Sweets and candies are sine qua non for many Turks, who widely call Eid al-Fitr “Şeker Bayramı” (Festival of Sweets). Several days before the advent of eid, Turks buy as many sweets as they can afford to offer their guests during the religious holiday. Eid is an Arabic term meaning “festivity” or “celebration.” Fitr means “to break the fast” and can also mean “nature,” derived from the word “fitrat.” It points to the return of the soul to its original state of purity.

Sweet shop owners wait for Eid al-Fitr with great expectation since the time brings with it financial abundance. They prepare for eid months ahead of time and try to lure customers with colorful and delicious sweets. They ask customers when buying sweets not to choose cheap and low-quality sweets and candies as they may lead to serious health problems because they are usually produced under unhealthy and unhygienic conditions.

Sweet shop owners also warn customers to avoid purchasing sweets sold on the streets. Hamdi Çarşıbaşı, an official at a confectionary company, said that when purchasing sweets, customers should pay attention to where they are sold. “Many people sell sweets in the streets before eid though they are not licensed to sell them. Their products are usually produced under unhygienic conditions,” Çarşıbaşı noted.

According to Çarşıbaşı, people often prefer to buy such products because they are cheap but they put their health at risk by doing so. “Do not purchase sweets whose packages are torn or are warped in any way. Packages that are kept under sunlight are usually discolored. Packages that are kept in depots for a long time are warped or torn. Customers should refrain from buying sweets sold in such packages. Chocolates should neither be too hard nor soft. Bonbons should be richly colored.

Out-of-date bonbons are usually not richly colored,” he remarked. Çarşıbaşı also recommended that customers purchase sweets made by a widely known brand.

“Do not keep chocolates in the refrigerator. They freeze if kept in refrigerators. When they are taken out of the refrigerator the fat within the chocolate melts and the chocolate looks dated even if it is not,” he added.

Ramazan Çelebi, the head of the Konya branch of the Chamber of Turkish Food Engineers (GMO), advised consumers not to be tempted by cheaply produced sweets.

“Some people are lured by the prices of cheap sweets, but such products do not taste delicious. Furthermore, they pose health risks. People should purchase food products by looking at their quality rather than their price,” Çelebi stressed.

Yasin Pala, a confectionary wholesaler, said sweets will largely be sold at last year's prices this year. One can find sweets for between TL 3.5 and TL 26. Turkish delight, however, has seen around a 20 percent increase in price. “Both retailers and customers are happy when prices remain the same. Everyone can find sweets they can afford for sale,” Pala stated.

Another confectionary wholesaler, Mustafa Baygül, said an average Turkish family consumes around 1.5 kilograms of sweets during Eid al-Fitr. “Our citizens will eat sweets for around the same prices as last year. We expect people to continue purchasing sweets after eid,” he added.

Eid is, undoubtedly, not just about eating candy. It also creates feelings of joy and happiness for all Muslims. But Turks give special meaning to the festivity by using it as an opportunity to visit relatives and loved ones. Celebrating this joyful occasion is preceded by weeks of preparation. Starting in the middle of Ramadan, people flock to shopping centers and stores to buy new clothes to wear during eid and sweets to offer their guests.

It is, without exception, children who enjoy eid the most. They walk from house to house wishing their elders in their neighborhood a happy eid. The children kiss the hands of their elders and press them against their foreheads, then look at them expectantly. What they expect is generally money, but can often be candy or chocolates. The hosts then either place coins into the children's hands or present them with a bowl full of candies and chocolates.