrate the coming New Year with new hopes in a bright atmosphere. Interestingly, shopping centers all over Turkey offer unique discounts for New Year and Christmas. That’s why many people travel to this country to shop for Christmas discounts in December.

If you need more information about the answer to the question “do turkish celebrate Christmas,” ask us your question in the comments section so we can answer you as soon as possible. Ultimately, we suggest you read the article ” What Religion Are Turkish People ” to get more information about this country.