Perhaps people want more miracles in their lives! That's how people came up with the celebration of the New Year. I always perceive it as a fairy tale - the transition from the old year to the new year.... and I try to live the last day of the Old Year slowly, enjoying everything I do, memorizing every moment of life. After all, they say: how you welcome the New Year - that's how you will live the whole year!
It's a bit of a strange New Year's feeling - I go outside where the trees are blooming alongside the orange oranges on the trees and the yellow-brown leaves on the other trees. For me, Ukrainian women, this is a kind of mix of spring, summer and autumn, but not winter! After all, I'm used to celebrating the New Year with snow! But in my beloved Kemer it is 18 degrees, and bees are sitting on the flowers :) We walk along the calm, quiet, deserted streets of Kemer, surrounded by mountains. I stop by the central cafe Mokka, where the water dances happily in the fountain and creates a joyful mood in the soul.
Today we have planned a picnic. We had such an opportunity for the first time in our life to taste baked meat and vegetables by the hands of a real Turkish man, because my friend 
We chose a remote beach for a picnic, where special barbecue ovens have been set up on the seashore among beautiful pine trees. There were many people here. It turns out that Turks are similar to Ukrainians in this respect. We also like to barbecue outdoors, but usually Ukrainians eat pork, and Turks roast lamb and beef. There were baked vegetables for my vegetarian daughter 
While the men were cooking, I was walking among these amazing mountains, above which were beautiful crimson clouds. I always feel a special thrill, when looked such natural beauty. In the evening, the colors of the sky acquire a mysterious color! And these yellow flowers on the grass are like spring in my Ukraine...
My daughters wanted to feel like New Year's fairies, so the day before we bought beautiful New Year's dresses. We came to Mokka Cafe again that day because the girls agreed to sing a New Year's song for their friends. They felt like stars and were full of determination, but unfortunately there was only one microphone for two, so their performance was not quite successful. But we encouraged them and their spirits improved.
But they really felt like stars... Everyone was looking at them. They were like fairies in a magical New Year's tale...
Each period of a person's life has its own priorities and needs... Personally, in the last days of the old year, I like to think a lot alone... Or talking about life with someone close in spirit. Sitting in a beautiful cafe with a Christmas tree, with a cup of hot chocolate.
Thanks for the great initiative #wednesdaywalk by 
We celebrated the New Year on the beach, watching pink peaceful fireworks over the Mediterranean Sea... Dancing under the stars. How wonderful it is - peace on Earth. Because there have been no holiday fireworks in Ukraine for a long time...
This is the second New Year I have celebrated in Turkey. Therefore, it was interesting to find out: what traditions and customs the Turks have in honor of the New Year:
- National lottery The main tradition of the Turkish New Year holiday is the national lottery. On the eve of the New Year, every adult Turk buys a lottery ticket, the number of which is limited, so the real excitement begins with long lines for the cherished sheet of numbers. People who did not have time to buy it in their city, call their relatives and friends in the neighborhood so that they can get them the ticket of their dreams. And then one holiday, the whole family sits down in front of the TV in the hope of getting rich.
- Grenades from the window One Turkish woman said that in Antalya on New Year's Day it is customary to throw grenades from a window or balcony into the street. The stronger it "explodes", the richer the coming year will be. A little strange tradition, in my opinion 🙂
- Without fighting chimes There is no battle of chimes in Turkey! Yes, yes: no one is counting down the last seconds before the New Year.
- In the New Year without a president And the president does not make a welcome speech here, as is customary here. Like this! Only heartfelt wishes from friends and relatives.
- Silence on the street Another difference is that almost no one sets off fireworks and other pyrotechnics on New Year's Eve, for which, probably, the local animals say a big "thank you". However, this does not mean that in Turkey they do not like to play with pyrotechnics, on the contrary: during the wedding season, explosions of fireworks can be seen and heard here in almost every district of the big city, if not every day. However, on New Year's pyrotechnics, probably, like the rest of the population, rests at home in "pajamas and slippers".
- In pajamas and slippers Many Turks prefer a home-style New Year's Eve party, which is jokingly called "TPT" (Terlik-Pajamas-Television). This is quite unusual for us, because every Ukrainian associates the meeting of the New Year with a great feast and celebration. But this is not a tradition for all countries.
- Nuts instead of "Olivier" And now about the feast: Turks do not prepare as many dishes as we Ukrainians. They simply do not see the point in this, because most do not drink alcohol, so there is no need for a "snack". A light dinner, tea (where else without it), and pistachios or any other kind of nuts and chips.
- "Tombola" is a national pastime In the week before the New Year, you can see the game "Tombola" in supermarkets, which is the Turkish version of the well-known "Bingo". Usually the family, especially where there are children, gets together and can play it for hours until the national lottery draw starts on television.
My friends in all corners of our beautiful planet, I wish you a happy and successful New Year 2024! 💕