Novruz Holiday

Novruz is the Persian New Year celebration which is observed with a multi-day public holiday in Iran. Even though Novruz has its roots in Zoroastrianism, the religion of much of Persia before the arrival of Islam, Iran still uses the old Persian calendar officially and starts each year with Novruz. Novruz means “new day” and is traditionally celebrated at the Vernal Equinox that marks the beginning of spring. Novruz or an equivalent holiday is celebrated all over central Asia as well as in Iran, but each country and region celebrates it a bit differently. In Iran, families traditionally set a table with seven new year’s foods that all begin with the letter “sin”, which is essentially the equivalent of “s” in English. The spread includes items like sprouts, herbs, spices, and fried fruits. Also on Novruz, people may buy a seed and let it sprout over the next two weeks. On day 13, they throw it into water so it can potentially grow into a plant. It’s traditional to clean your house, exchange gifts, and visit relatives and friends during the two-week celebration that begins on Novruz.