Nowruz
The celebration of Iranian New Year, is on the March Equinox and is considered the most important holiday in Iran. Nowroz is calculated when the earth makes a complete circle around the sun. And at that second, the celebration happens, all around the world, at the same second! you live in! So it might be in the afternoon, or 04:00AM, depending on which time zone.
The United Nations officially recognized the “International Day of Nowruz” with the adoption of UN resolution 64/253 in 2010.
Typically, before the arrival of Nowruz, family members gather around the Haft-sin table and await the exact moment of the March equinox to celebrate the New Year, and then everyone goes to visit all relatives (by age) and friends or receive them.
Traditionally, the Haft-sin spread (Persian: ﻔھتﺳﯾن things beginning with the letter sin (س)) are: , seven
Sabze (Persian: زه ) – wheat, barley, mung bean, or lentil sprouts grown in a dish.
- Samanu (Persian: ﻧو germ) – sweet pudding made from wheat
- Persian olive (Persian: ﺟد , romanized: senjed)
- Vinegar (Persian: ﮐﮫ
- Apple (Persian: ﯾﺳب , romanized: serke) , romanized: sib)
- Garlic (Persian: ر , romanized: sir)
- Sumac (Persian: ﺎق , romanized: somāq)
The Haft-sin spread may also include a mirror, candles, painted eggs, a bowl of water, goldfish, coins, hyacinth, and traditional confectioneries. A “book of wisdom” such as the divān of Hafez may also be included.