Nowruz is Persian new year and coincides with Farvardin the first and also the beginning of the spring. As Nowruz arrives people congratulate each other and celebrate Persian new year. They also follow some customs during these days. In the first day of the new year the old mother nature wakes up from a long sleep and starts the life. There are a lot of ancient anecdotes behind this special day.
Customs
As I said Iranian people follow some traditions during the vacation days of Nowruz such as house cleaning before the Persian new year arrives, meeting their relative after new year. At the end of the vacation days, in Farvardin the thirteenth they tie the grass, make their wishes and drop it into the river.
Sofreh Haftsin
Sofreh Haftsin is an inseparable item of Nowruz. Before the new year moment families put seven elements which their name starts with “Sin” (=Persian alphabet which sounds like S) on the tablecloth, gather around them at the new year moment and pray for success and wish each other luck. Each of these seven elements are symbol of something.
- Sir: means garlic in English and is pronounced Sir or Seer. This element is the symbol of health.
- Sekkeh: means coin in English. The symbol of blessing and abundance.
- Sumac: the symbol of taste of life.
- Senjed: means oleaster in English and is the symbol of the symbol of love.
- Sib: means apple in English. This fruit is is sign of affection and beauty.
- Sabzeh: grass in English, sign of renewal.
- Samanu: a sweet Persian food made of wheat and is the symbol of abundance.
