Yalda: A Persian Winter Solstice!

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Actually, I attended to share an extensive article today. Still, as I found out yesterday that I had to undertake a marathon with my grandchildren until midday today, I grabbed an hour yesterday afternoon when my wife took them to get some flour from the store to bake cookies to write these words. I usually turn out all connections to the world when I have the kid with me. I hope I can utter my mind comprehended enough.

As I look back into my posts, I see two posts I have written about this Persian’s traditional old ceremony. The first one, proudly to inform my friends about one of the oldest Persian festivals, and the second one, a painful hint to this elderly celebration which has been smeared with blood and suffering. Although with the hope that it would be a peaceful one this year, what a false assumption! Someone once said: If we look at this deeply, we see the differences between the old Persian rituals & festivals and all the celebrations in Islamic Iran after the Arabs occupied Persia. In ancient Persian the rituals and feasts, contrary to the Arabs, adorn love, light, and cosiness.

However, on every Yalda night, the Iranian winter solstice tradition, observers gather with family in a warm, cosy room and read or take an omen of fortune from FAL-E HAFEZ (Omens of Hafez) by Hafez Shirazi’s sonnets and quatrains (Ghazals). As I remember from my childhood, it was a nut and nutcracker, and the oldest woman in the family told beautiful fairytales to greet the returning sun. I am sure that this tradition will continue indefinitely under any circumstances; as I noticed on the web, they have even this year celebrated with grief and pride for their loss but with great hope to conquer evil.

Illustration by Mahdis Nikou @mahdisnikou via Inger Nordvik

It becomes clear that this fight for their right will be a war of attrition, even though it will come at the cost of bloodshed, but the secret to success is in synergy and solidarity. Together, we stand; divided, we fall!

Anyway, with my heartfelt regards, I send my best wishes to all of you, dear friend. Have a blessed Yule, Merry Christmas, and have a lovely time with your loved ones.🙏💖🌹🎅

The image at the top: via HiPersia

35 thoughts on “Yalda: A Persian Winter Solstice!”

  1. What a wonderful end of year celebration! I love the idea of one’s family gathering and randomly opening Hafez’s poetry book to choose a poem and then the oldest member of the family reading that particular poem out loud.

    Thank you for sharing the videos too, Aladin. It’s interesting which voice we choose to listen to. Sending rich blessings to you and your family at this blessed time of the year. Love, peace and happiness for the New Year, love and light, Deborah.

    Liked by 2 people

  2. A wonderful post Aladin – I hadn’t heard of Yalda before now…what a wonderful way to celebrate sharing stories and poetry, sharing the love and light of the season. Yuletide blessings to you and yours and wishing you peace, health and happiness throughout 2024.

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Lieber Aladin bleib dir treu und vermittle deine Kultur deine Kindern und Enkeln , das ist so wichtig das wir ein miteinander und Akzeptanz leben . Ich wünsche dir und deiner Familie eine wunderschöne Weihnachtszeit 🧑‍🎄😊
    Liebe Grüße Mona 😊🌹

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Best to you and yours, Alaedin.
    I trust you had a wonderful time with your grandchildren.
    I am most interested in the old Persia, and what happened.
    Was Persia larger than Iran, or did Persia become Iran?
    It seems Persia had a rich history.
    The Arabs would change the world to their way, which imho as a person and a woman is lacking certain humanities.
    So much to say.
    Anyway… later!
    🎄🌟🎄🌟xoxo

    Liked by 1 person

    • “I appreciate your kindness, my dear friend. Persia has a rich history that spans over three thousand years. The country was officially renamed Iran in the early 20th century, and the Nazi Germany influenced it to some extent. The name ‘Iran’ is derived from the term ‘Aryan’, which, as you know, proposes the uperrace! I wish you a wonderful New Year’s Eve.🎉💕💖🥰

      Liked by 1 person

      • Interesting. I had no idea where the name Iran came from.
        An oxymoron based on Nazi thinking. A country with dark haired and dark eyed people seems at odds, OR do I not know something? Are fair haired, blue eyed people a trait of Persians?
        YES!! 🎉💕💖🥰 Happy NYE to you too!

        Liked by 1 person

      • If you hint at Hitler’s blond hair, or Goebbel’s extended height and strength of body or the whole beauty of Goering, I would say that Persians were never Arians!!😉😅
        The real question can be: if the Arians were ever blond? As the probable landing of Noah’s ship on the Ararat Mountains, the origin of humanity was pretty black.😁🤓
        Anyway, so far, I know from the illustrations of the old Persians that they had deep black hair and white skin. But as we know, many different folks have attacked and occupied the Persians. Therefore, it isn’t easy to guess the original form of the people.
        Take care, my lovely, beautiful lady, and have a great New Year. 🌟🥰💖🤗😘😘

        Liked by 1 person

  14. elainemansfield's avatar elainemansfield

    My heart breaks over the suffering happening in Iran–and it breaks doubly because my country is so deeply involved in the pain. May there be Peace. There’s no time to wait.

    Liked by 1 person

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