New Years Table /Sofre Haft Sin

I know you all must have been holding your breaths while waiting for me to post more about the new years celebration...ehem...So here are a few more images from a lovely celebration at my big sister, Atefeh's (a.k.a hostess with the mostess) house.

The first picture is her Haft Sin table. Haft Sin is the new years table and basically contains seven items that all start with the letter "S" and all have symbolic meanings. Here are the items up for selection (To make things way easier for myself, I copy-pasted directly from Wikipedia) ;

1. sabzeh - wheat, barley or lentil sprouts growing in a dish - symbolizing rebirth
2. samanu - a sweet pudding made from wheat germ - symbolizing affluence
3. senjed - the dried fruit of the oleaster tree - symbolizing love
4. sîr - garlic - symbolizing medicine
5. sîb - apples - symbolizing beauty and health
6. somaq - sumac berries - symbolizing (the color of) sunrise
7. serkeh - vinegar - symbolizing age and patience
8. sonbol - the fragrant hyacinth flower (the coming of spring)
9. sekkeh - coins (prosperity and wealth)

It is also very important to have a bowl of goldfish to symbolize life and the sign of Pieces, which the sun is leaving. Every year for as long as I can remember I've stood in line at pet stores waiting to buy my share and I have even experienced stores being sold out!

Oh...and you guys MIGHT notice that we were short a couple of "S's", but my niece Frida decided she was gonna keep the sekkeh and sib for herself and we never got around to restock. On the next picture you can see her still mocking us with her hiding skills.


I also got the chance to hang out with my sweetness of a friend, Firuzeh. She is studying in France and we haven't seen each other since last summer, so it was a happy reunion. She was pretty as ever and I can't wait to see her again for the wedding!


-bahareh