Christmas Oddments

In Turkey, a Muslim country, Christmas is not celebrated, but we have managed to celebrate with fellow Church members. We had a small but wonderful Christmas service last Sunday; and Tracy and I baked holiday cookies. We have seen some odd reminders of Christmas, though:

School bells play songs when it is time to change classes. We heard “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” repeatedly last spring. During August we dined twice with friends at a hotel in Ankara, where they played about two hours of Christmas music each night. It was so strange to hear “Winter Wonderland” and “White Christmas” in the heat of August evenings! Recently, I explained to my Turkish teacher that we play Christmas music only at Christmas time, and she was genuinely puzzled.

Turks exchange presents on New Year's Day, so the stores are filled with “New Year” decorations, which look just like Christmas decorations to us. They include lights, trees, bright balls, Santa Claus and we’ve even seen a couple of “New Year” angels.

Speaking of Santa, St. Nicholas was born in Turkey. Every December people make pilgrimages to a 4th century church near Altalya, on the Mediterranean, and there are symposiums and debates.

There are a few poinsettias everywhere, but they are called “Ataturk flowers.” Apparently Mustafa Ataturk saw them in Europe and brought them to Turkey, thus they are named after him.

We found a box of Christmas decorations in our missionary apartment, so we have a very small tree with lights and a few other things, including the carved wood crèches we bought in Armenia when we were there last April at a Humanitarian Couples’ Conference. I also pieced a quilt top a little at a time during the autumn, so that makes the apartment look cheery. About 15 people will come to our house for dinner on Christmas Day. We are luckier than most people and have a real though small oven in our kitchen; our 18-lb turkey just barely fits!

We enjoyed singing Christmas music with Ankara A Cappella Choir, a small group of mostly American and British expats. We gave two concerts and will sing at the candlelight service at the British Embassy chapel on Christmas Eve.

We wish our friends and family a very merry Christmas! We're grateful to be serving the Lord at this season of giving. Our Humanitarian work feels like Christmas all year. We hope you feel the love of the Savior in a special way during this joyous season. We wish you "Noel kutlu olson" - May your Christmas be blessed!