Sound the flute, Now it’s mute! … merrily, merrily, merrily to welcome in the year! Those were the words of William Blake. But Iranian peoples have been literally doing so for more than 3,000 years prior to that 18th-century poem, welcoming spring with “Nowrouz” celebrations.
Faraan: While many people start their New Year holidays a couple of days before Nowrouz, the streets are jammed with last-minute shoppers. After all, no matter what the circumstances, you can’t have a Nowrouz without a Haft-sin Table.
Iranians have their own special way of welcoming spring and one of the most prominent of these traditions is setting the Haft-sin table: an arrangement of seven symbolic items that start with the sound “S” in Farsi, representing regrowth, health and prosperity.
The Nowrooz festive events culminate in Sizdah Bedar. The 13th day of the New Year, which is also the last day of the Nowruz holidays, is traditionally spent outdoors picnicking and playing games. The holiday is also referred to as Nature day. The Persian New Year is right around the corner and as Iranians say: We wish you a thousand years better than this year!
Happy New Year!
