It is time to celebrate probably the most important religious feast in Turkey what you may say Ramadan Feast or Sugar Feast. In my opinion It is most valuable and exciting day for the kids. After Ramadan month appr. 3 days Ramadan Feast all in Turkey and excitement of reaching to family starts. As you think 600.000 people moved to their home towns from Istanbul.
Sugar feast mean is Family.
Sugar feast mean is Love.
Sugar feast mean is Respect.
Sugar feast mean is absolutly the biggest social meeting of families, friends and relatives.
How we celebrate the sugar feast in Alanya?
Saturday is Arefe and Sunday is the first day of Bayram.
Preparetion is very imporatant for the Bayram.People clean their houses, they go shopping for candies and chocolate, they prepare traditional pastries like baklava or kıvrım, get a haircut and perform similar personal maintenance. Everybody prepare the newest cloths. It is called bayramlık.
The last day of Ramadan is “Arife day”. It is a day before the feast. Than It is time to visit the cemetery. As a tradition, people goes to cemetery, clean the cemetery, water the flowers, read the Kuran, praying to the soul of dead persons.
The first day of Feast, all the gentimens goes to the mosque for the “Bayram Namaz“. It is around first sunrising time. After the pray, people gather around the mosque and make the first celebration by shaking hand with each other.
Than the real excitement is at home. Kids are wearing the nicest cloths (bayramlık) and wait for the father and the other elders at home. The most important tradition is to kiss the elders hand and show them their respect. Than the elders kisses the youngers and give them presents. It can be money, cloths, socks, sugar or handkerchief.
After a nice family breakfast, kids grabs the big bags and goes around the house to collect sugars. At the end of the days they have huge sugar bags.
Than the families visiting eachother. Home family serves sweets and coffee or tea to guests.
If you knock any bodies home in Alanya at Sugar feast, you will get sugar and cologne
Just for your infomation, the Ramadan Feast is an official holiday that continues for three days in Turkey. Administration buildings, schools and most businesses are closed during this period.
And you may say to Turkish People “Bayramınız mübarek olsun or İyi bayramlar”
