BY SERA ULUSOY (MAN/IV) sera.ulusoy@ug.bilkent.edu.tr
I may have mentioned this before, but I love autumn and winter. I love every single season, but these two seem to have a special charm. It feels as though regardless of their gloomy facades or how much they bring out the melancholy in you due to the frequently dark weather and all, they seem to exude this elegance that cannot exactly be explained. I don’t think it has to do merely with the constant blacks and grays of our clothes; I think there are several reasons why fall and winter seem to exude elegance, or at least why I perceive them to do so.
Above all, I have to say that what makes these two seasons, especially winter, so amazing and “warm” in spite of the cold weather is the beautiful atmosphere that comes along with the approach of New Year’s Eve, or even Christmas. I say “even,” because although Christmas is not celebrated in Turkey, the fact is, due to the whole process of globalization, even people in countries where Christmas is not celebrated seem to be in love with the entire holiday. The pre-holiday enthusiasm is spread throughout the world, and, with the technology and the circumstances of the present day, it becomes even harder to avoid the alluring celebratory atmosphere—it is, for instance, advertised very often on many Instagram accounts. By the way, if you do have an Instagram account, make sure to follow the London account, not just for the sake of getting jealous of the beauty that is present in London during Christmastime, but also for the sake of getting jealous of London’s charm in general.
What prompted me to write this week’s column was in fact that very Instagram account. The pictures are so beautiful that I’ve gotten even more excited about New Year’s Eve this year. I love the whole concept of gift giving—and, admittedly, gift receiving. Interestingly enough, though, I enjoy giving gifts more than getting them. The opposite seems to be the case for many of us, but for me the best part about gift giving is seeing the excitement and joy on the faces of those I love. I have to admit, though, I like the shopping part as well. Some dread the idea of looking for a gift for someone—even someone they know very well—but for me, this is what makes gift giving so much fun. I challenge myself to buy or make the best gifts possible for the people I love, and even to outdo my performance of the prior year.
I believe that it is perfectly appropriate that Christmas, Hanukkah—lest we forget the Jewish traditions—and New Year’s Eve take place in the winter season; they always bring cheer with their bright lights and other accompaniments, such as the decorated pine trees and the mistletoe; the special delicacies like eggnog (or, in our case, sahlep) or latke (a Jewish tradition); and the endless feasts. For some, the holidays are nothing but a consequence of materialism—you know, those who seem to accuse anyone who enjoys the holidays of being a pawn of the current system. For everyone else, including me, they are the time that magic happens.
Oh, and how can we neglect mentioning the incredibly adorable and exquisite Christmas markets?—such as the ones in Munich, Jena, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Vienna, London and elsewhere. You have probably come across pictures of these Christkindlmarkts—you know, the ones that seem to cheer up the entire town, maybe even to the degree of making the sun jealous of how glowing and bright they are. Every year, the markets are set up in late November or early December, and run until the beginning or end of Christmas (depending on the country they are held in). In my opinion, though, regardless of how beautiful each and every single one is, the best markets take place in Germany and Austria. Germans seem to “dress” their cities best for Christmas, and it’s not just the markets, but also the spirit that these cities have at Christmastime.
Although New Year’s Eve is yet to come, I really hope that you’ve already started feeling the joy it brings.