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<\/p>\nNOWRUZ<\/b> (new day) is in harmony with the rebirth of nature. Nowruz is always on the first day of spring. Throughout the world, over 350 million people celebrate as the year changes on the vernal equinox, which occurs on March 19, 20, or 21. The arrival of the New Year is at the precise moment the sun crosses the equator. For instance, this year it is on Friday, March 20, at 7:46<\/b> a.m.<\/b> (PDT).<\/p>\n
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The ceremonies for this tradition represent the ancient concepts of Good and Evil, as well as End and Rebirth. Weeks before the arrival of the New Year, homes are cleaned, new clothes purchased, and various pastries baked.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Before the arrival of Nowruz, all households spread a cloth known as sofreh-ye-haftseen\u2014a collection of seven dishes that begin with the Persian letter S<\/i>. The number seven has been sacred since ancient times; the seven main dishes placed on the cloth each represent Earth\u2019s abundance and life.<\/p>\n Sabzeh<\/b><\/span> <\/i>\u2013 sprouts from wheat or lentil for rebirth;<\/i> Samanu<\/b><\/span> \u2013 a sweet pudding made of wheat sprouts for rebirth; <\/i>Seeb<\/b><\/span> \u2013 apple for beauty; <\/i>Senjed<\/b> <\/span>\u2013 sweet dry fruit of lotus for happiness and love;<\/i> Serkeh<\/b><\/span> \u2013 vinegar for age and patience;<\/i> Seer<\/b><\/span> \u2013 garlic for health;<\/i> and Sumagh<\/b><\/span> <\/b>\u2013 sumac berries for joy<\/i><\/p>\n Other traditional foods, sweets, and flowers are added to the haft-seen. Sekeh<\/b><\/span> (coins) are placed in a bowl of water and, once the New Year arrives, the coins are given to family members as a wish for prosperity and wealth<\/i>. Colored eggs<\/b> in the number of children or family members in the household represent fertility<\/i>. A Naranj<\/b> (Seville orange) floating in a bowl of water is symbolic of Earth<\/i>. A goldfish<\/b> in a bowl of water represents life <\/i>and the end of the astral year, Pisces. Sonbol<\/b>, hyacinth, iris, narcissus, tulips, and other spring-blooming flowers are added to the sofreh. A mirror and candles are placed on the sofreh for reflections of creation, light, and happiness<\/i> throughout the year. Some families also add seven dishes of different traditional sweets or pastries to their sofreh-ye-haftseen.<\/p>\n As the sun enters the constellation Aries from Pisces, the equinox occurs\u2014Nowruz arrives and festivities begin. Everyone is offered a sweet pastry and given a coin by the eldest member of the family and wished a year of happiness and good fortune: \u201cGood Thoughts, Good Words, and Good Deeds throughout the year.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" NOWRUZ (new day) is in harmony with the rebirth of nature. Nowruz is always on the first day of spring. Throughout the world, over 350 million people celebrate as the year changes on the vernal equinox, which occurs on March 19, 20, or 21. The arrival of the New Year is at the precise moment<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5054,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"two_page_speed":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[56,73,84],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5090","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-culture","category-social-and-culture"],"yoast_head":"\n