.png){kind=small}
How Christmas was celebrated in your hometown/country? What activities did you do for celebration?
In New Zealand, it’s summer at Christmas time so that obviously changes our activities. Lots of our Christmases are spent outdoors. We don’t usually have like a roast dinner or roast chicken for lunch because it’s too hot. So instead, we’ll often have an extended family barbecue. People will be frying up sausages or meat on the barbeque, and making lots of salads. I once was chief salad maker back when I was a vegetarian and made the best gourmet beetroot, lentil, feta and orange salad. Everybody is sitting outside, the kids are playing, running around in the garden. The kids would be playing. It’s summer, it’s lovely, and definitely the beach is a part of the festives… In New Zealand, the school year ends in December and starts at the end of January, so, everybody is on holiday at Christmas. Everyone would be going to the beach, travelling, and going on big summer holidays - everybody is in a good mood.
What does Christmas mean to you? Is it important to you?
I’m not traditional because my family stopped doing the presents once I turned 18, and left home. For me, it’s not about presents at all. It’s about celebrating, and I’ve actually only had about two Christmases in New Zealand in the last ten years. If I can’t be with my family, which is really hard here because the school term doesn’t finish until the end of January, it’s about being with friends and sharing food together. I quite like Christmas where everyone brings a dish, a potluck dinner, and everyone eats around a big table
together. In New Zealand ,obviously, it’s about family and barbecues and swimming on the beach. But over here, it’s more about being with friends.
When was the first time you came to Turkey? Early 2013. How many Christmas holidays did you spend here? In Turkey, this is maybe my fourth or fifth Christmas. I can’t remember exactly; but I’ve actually had Christmases in New Zealand, India, Scotland, Vietnam, Kenya, and Turkey. So, I think I’ve had Christmas in six countries.
How is it different here when compared to your hometown in terms of celebration and enthusiasm of people? Christmas is not celebrated here, but I don’t mind because I’m not super traditional. And actually, what I don’t like about Christmas in New Zealand is that it’s so over the top. There’s all this fake, plastic, gaudy decorations in the stores. I just don’t find it so tasteful. Wherever I’m in Kadıköy, even though Christmas is not celebrated here, many of the boutique shops have really really tasteful and stylish Christmas decorations, and it feels quite festive. I just love it because it’s not really in your face and over the top. Also, I don’t particularly like Christmas carols, and in New Zealand around this time, you’d be in shopping malls and there would be constant Christmas carols coming at you from all directions. It would be just too much. I really don’t mind being in Turkey during this time of the year. One more thing I do like here is, I like to go into churches and visit. I just like the atmosphere of some of the churches around Istiklal Caddesi and Beyoğlu. I did that a couple of years ago, and it was very nice. Christmas is known for its sweet traditions like decorating houses and Christmas trees, exchanging gifts, or visiting family.
Did you decorate your own house this year with Christmas decorations? This year, no, but I do remember I had a wonderful Turkish Christmas a few years ago. My friend Murat found a tree for me, and he cut down a huge branch and we had to tie it to my window with strings so the cats wouldn’t knock it down. It was so much fun and I had a huge Christmas party. We also dressed my friend up with the Santa suit I bought for him. We dressed him up as Santa. It was hilarious. He had red hair with a red beard, and he was our tall, Turkish Santa. It was great.
Unfortunately, we have not been able to spend some time with our friends or family outside with relief since the COVID-19 outbreak.
This is an unique native tree called pōhutukawa. It blooms at Christmas time, in the summer. It’s known to be the symbol of Christmas in New Zealand. A figure or image of pōhutukawa is also found in New Zealand Christmas cards frequently.
What are your plans for this Friday since Covid-19 changed everything?
I’m just hoping for good weather so that I can walk to the sahil, meet some friends, and just sit by the sea. That’s what I want: I mean, I haven’t made any plans. It’s so hard being away from family and friends at this time. I’m quite conscious about COVID, so maybe just meeting some friends by the sahil will be enough. And maybe bringing some Christmas coffee or pumpkin spice latte... It really depends on the weather. I’m crossing my fingers for good weather. So, I’m just going to try to enjoy the day and have a nice Friday, regardless of the fact that it's Christmas or not. I’m just grateful that this holiday is on a Friday, not a Saturday, so I will be able to enjoy a proper walk.
Comments