Now-Rooz

Now-Rooz
the Persian New Year. It starts at the exact time as spring equinox and it is celebrated for 14 days. I have very fond memories of this season during our life in Iran. You could feel the energy, the joy and excitement of everyone as the new year approached. Baked goods, sweets and nuts were stocked up in every household because visitors were expected. During these 14 days, families visited each other, paying respect to the oldest members first and going around until everyone was seen. Lots of tea and sugar, nuts and fruit were consumed. Everyone was wearing new clothes and new shoes. And you could see families parade with them in the streets on their walks. I loved that time. We would stroll along the Pahlavi Avenue (of course it has been renamed after the revolution, but I do not know the new names). Daffodils were offered for sale on every corner, as were spring fruit, like green sour plums and green almonds. Amoo Nowrooz -a legend similar to the Santa Claus- would dance around and sing in front of your car at every red stop light.
At home you would decorate a table with seven traditional symbols, called a 'Haft-Sin'. Seven symbols, starting with the letter "s" in the farsi language. Sometimes my haft-sin is a panj-sin as I only gathered five (panj) symbols. These symbols represent fertility, abundance, beauty, love, patience, health and wealth. I usually have following items to display:

- sumac (somagh)
- vinegar (serkeh)
- sprouted wheat or lentils (sabzeh)
- apple (sib)
- garlic (sir)
- Hyacinth (sonbol)
- coins (sekkeh)

It is a wonderful holiday that invigorates you and gives a meaning to spring and new beginnings.

Eide shomaa mobaarak! - Happy new year.