Engaged couples in Alanya were left without gold gifts this holiday.

As Eid al-Adha approaches, jewelry stores in Alanya did not experience the expected rush. Due to high prices, the centuries-old tradition of tying gold to the horns of a decorated ram for engaged brides during the holiday is fading away.

In many cities across Türkiye, this symbolic gesture is being abandoned as the combined cost of a sacrificial animal and gold can reach up to 100,000 TL.

Speaking to Dim TV, Yahya Arslan, owner of Köseoğlu Jewelry, stated: “There’s no movement before the holiday because prices fluctuate a lot. A ram costs around 20–25 thousand TL, and adding a bracelet pushes the cost to 50–60 thousand TL. It’s too much for many people, so buying gold becomes a lower priority.”

He also pointed out price instability: “For example, there was a 150 TL increase from Friday to Monday. This makes people nervous. Pure gold is around 4,200 TL per gram. These constant shifts cause uncertainty and hesitation.”