Public Holidays
January 1, being the day after the celebration of the new year on the 31st December night, is an official public holiday in Turkey. This holiday has nothing to do with Christmas. Besides this new year holiday, national holidays are also public holidays. On these days all ceremonial activities are carried out by official institutions, such as schools, state organizations or military forces; people join in with these activities. National Independence and Children's Day is celebrated on the 23rd of April. On this date in 1920 the Turkish Grand Assembly was established in Ankara by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. As this was the first written record of the huge transition from a religion oriented community to a democratic nation, this date of 23 April was designated as a public holiday. Since 1929, this date is also declared as the first Children's Day in the world by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, acknowledging the importance of children in the future of nations. Ataturk Commemoration and Youth and Sports Day is celebrated on the 19th of May. On this date in 1919, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk first set foot on Anatolia at the Black Sea port of Samsun. This important step is considered as the beginning of his organization of the nationalist forces before the War of Independence in 1920. Victory Day is celebrated on the 30th of August. On this date in 1922, the 5th day of the big attack against the invading Greek troops, the Dumlupinar Battle under the command of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was won and determined the outcome of the Indepence War in favor of the Turkish side. This big attack ended in Izmir with the defeat of the Greeks on September 9 1922. Republic Day is celebrated on October 29. The Republic of Turkey was proclaimed by the Turkish Grand National Assembly in 1923. Starting with 2009, May 1 is also celebrated as the Labour Day.
Besides these public holidays, there are 2 religious holidays celebrated in Turkey. Ramazan Bayrami (bayram meaning "feast" in Turkish) comes immediately after the 30 days of fasting in the holy month of Ramadan according to the Islamic Lunar Year (354 days every year). Thus all religious holidays come 10-11 days earlier each year. The second feast is the Kurban Bayrami (kurban meaning "sacrifice" in Turkish) which follows the Ramazan Bayrami 70 days after. Although not all people in Turkey are religious, these religious feasts are very traditional and taken seriously by everyone. People make lots of preparations in celebration of those feasts, such as cleaning houses, shopping, buying feast gifts and sending greeting cards.