Surprise Visit Home for Nowruz

Postmarked Thursday, March 23rd, 2006
Topic: Thoughts; Travel (397 words, 20 images, 3 comments)

Hello after a rather long silence from my end! I haven't been updating my site as often as I would like, but things have been a bit hectic around these parts...

For starters, I rather spontaneously decided to fly home to the good ol' USA to visit my family for Persian New Year this past weekend! The idea hatched after talking to my parents on the phone on Friday night. All was well with them, but beneath their strong facades (ok, strong voices), I thought I detected the tiniest trace of disappointment with regards to my missing our traditional Persian New Year family celebration. And it reminded me how sad I would be to miss this annual Shirzad gathering!

As I have remarked in the past, in our house you can miss Thanksgiving or Christmas or Mother's Day or birthdays even, but Nowruz (literally meaning "new day"), is the time to gather and welcome in the spirit of a New Year.

Nowruz is marked by the first day of spring every year (how appropriate!) and is celebrated by millions of Iranians and non-Iranians alike. Among the many traditions that revolve around this holiday, my two favorites are the food and the haft-sin. The food dish is called mahee-polo sabzi, which is white fish served on a bed of herb rice. This is sort of like the traditional turkey meal that Americans eat on Thanksgiving day, because on Nowruz you know that everyone across the country (or living abroad, as it were) is eating the same fish and rice dish.

The haft-sin is also a widespread tradition (Google even changed their logo on Persian New Year to illustrate a haft-sin) and is basically a collection of various objects beautifully displayed on a table, all representing an element to welcome in the New Year. Many an expert has written on the fine topic of Nowruz and the haft-sin, so I encourage you to follow some of the links I have included here to learn more!

In the meantime, I am delighted to share some photos from this weekend's festivities and show you my mom's haft-sin from Persian New Year 2006 or Nowruz 1385!

My mom's haft-sin table. Part of the Shirzad clan as we celebrated Persian New Year! Me and mom! Me and dad!
After lunch, we enjoy some Persian tea and pastries. My cousin Emma as she enjoys the haft-sin. Emma and her mom, my aunt Karin. My cousin Kelsey.
My grandmother, Maman Shirzad! My dad, my uncle Masoud and my grandmother. My uncle Masoud. He's such a joker! :0 Dad and grandma! Awwww, they are so cute!
Speaking of cute... Our friends Marian and John. My cousin Roya, showing off her tattoos! Persian tea cups...
... for yummy tea! Leave room for my mom's pastries. Welcome spring!! Thanks mom, for a great time as always!

Reader Comments

1.

Comment from Anonymous

What a wonderful surpise ! It was the best Nowruz gift I have ever received. THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH. I wish that John could be with us.

There is always next year !!

2.

Comment from ARIANE

Cela fait tellement plaisir de voir tes parents.

Ta maman a toujours son doux visage.

GROS BISOUS A EUX.....

A bientôt ARIANE

3.

Comment from Tima

I had NO idea you were home for Eid :-) What great pictures. I'll just have to call Mom now and have a good chat. Be happy & safe - Tima

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