Happy Yalda

Amir.H.Ghazi

Yalda is one of the most celebrated traditional events in Iran which marks the longest night of the year.

Every year, on December 21st, Iranians celebrate the arrival of winter, the renewal of the sun and the victory of light over darkness on Yalda Night.
Family members get together (most often in the house of the eldest member) and stay awake all night long in Yalda.
Watermelon, pomegranate and dried nuts are served as a tradition and classic poetry and old mythologies are read in the gathering.
Getting a ‘Hafez reading’ from the book of great Persian poet Shamsu d-Din Muhammad Hafez-e Shirazi is also practiced in this night.
Central Asian countries such as Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and some Caucasian states such as Azerbaijan and Armenia share the same tradition as well and celebrate Yalda Night annually at this time of the year.

Amir.H.Ghazi

Published by Amir.H.Ghazi

English Literature M.A. I'm interested in books specially horror stories. Living with my family and my pet. 24 years old.

45 thoughts on “Happy Yalda”

  16. isn’t it neat that the days get longer everywhere in the world around this time of the year? it doesn’t matter what languages we speak or where we live, the earth still moves as it has always done. This is my very favorite day of the year. As an Alaskan, greeting longer days again is worthy of a party!

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  24. In the modern world, where we are all preoccupied with the scourges of the age, such as working longer hours and commuting long distances to jobs we hate just in order to live – which is no life at all- we have lost many things, including the time to read and tell stories. As winter approaches, and ‘the Season’ in the West approaches, most people are concerned with consumption and whether the credit card can cover it until the New Year. In the West, the oral traditions of the winter evenings have been replaced by thoughts of which stores are open, and until what hour, on the last days before our ‘festival’ on the 25 December.

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