A Bridal Box

Turkish tradition calls for women to begin preparing for their wedding from an early age. Young Turkish girls will often begin making linens for their future home, they will learn to make Türk kahve (Turkish coffee) in preparation for winning the heart (and stomach)of their husband and they will learn to cook delicious traditional Turkish food from family recipes.

Of course, as Turkey embraces modernism, some of these traditions are becoming less and less remembered. The Ceylans, I am discovering, are a really unique blend of both tradition and modernity. Both of Umut's parents were raised in villages with a strong sense of Turkish tradition. Yet they moved to Izmir, a city of 3 million, over 20 years ago and raised Umut in a modern environment.

Luckily for me, there is little to no pressure to be a "Turkish" wife. But out of respect for Umut and his family, I am learning to appreciate bridal tradition. Two weeks ago mama Ceylan decided to do some Spring cleaning and what that day revealed was memorable.

With Umut being her only son, she has no daughter to share the bridal tradition of making linens for a home. So about 10 years ago, she began making beautiful pieces for Umut's future bride. She pulled out a trunk full of tablecloths, pillow cases, blankets and lace ribbon that she had been making for years. She even showed me a white shawl for her son's bride on their wedding day. My 1st thought when I saw the shawl was, "I bet she didn't imagine an AMERICAN girl wearing that shaw as she made it!"

I don't know exactly how Umut and I will use these gifts. What I do know is that I want to pass it all to her grandchildren as a mark of their Turkish heritage and their grandmother's love for her family.