In Türkiye, young and old alike revel in Eid al-Fitr festivities

By Seda Sevencan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Eid Mubarak! The sound of festive greetings echoes from every home and street in Türkiye while marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, one of the holiest months in the Islamic calendar.

Eid al-Fitr, known as Ramazan Bayrami or Seker Bayrami — Candy Festival — in Türkiye, is one of the most important religious holidays for Muslims around the world.

It is a public holiday in Türkiye that spans three days, during which people join their loved ones to observe the joyous occasion with festive meals, desserts, and gifts.

As spring blossoms, Anadolu explored the multi-generational meaning of Eid al-Fitr, speaking with people from diverse backgrounds and capturing their reflections on Eid’s natural and cultural importance.

“I love Eid! My favorite Eid tradition is making kids happy, it's incredibly delightful,” Esra Nur Goregen, a 26-year-old Istanbul resident, said in an interview with Anadolu.

The young woman, who works at a charity for orphaned children, said that for grown-ups and kids alike, visiting others and getting visits is a source of happiness during the holiday. “When I was a kid, my favorite Eid thing was to travel. It was very pleasant to travel to meet a loved one or a relative.”

Eid celebrations usually begin with a morning prayer at the mosque, followed by a breakfast feast with family and friends. People dress up and visit their relatives to exchange greetings and gifts after days of hustle and bustle, cleaning their homes and preparing traditional desserts like baklava.

Another heartwarming feature of the festival is the tradition of gift giving, especially to children. Adults give sweets, chocolates, and small presents to kids, while elders in the family also give money as a token of love and affection.

“When I think of Eid, I recall collecting candies and pocket money, (going) door-to-door, which brought me immense joy. Even though we had sweets and money from family, receiving them from others with kindness made us very happy,” Goregen said.

She was referring to another charming Eid tradition in Türkiye, where children happily stroll through their local streets, getting sweets and candy from neighbors as they spread the festivity.

Many people use Eid as an opportunity to travel to different cities where their relatives and friends live. This is a way for people to strengthen their family bonds and show their love and respect for each other.

Families also visit the graves of their departed loved ones to pay their respects and honor their memories.

- Gifts of clothes and money

“I was around 11 or 12 years old when my father bought me a pair of red slippers adorned with roses for Eid. I never forget them. I walked around the house in them for an hour. My mom said: ‘That's enough, take them off, you can wear them tomorrow.’ I slept with them on that night,” Sabahat Cephe, 82, giggled.

According to Cephe, Eid celebrations in the past had more splendor, with a greater buzz in the air.

“In the past, Eid al-Fitr was much better. We used to set up big swings on trees for that day for fun,” she said.

Today, Eid has taken on a new meaning for Cephe, becoming synonymous with spending precious moments with her children. She cherishes their company during Eid, eagerly awaiting their knock on the door, the table set with relishing food.

Emine Ozcelik, a homemaker, was also nostalgic for the Eid holidays of past years, in what has become a popular sentiment among those old enough to have experienced them, many of whom voice this longing with the maxim: “Where are those Eids of old!”

“Our Eids were very lovely in the past. Now, I can’t see that enthusiasm and excitement in the eyes of children today. They see Eids as if they were normal days,” Ozcelik, 52, reproached.

She shares that for her, Eid has a certain bittersweetness, bringing up memories of her late parents, whom she used to visit during the holiday. “I feel sad when it (Eid) arrives.”

Ozcelik fondly remembers her mother’s tradition of giving her gifts of new clothes and shoes at each Eid. Those garments she wore with joy throughout the festivities and carefully stored them away in her closet to be worn again during Eid al-Adha, another Muslim holiday that follows weeks after.

“I have a clear memory of being overjoyed with the new clothes and holding them close as I went to bed on the eve of the festival,” she reminisced, with a smile on her face.

Ozcelik’s eyes lit up as she recalled eagerly waiting for her father to return from the mosque after performing the Eid prayer. Her heart would flutter with excitement as she anticipated how she would spend the pocket money her father gave her as a gift after kissing his hand.

In Turkish tradition, people demonstrate respect to their elders by kissing their hands and placing them on their foreheads as a sign of honor.

In addition to celebrating with food and gifts, Eid al-Fitr holds a special significance as a time to practice forgiveness and seek reconciliation. It is a time to cultivate compassion and let go of past grievances, fostering a spirit of kindness and goodwill towards all.