Nowruz

Throughout the world, so many people have lost loved ones to this virus and so many others are sick. The rest are hopefully staying inside. Some are quietly celebrating the arrival of spring alone, some are fighting for their lives, and others are in mourning. It doesn't even feel like spring is here. It's sad... and quiet... and dark.

It's New Year's Eve in Iran and nobody is celebrating. Nowruz, literally meaning new day, referring to Earth's first day of spring, is special for the people of Iran, no matter where in the world they are. Most of the holidays currently celebrated in Iran are religious, whereas Nowruz, my favorite holiday, is directly related to the earth and to nature.

Everyone prepares for the holiday with a major house cleaning. Once the house is cleaned, people set the “haftseen,” placing seven specific items, all starting with the “s” sound in Farsi, on a table covered with a beautiful fabric called a “termeh.”

On the last Tuesday night of the year, “chaharshanbe soori” (also spelled “suri”), meaning red Wednesday, people jump over a fire, singing, dancing, and hoping for good health in the coming year. The first day of the year is the first day of spring, and the holiday lasts thirteen days into the new year. During this time, everyone visits family members, usually starting with parents, grandparents, then siblings, and finally other relatives during twelve days, and everyone goes out, usually on a picnic, on the thirteenth day to throw out the “sabzeh,” wheat or lentil sprouts, one of the seven items in the “haftseen.”