The Festival of “Yalda”: Winter Solstice Celebration
By Mojgan Amini
In Iran, Yalda is celebrated on the eve of the Winter Solstice,usually around December 21st. It’s the longest night of the year, and from that day forward, the nights get shorter and the days longer. Yalda means the birthday or rebirth of the sun.
Yalda is based on the ancient Iranian belief of light vs. dark, good vs. evil. Since the days start getting longer and the nights shorter, this day marks the victory of light over dark, and good over evil.
It is thought that on the longest night, the sun needs help to overcome darkness. On the eve of Yalda, bonfires are lit outside to encourage the sun to rise. Inside, family and friends gather together all night long around the korsee. A korsee is a very short square table with a source of heat underneath, covered with a super-sized comforter covering the whole table and most of the room. Everyone sits around it, under the cover, and enjoys the cozy, warm experience while listening to poetry, playing music, telling jokes, or telling stories.
The most typical foods served on Yalda are a hearty noodle-bean soup (ashe reshteh), pomegranates, and fresh and dried fruit and nuts. Summer fruit are preserved throughout the year where they are served with winter foods to symbolize the balance of seasons. These include grapes, honeydew melons, watermelons, pears, oranges, tangerines, apples, and cucumbers.
This festive gathering of storytelling, music, and food lasts all night until the sun triumphantly appears in the morning.
