While it may seem surprising, Türkiye is a wonderful place to be for the holiday season. Even though Christmas is not celebrated here and on the day of life goes on as normal, there are indeed venues that host Christmas dinners, churches that deliver masses and loads of holiday markets leading up to the year’s end. Not only that, but Türkiye is a very significant place to be for Christmas, as it is in Demre, where Santa Claus was born, and in Iznik, where the Nicean Council established the creed for Christianity. Even the custom of decorating a pine tree can be sourced to the celebrations of ancient tengrism. There is meaning to being here and many ways to make Christmas Day celebrations in Türkiye meaningful.

In Istanbul, Ankara

The cities of Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir will all be decked out with holiday decorations as Turks celebrate New Year’s Eve. Many of the familiar symbolic images related to Christmas are also on display here. Not only do Turks celebrate New Year’s Eve, referred to here as "Noel," but they also gift one another presents for the occasion, which is very similar to Christmas gift-giving. Another New Year’s Eve tradition in Türkiye is to feast on a roasted turkey, which means most supermarkets will have whole turkeys available if you want to prepare a Christmas meal at home.

Leading up to Christmas, Istanbul and other cities will have multiple holiday markets. In Istanbul, there is the weeks-long Christmas Market taking place at Six Senses Kocataş Mansions and Wonder Village, held in Küçükçiftlik Park. This two-event series combines gift-stand shopping and holiday snacking with workshops, ice skating and blow-out concerts by Türkiye’s top performers. These large-scale holiday markets are a recent trend in Istanbul and make for a festive activity in December.

Several traditional Christmas Markets take place each year, such as this Saturday’s Bomonti Kermes, held annually to benefit The Little Sisters of the Poor elderly home. The Italian Cultural Circolo Roma also has their Portobello holiday market every year. The International Women of Istanbul (IWI) also holds a holiday bazaar and festivities, including a meeting with Santa for the kids. Many of these markets are held in early December. Inter Nations, which is an international community of professional expats, generally hosts a holiday get-together and Pop-Up Dinners Istanbul, which is a pop-up restaurant run by a gourmet cook and former restaurateur whose dinners are primarily attended by expats, makes a very special holiday meal that is a wonderful opportunity to connect with others while celebrating Christmas properly.

In addition to certain restaurants offering Christmas meals, if you want to go out for a Christmas meal, then the many five-star hotels in the cities will be your best bet. Most, such as the Hilton, Conrad, Mövenpick and the Swiss Hotel’s Swiss Chalet, organize a special lunch or dinner that inevitably includes a roasted Türkiye and all the fixings. While at most hotels, the Christmas Dinner is offered as a lavish buffet, at the Swiss Chalet, things are slightly different. The best place to enjoy Christmas Dinner is in an authentic chalet and a more intimate and exclusive setting.

What makes celebrating Christmas in Istanbul the most special are the churches that can be visited during this time to attend midnight masses. Some of the country’s most historic churches will be holding masses in different languages on the day and eve of Christmas. From Saint Michele to Saint Anthony of Padua Church on Istiklal Avenue to All Saints Church in Moda, religious or not, this is a wonderful opportunity to experience an authentic mass in a historical church, in the presence of community and to sing hymns and carols in honor of the holiday. Turks also visit these churches and light candles while wishing for what they hope to come true.

Bodrum, Dalyan, Fethiye, Antalya

For many of those living down south in Türkiye’s popular holiday and expat community destinations such as Bodrum, Dalyan, Fethiye and Antalya, Christmas is their favorite time of year. This is because while the crowds have subsided, the expats that remain year-round tend to come together to hold community events. In Bodrum, multiple holiday markets are taking place this time of year, while in Dalyan and Fethiye, large-scale holiday markets are held annually and, all at the start of December. These are festive events where Turkish and foreign artisans display their works and it is possible to purchase a wide array of fun, meaningful and practical gifts. Most of these markets also have vendors selling imported foods and snacks. There will be holiday music in the background and, if lucky, as in the case of Bodrum, an opportunity for children to participate in a choir.

On the day of Christmas, these towns are understandably quiet, or more so, life goes on as normal here in Türkiye, where Christmas is not a national holiday. Rather than relying solely on luxurious hotels and a lavish buffet, which is also possible if desired, down south, many restaurants frequented by the expat community will devise a proper Christmas menu for the day that customers can pre-book to enjoy the holiday in a festive atmosphere and with others.

Not to miss

However, one of the best holiday traditions amongst expats here in Türkiye is Dalyan’s Christmas pot-luck picnic. Usually held on Christmas Eve, expats in Dalyan have created a tradition of feasting together on Iztuzu Beach. Tables are set up and people bring different dishes they have prepared or snacks to share and take part in a casual feast on the beach amongst friends, community members and soon-not-be strangers.

In Bodrum, every year and traditionally on "Boxing Day," which is the day after Christmas on Dec. 26 or around that date, the Mayor of Bodrum holds a special event for Christmas in honor of the region’s expat community. Becoming bigger and bigger, last year there was even a concert performance for the thousands of foreigners from the region who came together for this significant event.