Imagine our confusion and delight when we first happened across the Christmas trinket aisle at the local supermarket, where all manner of yuletide paraphernalia can be purchased. We fondled the multi-coloured shiny balls, flickering fairy lights, soft toy Santas, naff papier-mâché winter scenes and twinkling, tinselled trees, all manufactured by the enterprising Chinese. Not to miss out on the fun, it seems that our Turkish hosts have appropriated many Christmas traditions and grafted them on to New Year.
The book
Yes, those industrious Chinese! We have plenty of their delightful products over here too… They fall apart in five minutes of course…
Yes, China, workshop to the world. The irony of it!
Pagan traditions become Christmas which then morphs into New Year. This is evolution before our eyes, albeit with a commercial twist thrown in.
Amen from the pagans in this house.
Just goes to show that everywhere needs a bit of Christmas sparkle!
And it was very sparkly
Yes, but the New Year’s red underwear is Turkey’s own invention (as far as I know). Do you have any idea where that came from?
I’ve heard about the red knickers tradition and asked various people about it. No one seems to know where it comes from.
Globalisation at its most tacky!
I agree. No problem with globalisation but we need to maintain a little style, a little panache.