Many an expat will know that as the year nears its close, the holiday season arrives in which we give gifts and get together for Christmas and New Year's Eve. Luckily, that custom can still continue in Türkiye as festive holiday markets are a steadfast tradition in a number of expat hubs dotting Türkiye's southern coast.

Dalyan Noel Market

The holiday market season kicks off in the Aegean this weekend on Saturday, Nov. 26 with one of, if not the largest festive market that takes in the main square in Muğla's Dalyan – a spectacular region in terms of its history and nature that is situated along the Dalyan River that connects Köyçeğiz Lake with the Aegean coast, serving as a major, predominantly British, expat hub. Every year, the holiday market in Dalyan marks the start of the season, bustling and buzzing with over 300 stalls of regional crafts, art, food and foreign food products. There is also music and Christmas-themed games played for the children. Santa Claus will also be paying a visit at 3 p.m.

An X-Mas Day tip: On the actual day of Christmas, which is Sunday, Dec. 25, should the weather permit, the aforementioned expats who constitute nearly half of the local residents in Dalyan meet up on the southern end of Iztuzu Beach to enjoy a potluck communal picnic on the shore of this 4.5-kilometer (2.79-mile) stretch of sandy coast famed for harboring nesting sea turtles. Tables are lined up next to each other and everyone brings what they can and sits wherever they want to take part in this festive tradition that has been going on now for over two decades.

Children's Charity Christmas Fair

Next weekend, on Sunday Dec. 4, the Çalış Children's Charity will be holding their annual Christmas Fair along the shore of Çalış Beach. Otherwise known as the 3Cs, the Çalış Children's Charity was set up in 2010 and is run predominantly by expats who hold holiday and secondhand markets and run a shop in Fethiye's Çalış to collect funds to assist local disadvantaged children, which they do in coordination with Fethiye's Tourism, Promotion, Education, Culture and Environment Foundation (FETAV).

Every year, expats and locals come out in the masses for this lively and festival-like holiday bazaar that will have gift stalls, carols, a raffle and a Santa's Grotto. Last year, thousands came out to check out the nearly 200 stalls for the event which resulted in the collection of TL 15,000 that was donated. The 3Cs not only hold three such markets a year, with the next to come in spring and then in autumn, but they also run a secondhand shop in Çalış, where people can donate clothes or purchase quality items at affordable prices. The 3Cs also organize "boot sale markets" held on every second and last Sunday of the month as well as coffee mornings, such as their upcoming Merry Christmas Coffee Morning, which will take place on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cahide Cafe.

A New Year’s tip for you: The Big Splash, otherwise known as the New Year’s Day Fancy Dress Dip, is another exciting event that traditionally takes place in Fethiye on Jan. 1 and involves local expats dressing up in costumes to take a dip in the sea all in the name of promoting local charities.

Bodrum's Holiday Markets

While the dates were not yet set at the time of publishing, you can be assured that the municipal cafe and cultural center Trafo will most probably host a Holiday Market as it has done for many years now. The anticipated date for this year is Sunday, Dec. 18, but check out the Bodrum Echo Community, which provides events announcements and tips on just about everything related to Bodrum on social media accounts to confirm the date as December approaches.

La Pasion, which is a lovely restaurant that has been dishing up international fare from its comfortable and relaxing courtyard, set in the center of the heart of Bodrum, holds an annual holiday market, which will take place this year on Saturday, Dec. 24. The Jukebox in Gümbet also holds annual holiday events, but this year’s dates have also yet to be confirmed.

Expat X-Mas Tip: For decades now, every year the mayor of Bodrum hosts a holiday event in honor of the expat community. Customarily held on "Boxing Day," but the date does stand to differ, last year's event was a spectacular blowout bash with hundreds of expats dancing and networking as a live female-vocalist-led band performed international pop and rock classics.

Köyçeğiz Second-Hand Market

On every last Sunday of the month, Köyçeğiz holds an "ikinci el pazarı," which means "second-hand market." While they will also be holding one such market this Sunday, Nov. 27, next month’s market, which will take place on Sunday, Dec. 25, will be a New Year-themed event. Don’t be dissuaded by the notion that this market is simply a flea market as the name implies, there are 370 stalls registered for this weekend’s event that will be showcasing an array of crafts, jewelry and ceramics and a wide range of local handmade products, which can serve as perfect gifts for the holidays.

Xmas Shopping Tip: Köyçeğiz is actually just a boat ride or short drive from Dalyan, so one could easily combine visiting this Saturday’s Noel Market in Dalyan followed by a trip to the Köyçeğiz second-hand market. It is also customary for a dozen or so expats to share a small boat to ferry them from Dalyan to the Köyçeğiz market and back.

Antalya's New Year's Eve Festival

Last but not least, Antalya will be holding a weeklong festival to ring in the holidays, which will run from Dec. 23 to Dec. 31. Held in Cam Piramit, which is the Glass Pyramid Exhibition and Convention Center, there will be festive stalls and performances taking place throughout the week.