Yalda is celebrated on the Northern Hemisphere's longest night of the year, that is, on the eve of the Winter Solstice. Depending on the shift of the calendar, Yalda is celebrated on or around December 20 or 21 each year.
Yalda has a history as long as the religion of Mithraism. The Mithraists believed that this night is the night of the birth of Mithra, Persian angel of light and truth. At the morning of the longest night of the year the Mithra was born.”Some fruits and edible things we used to have in this ceremony!On Yalda night, which this year falls on December 21, members of the family stay together, narrate old stories told by ancestors, play traditional games and eat dried and fresh fruits symbolizing various things.
Pomegranates, placed on top of a fruit basket, are reminders of the cycle of life -- the rebirth and revival of generations. The purple outer covering of a pomegranate symbolizes "birth" or "dawn" and their bright red seeds the "glow of life."
Watermelons, apples, grapes, sweet melons and persimmon are other special fruits served on Yalda night and all are symbols of freshness, warmth, love, kindness and happiness.
Also we will do divination to book of poetry by Hafiz (One of the most famous Persian poet)
Everyone opens a page of book and reads the poem and others interpret the poem and say how will be the future for that person!
Its for fun!:)
Happy Yalda night to all!
Shab-e Yalda, triumph of light over darkness! Romans called it Natalis Anviktos, the birth of the unbeatable. In ancient beliefs, on Yalda night, the devil launches an attack to prevent the birth of the Sun but fails, as a result of which nights subsequently become shorter and days prolong! On this night, the oldest family member chants prayers for blesssings&prosperity, cuts a watermelon and gives each one of the family a slice which symbolizes the removal of pain and sickness from the family...
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