Happy Nowruz

This is a photo that my brother took of his "Haft-Sin" table two years ago in 2007. Happy Nowruz! Happy New Year to everyone! Happy Spring! Friday will be the first day of spring and the first day of Iranian new year!

Haft-Sin (or literally the seven 'S's table) is a major tradition of Nowruz, the traditional Iranian new year. It has a complex history and there are indication referring to Kayanids, a semi-mythological dynasty of Greater Iranian tradition and folklore. Today the Haft-Sin table includes seven items specifically starting with the letter S (or Sin in Persian alphabet).

The Haft Sin items are:

Sabzeh (سبزه) - wheat, barley or lentil sprouts growing in a dish - symbolizing rebirth
Samanu (سمنو)- a sweet pudding made from wheat germ - symbolizing affluence
Senjed (سنجد)- the dried fruit of the oleaster tree - symbolizing love
Sir (سیر)- garlic - symbolizing medicine
Sib (سیب)- apples - symbolizing beauty and health
Somaq (سماق)- sumac berries - symbolizing (the color of) sunrise
Serkeh (سرکه)- vinegar - symbolizing age and patience

If you google "Haft Sin" images, you'll find different Haft-Sin tables which look much nicer than ours in this photo. I highly encourage you to google (image search) it.

Persian New Year - March 21, 2008

Persian New Year - March 21, 2007
Persian New Year - March 21, 2006
Persian New Year - March 20, 2005
Persian New Year - March 20, 2004

In the last couple of years, the Google search engine has launched its Nowruz logo with the advent of the occasion that marks the beginning of a new calendar year in Iran.
The engine also included the Haft Seen table on its logo and used images of apple, vinegar, and freshly grown greens, each representing the Haft Seen items.

Nowruz, which means new day in Farsi, is celebrated across a vast region from largely Kurdish areas of northern Iraq and Turkey to central Asian countries and western China.