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| Istanbul streets via HurriyetDailyNews.com |
- Clean the house from top to bottom. (Gripe. Should've married someone who likes that "new red underwear" tradition instead.)
- Decorate with strings of lights, like we do here.
- Decorate a tree. Some people are superstitious of having last year's decorated tree in the house on New Years Day, but in Turkey the tree is sometimes part of the celebration.
- Have a special dinner with your family and friends. I personally have an intimate dinner on the 31st and a nice brunch with family on the 1st.
- You've probably heard the saying "Set out on the right foot". Turks take it literally. They step into a new home or new place of business on the right foot. I "step" into the New Year on my right foot with a small prayer when I get out of bed on January 1st.
Red underwear and grapes, symbols of good luck
Chic Istanbul neighborhood rolls out red carpet for new year
no. way. Cleaning the house is a real tradition??? LOL! Those others are pretty similar to here, yes? Although that right foot thing sounds fun. Happy New Year! :o) <3
ReplyDeleteOooh I can so do the stepping right foot first wearing red underwear with my christmas tree still strung up with lights but I think I'll forego the mega housecleaning! :-)
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a great time with your dinners!
Take care
x
I need that clean house tradition here. =) Glad you hear you are stepping out on the right foot! It's going to be a great year!
ReplyDeleteHum, the image of a man in red underwear? In my mind also contains a six foot beard, a corn cob pipe and a jug of moonshine :)
ReplyDeleteBut I'll try the right foot thing :D
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow
Cool traditions, except that cleaning house bit. I like to avoid that, if possible.
ReplyDeleteThe first-footer thing I’ve seen in different countries all done just a little differently. I read once that it had to be a child who enter first, but I don’t remember which country that was from. I love hearing about traditions. Thanks for sharing yours.
ReplyDeleteOH, that's a cool tradition! I like that! In france they say 'Bonne Année' to everyone the first time they see them after Jan 1st. So all day long, everyone at work, the kids, my chidren's teachers, the boucher, the baker and the candlstick maker are all saying happy new year! before our usual greetings:)
ReplyDeleteThose are some cool traditions!
ReplyDeleteWe saw the new year in with my eldest son who's dark bearing a dish of salt, coal and money in through the front door. It's supposed to be a stranger but there aren't many of those lurking about a residential street at midnight.
ReplyDeleteTurkish traditions sound cool, except the house-cleaning which would be one tradition I'd throw out. One's house should always be 'clean enough', no? :)
I'm so interested in New Year's traditions around the world. Definitely going to do more research and find a couple to incorporate new year!
ReplyDeleteIstanbul really looks beautiful during holidays. I really must go down some time and visit since I live close, up in Serbia.
ReplyDeleteCool post! I'm going to definitely slot some of them in for 2012 :)
ReplyDelete