• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Istanbul
  • Cappadocia
  • Mediterranean
  • Aegean
  • Black Sea
  • Other Places
Turkish Travel Blog

Turkish Travel Blog

Turkish People, Culture, History, and Places inTurkey

  • Culture and Traditions
  • Food and Drink
  • History
  • Travel Tips
  • Living in Turkey
  • About Turkey
    • About the Blog
    • Advertising
    • Contact

A Turkish Christmas

by Natalie

A Turkish christmas is impossible right? Most of my friends and family who have never visited Turkey say this. “After all, Turkey is a Muslim country”.

It might be a Muslim country but one thing  the Turks have got down to a fine art, is that where there is money to be made, they will make it. Around 2004, Turkey started becoming popular among ex-pats, hence a new business opportunity for all those restaurants and bars.

It is possible to spend Christmas in Turkey, if you are prepared to move the goal posts a little on your definition of a true Christmas.

Turkish Christmas Weather

This can be hit and miss. I remember one Christmas day sitting in an outside bar with the sun blazing down on me. However another year, takes me back to memories of driving back from Antalya and it was snowing. It could be hot, or it could be cold but your chances of a white Christmas are very slim.

Turkish Christmas

Shopping at Christmas Time in Turkey

You are not going to find streets laden with Christmas lights and a 50 foot Christmas tree in the town square. Neither will you walk in a shop to find  staff wishing you a happy Christmas through false smiles,  while Jingle bells is playing in the background.

You might however stumble upon a place that is selling Christmas items. Just the other day, I stumbled across a shop (actually it was a bar) that was selling small Christmas trees for 150TL (approximately $80). Depends on how much you are willing to spend.

A Turkish Christmas

The Turkish Christmas Dinner

Christmas in TurkeyNow this is where the Turks will pull out all the stops for you. In areas where there are a lot of ex-pats, the restaurants will provide you with a full dinner and entertainment for the day.

Average price is 20 to 50 dollars depending on what is included. If the restaurant has connections, they would have received boxes of Christmas crackers and Paxo stuffing, from ex-pats flying out especially for Christmas.

Depending on the area, pigs in blankets is not a problem either as pork is sold in a few places throughout Turkey.  I suggest that before booking any Christmas dinner in a restaurant, that you ask them specifically what is included.

Entertainment will vary from a live band to the restaurant staff putting on their own little cabaret. Celebrations start roughly around 12 noon and they will go on till the last person leaves at night, or the next morning.

A lot of places will insist that you pre-book your dinner so if you are planning Christmas in Turkey, shop around, compare prices and then book your tickets.

Do It Yourself Christmas in Turkey

As prices are slowly starting to creep up in Turkey, a lot of ex-pats are staying in their Turkish homes and cooking dinner themselves. Once again friends and family would have bought out the essential decorations and food.

A satellite television will provide the festive atmosphere by showing Christmas films and the queen’s speech. Alcohol would have been bought from the supermarket. The best part is you get to fall asleep on the settee half way through the afternoon.

christmas turkey turkish

New Year in Turkey

This is the best bit because the Turks celebrate every New Year like it is 1999. So if you can extend your holiday for 6 days after Christmas, then I guarantee that it will beat any Christmas dinner hands down.

Restaurants and bars will provide buffet dinners and entertainment will laid on. You might even be invited round to someone house, to spend the celebrations with their families. This time though, there is twice the amount of people enjoying the celebrations and it is a coming together of people from two totally different nationalities and religions.

Have you ever experienced a Turkish Christmas? If so, would you recommend it or tell people to stay at home? In what part of Turkey did you celebrate Christmas and was it any different to my experiences I have described above?

Did you know the origins of Santa Claus began in Turkey? Read more about Santa Claus

Pin1
Share40
Tweet
Share
41 Shares

Filed Under: Living in Turkey

Hi. I'm Natalie, a freelance travel blogger and writer specializing in the country of Turkey. I love hot summer days, historical sites and coffee. Read More…

Primary Sidebar

istanbul tourist pass

Search This Website

Popular Posts

Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul : Last Days of the Ottoman EmpireDolmabahce Palace in Istanbul : Last Days of the Ottoman Empire49K Total Shares
The Colourful Wooden Mosque of MaralThe Colourful Wooden Mosque of Maral6K Total Shares
Santa Claus and His Life in TurkeySanta Claus and His Life in Turkey5K Total Shares
Sanliurfa (Urfa) : The City of Abraham in TurkeySanliurfa (Urfa) : The City of Abraham in Turkey4K Total Shares
The Serene House of the Virgin MaryThe Serene House of the Virgin Mary3K Total Shares
Ottoman Intrigue at Topkapi Palace in IstanbulOttoman Intrigue at Topkapi Palace in Istanbul3K Total Shares

Footer

Everything Else

  • Blog Sitemap
  • GDPR, Privacy and Cookies
  • Terms of Use and Disclaimer

Of Interest

  • About Us
  • Advertising and PR
  • Map of Turkey

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright @2023 - Turkish Travel Blog

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT