Persian New Year
Norooz is the traditional ancient Iranian festival and also the start day of Iranian "New Year". Norooz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in Iranian calendar. Haft Sīn (هفت سین) or the seven 'S's is a major tradition of Norooz. The haft sin table includes seven specific items starting with the letter 'S' or Sīn (س) in the Persian alphabet. The Haft Sīn items are: * sabzeh - wheat, barley or lentil sprouts growing in a dish - symbolizing rebirth * samanu - a sweet pudding made from wheat germ - symbolizing affluence * senjed - the dried fruit of the oleaster tree - symbolizing love * sīr - garlic - symbolizing medicine * sīb - apples - symbolizing beauty and health * somaq - sumac berries - symbolizing (the color of) sunrise * serkeh - vinegar - symbolizing age and patience Other items on the table may include: * Sonbol - Hyacinth (plant) * Sekkeh - Coins - representative of wealth * traditional Iranian pastries such as baghlava, toot, naan-nokhodchi * Aajeel - dried nuts, berries and raisins * lit candles (enlightenment and happiness) * a mirror (symbolizing cleanness and honesty) * decorated eggs, sometimes one for each member of the family (fertility) * a bowl of water with goldfish (life within life, and the sign of Pisces which the sun is leaving) * rosewater, believed to have magical cleansing powers * the national colours, for a patriotic touch * a holy book (e.g., the Avesta, Qur'an, Bible, Torah, or Kitáb-i-Aqdas) and/or a poetry book (almost always either the Shahnama or the Divan of Hafez)
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