News / Reports

Iranians celebrate longest and coldest night of the year, Yalda

Thursday, 22 December 2022 12:20 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 22 December 2022 12:20 AM ]

Yusuf Jalali

Press TV, Tehran

Capital dwellers, here in Tehran, jampack shopping centers to buy last minute items and prepare for the ancient celebration. The occasion is marked with a variety of long-held traditions which continue until dawn.

Besides nuts and sweets, watermelon and pomegranates are also on top of the shopping list, as they're integral to a perfect Yalda gathering.

This means the demand for these items multiply and their prices skyrocket on this night.

Yalda is the last night of the fall and the longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere, as of which days get longer and nights shorter.

As is the custom in Iran, families get together to cheer and chatter, eat and drink and read poems until dawn.

Yalda means birth in Persian. In ancient mythology, it is believed that the Persian god of light and truth was born on the morning right after the longest night of the year to rid the world of darkness and wash away unpleasant experiences.

The tradition is marked in Iran and across the Persian-speaking communities, including Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

Last month, Yalda night was officially registered by UNESCO as a cultural heritage in Iran and Afghanistan; a major step toward immortalizing this longstanding tradition, which aims to warm the hearts of families on the coldest night of the year.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk

Iran