Yalda Night: An Ancient Iranian Celebration
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Yalda Night (Chelleh night) is one of the most beautiful and longest nights of the year in Iran where the ceremonies and celebrations are held with different ways based on the special traditions of each region.
The word Yalda means birth, and the Yalda Night is one of the traditional ceremonies in Iran, which is held by Iranian coming together the family members and relatives in different parts of Iran.
The Iranians are celebrated the Yalda Night (the first day of winter), the time between the sunset of the last day of the autumn and the sunrise of the first day of winter which is coincided to the longest and the darkest night of the year in the northern hemisphere of the earth.
Various ceremonies are common in different regions and cities of Iran in this night such as eating special fruits, watermelon and pomegranates, nuts and sweets, cooking local food, reading Hafiz, horoscope, reading poetry, reading the Shahnameh, reading stories, etc., each of which has a symbolic aspect and they are the signs of Blessing, health, abundance and happiness.
Source: Visitiran.ir
