Nowruz, the Persian New Year, marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in the Persian calendar. And no, this year is not the year of 2014 as you might think, but 1393, as Iranians follow Solar Hijri calendar. The phrase Nowruz is a Persian compound-word and is composed of the words ‘now’ (new) and ‘ruz’ (day).

According to the UN General Assembly, Iranians and other ethnic communities who fell under Iranian influence or migrated to Persia have celebrated the spring festival for over three thousand years. This includes Azeris, Kurdish settler in Turkey, Iraqis, Syrians, Western Afghans, Tajiks, Turkmens, Uzbeks and other communities in Central Asia.

For Iranian communities worldwide Nawruz is their biggest celebration of the year. Prior to the New Year they start tidying up their homes and buy new clothes in order to start the year fresh. However, the most important part of New Year traditions is setting the “Haft Seen” (seven ‘S’s) with seven specific items. Each of these seven items symbolizes positivity, and is believed to bring good luck to  specific aspects of life. These items usually are:

1. Sabzeh – green grass – representing rebirth

2. Samanu – sweet wheat pudding– representing wealth

3. Senjed – the dried fruit of the oleaster tree – representing love

4. Sir – garlic – representing remedy

5. Sib – apple – representing beauty and wellbeing

6. Somagh – sumac berries – representing sunrise

7. Serke – vinegar – representing age and endurance.