Week 37 - Looking back, Gul dreams of family parties

 Edited BY


G P Kennedy


Gul – Aegean Coast, Turkey



THE PLUM BRANCH

 Do you like to celebrate Christmas or New Year with family or a crowd.? While we were living in the UK, we missed having fun with the family.


That’s why our first Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Istanbul was full of people after all years. So many people came in and went on between those days, we could not see who had enough food or drink. 


 Last year, we decided to hang around with just the family. We spent both Christmas & New Year with my sister and her family, two very quiet nights but were lovely.


I decorated the dining table as much as I did in the UK, and I made different themed decorations on Christmas and New Year’s Eve. NYE is also my sister’s birthday so we celebrated with a delicious cake too. However, we also like having fun with the crowd. 



PANDEMIC WISH LIST

 The other day, we were talking to Mike about what we would like to do after this entire horrible pandemic was over. He said ‘let’s have a big party in the garden. Let’s invite lots of people, a very loud party’. I said let’s do this. Yay!


 After the quiet festive times last year, we wanted to have a party for a large family and our friends on January 5th last year. I’m glad we did it because no one is able to see each other after that. I learned that nothing should be delayed. I called it a nostalgia day and asked everyone to wear something of sentimental value, something special for them. 



 My sister is amazing; she always keeps many things from the past. She kept one of the accessories of my father’s car, a 1956 Chevrolet, which I put on like a necklace on that day.


I also wore my mother’s ring. My sister put on the outfit she wore for her engagement. She also wore her old watch, the 16th birthday present from my father. I was very jealous because I lost mine years ago. As for decorations, I hung photos from the 1970s, 1980s famous musicians, and scenes of movies in various places of the house. 


We lost our mother on a November day. That day we remembered my mother a lot as my mother loved the crowded tables and entertainments the most. And I wanted to remember her like that. My aunt wore my mother’s headscarf; my niece wore the sweater knitted by my mother- her grandmother. 


 


The others were also perfect; everyone had an effort to put on something special.


After all, it was a great day that we remembered our loved ones we lost and we were also grateful for what we had.


We shot lots of videos, took photos to share with people who couldn’t make it to the party. 


 Wishing you many crowded gatherings, full bellies, lots of cheers, and happy memories. Happy Christmas and 2020 go way!






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