Yalda Night

Iranians since ancient times have marked the winter solstice as “Shab-e Yalda”, and spend, what is considered the longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere, in family together, to mark the end of autumn and formal start of winter, with the end of the month of Azar and eve of the month of Dey, the 10th month of Iranian solar calendar.

It is also called “Shab-e Chelleh” or “Night of Forty”, which means the 40-day period when winter is at its height in the Iranian Plateau and adjoining lands. It is a time when friends and family gather together in a cordial atmosphere, until well after midnight. Normally fruits and nuts are served to guests; pomegranates and watermelons are particularly significant. The red color in these fruits symbolizes the crimson hues of dawn and glow of life. 

The word “Yalda”' is a borrowing from the Syriac language, and was absorbed into Iranian culture during the 1^st  to 3^rd centuries, when significant numbers of Syriac-speaking Christians, fleeing persecution from the Roman Empire, settled in the Persian Empire, which was ruled by the Parthians and then the Sassanids. As a result, the Iranians, who might have been celebrating their own winter festival, came into contact with Christian religious observances, such as the Nestorian Christian festival of Yalda, which in Syriac, literally means “birth”, but in a religious context was also the Syriac Christian proper name for the birth of Prophet Jesus (AS), as per the solar calendar, which later came to be called Christmas and was fixed on December 25 by the Christianized Roman Empire. The Sassanid Empire, where state religion was Zoroastrianism, associated the festival with ancient lore and the so-called birth of the sun. It is not clear when and where the Syriac term was borrowed into Persian, but gradually ‘Shab-e Yalda’ and ‘Shab-e Cheleh’ became synonymous and the two are used interchangeably.

After the advent of Islam, the ancient winter festival of Shab-e Yalda continued to be celebrated by Iranians, though not on a religious basis, as the Zoroastrian customs and the concept of ‘sacred fire’ died out. The event became a cultural festival, with families and friends getting together until after midnight to enjoy eating and reading poems, especially of the famous Persian poet Khwajah Shams od-Din Hafez, who is considered the master of lyrics, and whose philosophically- rich poems continue to attract Persian-speakers of all strata of society. Fruits, especially pomegranates and watermelons, along with nuts are served in this annual winter ceremony. The red-coloured fruits signify the hope for having a fruitful spring and summer. Often, family members make a wish and open the Divan of Hafez randomly to read which couplet has appeared on the right hand page. It is then read, and in a lighter vein, predictions, or good omen are made. This is known as Fal-e Hafez. The Persian classical poet, Shaikh Mosleh od-Din Sa’di, also of Shiraz, who preceded Hafez, has said in one of his couplets in his book Boustan: “The true morning will not come until the Yalda Night is gone.” In addition to Iran, Central Asian countries such as Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and the Caucasus republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia, which were all, for millenniums, part of the successive Iranian empires, celebrate the tradition of Yalda Night annually at this time of the year.

The ancient Iranians, whose life was based on agriculture, arranged their activities as per the changing seasons, the planting of crops, and the harvests. They realized that in certain days and season, days become longer and as a result they could further benefit from lightness and light of the sun so this idea was created that light and sunshine is the symbol of goodness, as opposed to the darkness of night. On this night, light-hearted superstitions run high at the gatherings of families and friends. These superstitions, however, are primarily associated with eating. For instance, it is believed that consuming watermelons on the night of Chelleh will ensure the health and well-being of the individual during the months of summer by protecting him/her from falling victim to excessive heat or disease produced by hot humors. In Khorasan, there is a belief that whoever eats carrots, pears, pomegranates, and green olives will be protected against the harmful bite of insects, especially scorpions. Eating garlic on this night protects one against pains in the joints.

After dinner the older individuals entertain the others by telling them tales and anecdotes Prior to invention and prevalence of electricity, decorating and lighting the house and yard with candles was also part of the tradition, but few have continued this tradition. Another tradition is giving dried fruits and nuts to family and friends, wrapped in tulle and tied with ribbon (similar to wedding and shower "party favours")

Today, Shab-e Yalda is an event to thank the One and Only Creator of the Universe for His blessings and to pray for prosperity for the year. Religious persons read the Qur’an and the supplications of the Prophet and the Ahl al-Bayt. In short, this tradition is so important among the Iranians that in 2008 the Cultural Heritage Organization registered Yalda night as one of the national traditions of Iran.

FK/AS/SS