#haft-sin

Today’s the Persian New Year, 1400. We call the New Year holidays ‘Norouz’ نوروز, which literally means ‘new day’, and lasts for 13 days.

Something interesting about this year is that 1399 was a leap year, so today March 20 before 13:07:28, it’s still 1399 but right after that it’s 1400. Although on the calendar the year officially begins on March 21.

I wish everyone who’s celebrating the New Year today a wonderful year ahead! 🌸🎉🌸

* The first picture I took yesterday of people doing some last-minute shopping before Norouz or just enjoying the fresh air (rare as it is) in Tehran.

My game’s timeline finally linked up with RL so I made Ziba a haft-sin.

One of the benefits of being an Iranian-American Jew living in a country that runs on the Gregorian calendar is that I get to wish people a Happy New Year three times a year. The first time, of course, is on January 1. The third is on Rosh Hashanah. And the one in between is Noruz.

I like the idea of having the new year start at the beginning of spring; it reinforces the idea that we are in for new beginnings, and it reinforces the hope that those beginnings are the harbingers of good things. Watching the season turn to spring is quite the optimism multiplier, especially if you go through the kinds of brutal Chicago winters that I go through. It's still cold in Chicago--today was especially harsh--but knowing that spring is around the corner and getting to commemorate one of my three annual new year's days helps me survive the biting chill. After all, I know that I won't have to bundle up for too much longer before venturing outside.

So a Happy New Year to my readers. Whether or not you celebrate Noruz, may your new year be filled with good health, fortune, love, and yes, warmth. And as always, thanks for stopping by here.

Haft-Sin (Taken with instagram)