Iran Press/Iran news: 'Yalda' is a winter solstice celebration, it is the last night of autumn and the longest night of the year. Iranians and Farsi speakers all around the world, celebrate the last night of autumn as the rebirth of the sun and the victory of light over darkness.
On this night, families, friends and relatives usually gather at the home of grandparents or the eldest in the family to pass the longest night of the year with family members, eating nuts and fruits, reading Hafez poems, making good wishes for the future.
The tradition of Yalda includes eating nuts, watermelons, pomegranates, and this has been the custom for centuries.
Fruits of Shab-e-Yalda have symbolic significance as well. Some believe that watermelon symbolizes the sun by its spherical shape while others believe that eating watermelon keeps one safe from being hurt by winter diseases. Pomegranate is also a symbol of birth and its bright red seeds symbolize the glow of life.
Reading poems from the Divan of Hafez is an entertaining tradition of Yalda Night.
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'Yalda Night', the longest night of the year
Photo: Pomegranate Festival held in Kermanshah
Iranians and Farsi speakers commemorating 'Shab-e Yalda'
Yalda Night ceremony at Iran's tallest tower
