Iranian New Year
Nowruz is the New Year celebration. This festivity has been celebrated since ancient times and occurs in late March. Nowruz is celebrated in many counties.
The Seven S’s of the Nowruz
There are quite a few traditions associated with Nowruz.
One of the customs is to set the table with the Seven S’s.
The Seven S’s (called the “Haft Sin” in Persian) are the seven items each staring with the letter S in the Persian alphabet.
Haft means seven and Sin is S.
The picture is of the White House Haft Sin Table prepared by Laura Bush in 2008.
The items of the Haft Sin table are:
| Sabzeh | wheat, barley or lentil sprouts growing in a dish | symbol of rebirth |
| Samanu | a sweet pudding | symbol of affluence |
| Senjed | the dried fruit | symbol of love |
| Sir | garlic | symbol of medicine |
| Sib | apples | symbol of beauty and health |
| Somaq | sumac berries | symbol of the sunrise |
| Serkeh | vinegar | symbol of age and patience |
If one of the Sin is missing it may be exchanged with another Sin for example sonbol – the hyacinth flower – symbol of spring and the sekkeh – coins – symbol of prosperity
The Seven Fruits – Afghanistan
In Afghanistan, they prepare Haft Mewa (meaning Seven Fruits) instead of Haft Sin.
Haft Mewa is a fruit salad made from seven different dried fruits, served in the fruit syrup.
The seven dried fruits are:
Raisin – Senjed – Pistachio – Hazelnut – Prune – Walnut – Almond