Happy Yalda Night (Iranian Ceremony)
AMADGARAN
Yaldā Night or Chelle Night is an ancient festival in Iran (also Iraqi Kurdistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Turkey) that is celebrated on the winter solstice.
“Yalda Night” was one of the holy nights in ancient Iran, included in the official calendar of the ancient Iranians from 502 BC during the time of Darius I. The festivities that take place on this night are an ancient tradition.
This corresponds to the night of December 21 in the Gregorian calendar and the night between the last day of the ninth month (Azar) and the first day of the tenth month (Dey) of the Iranian solar calendar.
The longest and darkest night of the year is a time when friends and family gather together to eat, drink, and read poetry (especially Hafez and Shahnameh) until well after midnight.
Fruits and nuts are eaten and pomegranates and watermelons are particularly significant. The red color in these fruits symbolizes the crimson hues of dawn and the glow of life. The poems of Divan-e Hafez, which can be found in the bookcases of most Iranian families, are read or recited on various occasions such as this festival and Nowruz.
