Q&A: How are holidays celebrated in Turkey?
Question by Annie 
: How are holidays celebrated in Turkey?
I’ve noticed some Turks use Christmas trees for holidays, but I thought most Turks are Muslims, so this kind of confused me. Could anyone explain?
What holidays are celebrated by most Turks, how are they celebrated? What are some traditions?
Thanks
Gildem: Relax, ok?
I know that Christmas trees are originally from pagan beliefs, but today, the christmas tree is almost exclusively known as one of the symbols of Christmas, which is a Christian holiday. That’s why I was confused.;
Best answer:
Answer by Moonshit Turkish Muşlimah ☪
only islamic days are holydays
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
Posted in Europe. 5 comments
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I can see why it should confuse you, because Christians celebrate Christmas. We, here, celebrate New Year.
Christmas trees aren’t our tradition, but you know how tv and cinema affect people’s understanding. People have begun decorating trees. Children even have started asking why we don’t do Halloween, to give you another example.
On New Year’s eve, we get together with our family or friends. We have dinners together at home or in restaurants. People go clubbing, or simply get together in public squares. We exchange gifts. Beyond that, it depends on individuals.
Christmas tree isn’t a Christian symbol . It is actually pagan and celebrates the winter equinox- yeah well, deep issues
– Christmas tree started to be used as the symbol of Christmas in the last century and as far as I remember, Coke company came up with it.
Actually, although it looks pretty, I don’t approve Christmas trees unless they are artificial ones. Killing a tree for a celebration doesn’t make sense- yet another deep issue.
Anyway, as Totally Blunt said, we celebrate New Years as you do Christmas, only there is no religious meaning to it. We exchange gifts, prepare nice dinners for friends and family or go and and have a party and get drunk; wake up with a headache the next morning, etc, etc ..
The people in Turkey celebrate New Years, but usually not Christmas.
We celebrate the religious holidays (commonly the two Islamic ones, as more than 90% of population is (at least culturally) Moslem) and national holidays like Independence/Republic day (October 29, establishment of Turkish Republic in 1923), the Children’s day (April 23, Turkish Grand National Assembly’s opening in 1920), the Youth and Sports day (May 19, start of Turkish independence war in 1919), Victory day (August 30, end of Turkish independence war in 1922).
On the national holidays, celebrations occur for instance in stadiums. On the religious holidays, we get together with our greater family members (like Thanksgiving in US), or visit other relatives. Though these visits are now in decline, as many people now choose to go to holiday spots.
About Christmas, please read about Tammuz/Dumuzid/Adonis, please also read the best answer here:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081211135528AA6lSOo
An excerpt:
”
The church under Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25 in 350 AD in order to try to hijack the PAGAN festivals but it was largely ignored. Christians did not really celebrate Christmas until 378 but it was then dropped in 381 and not resurrected until 400.
The Christmas tree stems from pagan tradition and ritual surrounding the Winter Solstice, which included the use of holly boughs ivy and other foliage as an adaptation of pagan tree worship. Holly and ivy represented male and female. Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant, and the custom of kissing under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual – all PAGAN!!
”
Back to me
Afaik, Armenians had been considered heretics by Christians for the longest time, partly because they had a different date for birth of Jesus, and I think theirs may be more correct.
As a Muslim, I should take examples from all the prophets (120, 000 or more) to the best of my capabilities. Jesus, Mohammed, Moses are some of them (possibly also Siddhartha Gautama Buddha). At least in theory, all the prophets in Islam (Mohammad, as well) are just humans, but exemplary ones. I am happy that Jesus was born, maybe we should celebrate his birth, but I don’t think we should celebrate the anniversaries of his (supposed) birthday. There is a fine difference, and I think Christians of our day are doing the latter. This is my opinion.
Why are you so misinformed about the truth of christmas!! What on earth has the natiovity to do with it?!!!
It is nothing to do with either Christianity or Islam but it does have it’s origins in the midwinter festival and many other basically pagan rites but since much of it is a celebration of nature rather than religion everyone should be able to enjoy it and be happy together despite religion!!
The ancient European pagans celebrated the midwinter festival and a number of other festivals long before Christianity ever existed!
Babylonians celebrated the feast of the Son of Isis with gluttonous eating and drinking, and gift giving and the goddess of fertility, love, and war.
The Romans held a festival on 25 December called “Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, celebrating their own god Sol Invictas – PAGAN.
The Persian god Mithras, the Syrian sun god Elah Gabal, the German Sol, the Greek Helios and the Mesopotamian Shamash. But also Saturnalia, honouring Saturn, the God of Agriculture. The law courts and schools were closed. No public business could be transacted an this is where the holidays originated – ALL PAGAN!!!
Wax tapers were given by the more humble to their superiors. The origin of the Christmas candle – PAGAN!!
In Rome groups of costumed went from house to house entertaining their people. And this was where the carolling Christmas tradition originated PAGAN!!
Statues of the Mother and lover or Mother and son were paraded through the streets not only in Italy but also in Africa, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany and Bulgaria. Thus, the symbolism of the Heavenly Virgin and the infant child paraded on a yearly basis are not of Christian origin. They stem from the Mother-goddess religion, which is very ancient ENTIRELY PAGAN!!.
Scandinavian countries celebrated Yule honouring Thor – PAGAN.
In Germania (not Germany) they celebrated midwinter night followed by 12 wild nights of eating and drinking. The 12 days of Christmas PAGAN!!
The church under Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25 in 350 AD in order to try to hijack the PAGAN festivals but it was largely ignored. Christians did not really celebrate Christmas until 378 but it was then dropped in 381 and not resurrected until 400.
The Christmas tree stems from pagan tradition and ritual surrounding the Winter Solstice, which included the use of holly boughs ivy and other foliage as an adaptation of pagan tree worship. Holly and ivy represented male and female. Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant, and the custom of kissing under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual – all PAGAN!!
Santa Claus came from the Dutch “Sinterklaas” and was a tall figure riding a white horse through the air and usually accompanied by Black Peter, an elf who punished disobedient children. Also the origin of the reindeer, sleigh and the elves ALL PAGAN!!
The modern red coated Santa was brought about by coca cola!!
America actually banned Christmas several times and is the originator of the expression “Happy Holidays” which came about because of the pagan origins of Christmas to include all religions and traditions!!
The Venerable Bede, an early Christian writer pointed out that the Christian church absorbed Pagan practices when it found the population unwilling to give up the festivals. Thus a lot of what Christians now see as Christians practices are in fact pagan!!!
Are you just another christian bent on making the church more pagan than pagans?!!!
we celebrate new year and the “christmas” tree originates from pagan beliefs – well i guess u already know that . we dont have any other holidays in common wit amrecians but we have a lot of national holidays like republic day on october 29, and august 30 is victory day.