It is important to enjoy the simple things in life. Chestnuts roasted on an open fire, lowering a basket from the balcony to pick up a bottle of boza, downing a glass of sahlep to warm up ... Thankfully, Türkiye is full of these simple, enjoyable traditions to liven up your winter.

A roaring fire

Throughout the country's smaller towns and villages, the "soba," a wood or coal-burning stove that is connected to pipes, serves as one of the steadfast ways of keeping warm at home in Türkiye in winter. Not only does the soba provide a lot of heat compared to say a fireplace, but they also tend to have drawer-like compartments in which you can bake food as well as a stovetop to cook things, but more importantly roast chestnuts.

Just as Turks love to keep warm by sitting next to the soba, when outdoors they are also quite partial to building bonfires. Unlike my childhood in the states in which bonfires were pretty much exclusively held at the beach, here in Türkiye a bonfire could be set alight basically anywhere. This means that you can come across bonfires roaring on the street, at a park or at a favorite cafe, the sky is literally the limit.

Roasted chestnuts

While I was always familiar with the Christmas carol lyric, "chestnuts roasting by an open fire..." it wasn’t until I moved to Türkiye that I actually had the opportunity to consume roasted chestnuts, and on a regular basis. Granted, I’m from California so many of my readers may have enjoyed chestnuts in the past, but as I said, for me this is a treat I associate exclusively with Türkiye. Not only can you purchase the chestnuts at nearly any large supermarket to roast on your own, but there are also vendors that sell roasted chestnuts on the street. Traditionally though, chestnuts are roasted on a pan on top of the aforementioned soba, after their skins are slightly sliced, which means you can see and feel the texture of the nut inside as it starts to take on its signature hearty and nutty aroma.

Nuts for nuts and seeds

While nuts are a big part of Türkiye’s Mediterranean cuisine and certainly serve as a go-to snack, featuring as part of the breakfast spread and incorporated into most desserts, in winter especially Turks enjoy wiling away the day nibbling on nuts. I kid you not, as Turks tend to "nibble" on shelled nuts such as sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. This involves a tactful removal of the shell with your tongue to get a grasp on the seed inside, and of course a piling up of the removed seed skins which can admittedly be unsightly. Nonetheless, this is a passionate pastime for many a Turk in winter, which is a great time of year to increase your consumption of these protein and nutrition-filled little gold nuggets. A bag of nuts is always a great gift to give as a guest, with the valued hierarchy starting from the most beloved pistachio-nuts, to almonds hazelnuts and then peanuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

‘Tis the season of sahlep

Türkiye abides by seasonal cuisine and this includes the beverages Turks love to enjoy. While in summer one can easily find lemonade, you will be served cold water and requests for ice for a soft drink will be respected, in winter these chilly drinks are put on hiatus. I would even venture to say that many a Turk would certainly be challenged if you offered them something ice-cold to drink in winter. That said, the cooler months are when a very special type of hot drink is brewed by the name of sahlep. Traditionally prepared from the tuberous roots of orchids, sahlep has a creamy thick consistency and is sweet in taste, served with sprinkled cinnamon on top. It sort of serves the purpose of a white "hot chocolate" of sorts. While ice cream is another treat rarely consumed in winter in Türkiye, it can be customary to have a cup of sahlep served with a scoop of ice cream in it.

Baskets of boza

You may have heard the wandering boza salesmen, who yell out the word "boza" as they stroll through the streets. If so, let me explain. Boza is a drink prepared from fermented grains, wheat and millet that in my opinion, in taste and consistency very much resembles apple sauce. It is served cold and also adorned with a sprinkling of cinnamon. While you can purchase bottles of boza at shops, it is customary for peddlers to pound the streets and for customers to catch their attention by yelling "bozacı" back to them. But one of the best parts of the boza tradition is that if you live on a higher level and have a balcony, for example, it is quite customary to send down a basket tied to a rope that the boza seller, also known as a "bozacı," will fill with bottles of boza.

Relaxing with a Turkish bath

The winter months are the prime time to take part in the Turkish bathing ritual, i.e. the hammam experience. Not only is it an uplifting and refreshing ritual and understandably hot, but it is also after the summer season when treatments such as scrubs, which can actually scrub off a suntan, are no longer a concern. The hammams in Türkiye are fully equipped with lounging areas to dry off before heading back out onto the streets, so don’t be dissuaded by the notion of getting wet in winter as the whole experience will undoubtedly warm you up.

Thermal springs

Türkiye has a number of regions famed for their healing thermal springs. From Bursa to Yalova, Güre, Pamukkale and Sultaniye there are a number of fantastic destinations for a thermal spa getaway, which is one of the most favorite self-care rituals embarked on by Turks. There are thermal spa experiences for every budget, from overnight stays at luxurious hotels with thermal spas to local bathhouses where you can rent a room with a thermal spring bath by the hour.

Time for tavla

During the off-season winter months, many a vendor will take out their backgammon boards to play with fellow neighbors and locals. A truly exhilarating way to spend a few hours a day equipped with the indispensable cup of tea, playing backgammon can lift the spirits, release tension, evoke laughter and result in some fun bonding with others. If you are ever invited to join, I highly recommend doing so but if not, watching the game played by Turks is quite a worthwhile spectator sport.

Fishing the day away

For many Turks, fishing is one of the most anticipated activities of the winter months. As many Turks have more time in the off-season months when the weather is no longer sweltering hot, fishing becomes one of the most enjoyable past times for many a Turk.

Seeking sunshine

When the sun comes out in winter, so do the Turks. The highly awaited, enjoyed and appreciated sunny days of winter do not go to waste for many a Turk. If the sun is out, you can expect the coastal walkways, landscaped parks and their benches to be filled with people seeking a natural way to get some vitamin D. Another favorite pastime for Turks is watching the sunset and if you are in one of the countries coastal holiday towns, the daily sunset sessions in which people simply sit on the beach for the last hour of sunlight in the day becomes one of the most social events there are in winter.