Mar
Nowruz Traditions: From Chaharshanbe Suri to Sizdah Bedar
After spring cleaning and preparing for the new year, it’s finally time for Nowruz and all its beautiful traditions. These ancient customs make the holiday even more special, creating some of our most cherished memories from childhood to today. From Chaharshanbe Suri and setting the Haft-Seen table to new year visits and Sizdah Bedar, each tradition is an essential part of Nowruz. Today, we’re diving into these customs:
- Chaharshanbe Suri
The first Nowruz celebration is Chaharshanbe Suri, a lively and exciting night held on the last Wednesday of the year. People mark this occasion with various traditions to welcome the new year.
- Jumping over fire: One of the most famous customs of Chaharshanbe Suri is lighting bonfires and jumping over them while chanting, “Zardi man az to, sorkhi to az man” (“My paleness to you, your redness to me”). This symbolizes leaving behind sickness and fatigue and welcoming health and happiness.
- Qashoq-Zani (spoon tapping): In this old tradition, young people cover their faces with a scarf, take a bowl and spoon, and go door to door tapping on bowls. Homeowners then fill their bowls with nuts, dried fruits, or sweets.
Although fireworks have become a modern addition, the heart of Chaharshanbe Suri was always about gathering around the fire, chatting, laughing, and celebrating together.
- The Last Thursday of the Year
The Thursday before Nowruz is a significant day for remembering loved ones who have passed away. Families visit cemeteries, light candles, bring flowers, and offer food to honor their ancestors. For those who live far from their loved ones’ graves, distributing sweets like halva or dates is a way to send blessings to their souls. This tradition reflects the deep familial bonds that Nowruz celebrates.
- Nowruz and the Haft-Seen Table
As Nowruz approaches, the excitement of the new year fills every home. Last-minute shopping, final cleaning touches, setting up the Haft-Seen table, and the delicious smells of baking and cooking signal the arrival of a fresh start. Nowruz is one of the oldest festivals, celebrated for centuries with unique traditions.
Haft-Seen: A Symbol of Prosperity and Good Fortune
One of the most essential parts of Nowruz is setting up the Haft-Seen table, which is carefully arranged in the days leading up to the holiday. Each item on the table carries a special meaning:
- Apple (Seeb): Health
- Oleaster (Senjed): Love and family bonds
- Sprouts (Sabzeh): Growth and renewal
- Wheat pudding (Samanu): Strength and prosperity
- Garlic (Seer): Protection and good health
- Vinegar (Serkeh): Patience and wisdom
- Coin (Sekkeh): Wealth and success
Many families also place a Quran, a Divan of Hafez, candles, a mirror, colored eggs, a goldfish, and sweets on their Haft-Seen table for additional blessings and joy. When the new year moment arrives, families gather around, recite prayers, and make wishes for the coming year.
Nowruz Foods: A Feast for a Fresh Start
The New Year’s Eve dinner is often a special meal. Many families prepare sabzi polo ba mahi (herbed rice with fish) as a symbol of freshness and vitality. Others cook reshteh polo (rice with noodles), believing that it will help them “find their path” in the coming year.
On Nowruz morning, homes are filled with sweets, nuts, and fresh fruits. Some families start their day with traditional dishes like halva, kachi, or samanu, known for their nourishing and festive flavors.
- Nowruz Visits and Receiving Eidi!
As soon as the new year begins, families and friends start their Nowruz visits. After exchanging messages and calls with loved ones, the real celebrations begin.
According to tradition, younger family members first visit the elders, wishing them a happy new year and receiving Eidi, small gifts, often in the form of money. In return, the elders welcome guests with nuts, sweets, and tea.
These gatherings continue throughout the Nowruz holiday, strengthening family and social bonds. Everywhere you go, tables are filled with colorful treats, and leaving a house without enjoying something is simply not an option!
Nowruz isn’t just a festival, it’s a time for reunions, fresh beginnings, and making memories with loved ones.
- Sizdah Bedar: A Day in Nature to Bid Farewell to Nowruz
The final day of Nowruz celebrations is Sizdah Bedar, a day spent outdoors to welcome good fortune and leave behind bad luck. Families and friends head to parks, gardens, or riversides, enjoying the fresh spring air and the joy of being together.
Sizdah Bedar Traditions
The most important tradition is spending the day in nature. People gather in green spaces to enjoy picnics, play games, and share laughter. One of the most famous customs is tying knots in Sabzeh (sprouts from the Haft-Seen table). Young people make a wish for good luck and love before throwing the sprouts into a stream, symbolizing a fresh start and returning life to nature.
Games and Fun Activities
Sizdah Bedar is all about fun! From swinging, jump rope, and dodgeball to kite flying and card games, there’s something for everyone. In the past, activities even included horseback riding and archery!
Sizdah Bedar Picnic: A Feast in the Wild
Food plays a huge role in Sizdah Bedar. Many families prepare kebabs over an open fire, while others bring hearty meals like ash reshteh (herb and noodle soup), stuffed grape leaves, or baghali polo (rice with fava beans and lamb). Some even bring dizi for a truly traditional feast.
Closing Nowruz and Returning to Routine
As the sun sets, families begin packing up, saying their goodbyes, and heading home. Sizdah Bedar marks the end of the Nowruz holidays, and daily life resumes the next day. But the warmth and joy of these traditions stay with everyone, creating lasting memories.
From all of us at Tavazo, we wish you a wonderful year ahead. Happy Nowruz!
Author: Zahra Barani
