What it means
یلدا (yaldâ) means “the longest night of the year,” the Persian winter solstice celebration held on the night of December 20-21. One of the oldest continuously observed holidays in Iran, predating Islam by thousands of years.
What happens
Iranian families gather to celebrate the victory of light over darkness. The longest night of winter marks the rebirth of the sun. Traditional foods include pomegranates (whose seeds symbolize the sun), watermelon (preserved from summer to bring summer’s warmth into the longest night), and dried fruits (آجیل ājīl).
How to use it
- شب یلدا مبارک (shab-e yaldâ mobârak) “Happy Yalda night”
- یلدای امسال در خانه مادربزرگ بودیم (yaldâ-ye emsâl dar khâne-ye mâdarbozorg budim) “We were at grandma’s for Yalda this year”
Cultural elements
- Pomegranates, symbol of life and the sun
- Watermelon, preserved summer fruit
- آجیل (âjil), mixed dried fruits and nuts
- فال حافظ (fâl-e Hâfez), divination by opening the Divan of Hafez at random
- Family gathering until late into the night
Etymology
The word یلدا comes from Syriac yaldā meaning “birth,” referring to the birth of the sun on the longest night. The festival predates the Islamic conquest of Persia and survives as one of the most beloved Iranian holidays.
References
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