NEW YEAR IN TURKEY

New Year's Day is celebrated worldwide on the night of December 31st, and continues until January 1st.

In Turkey almost everbody tries to have fun in New Year’s Eve.

Many people in Turkey start celebrating New Year’s Eve with a large family dinner. The main course is traditionally a turkey.

After the meal at home people may have a small party with music, play Tombala (bingo) or watch TV shows.

They have lots of sweets and a New Year’s Eve cake which traditionally includes chestnuts or they eat roasted chestnuts.

Families and friends wish their loved ones a happy and prosperous new year and exchange small gifts at midnight.

Television and radio channels are known to continuously broadcast a variety of special New Year's Eve programs, while municipalities all around the country organize fundraising events for the poor, in addition to celebratory public shows such as concerts and family-friendly events, as well as more traditional forms of entertainment such as the Karagöz and Hacivat shadow-theatre.

The New Year's national lottery is drawn just before midnight, offering the lucky winner a shot at a large amount of money and a great new year. TV channels announce the winning numbers of the lottery before midnight.

New Year's Eve is also celebrated with parties spanning the transition of the year at midnight.

People may go out to have fun and dance in many clubs, cafes and bars outside. They offer special New Year’s Eve entertainment programs with shows and events.

The streets become crowded. People living in big cities traditionally celebrate the New Year at squares. People living in small towns often come to bigger cities for the celebrations.

Fireworks are generally a great tradition in Turkey when celebrating something. Fireworks are set off at midnight.

New Year’s Eve ends with a countdown to announce the arrival of a new year.

Celebrations usually last until dawn and people have January 1 off to relax and visit friends and relatives.