Author(s): Asadollah Shabani

Picture Books | New Arrivals

Uncle Nowruz wears a scarf and a hat on the first day of spring and comes to the city gate  bringing with him the spring weather. Nature's beauty resprouts after the winter, trees bloom and rivers flow. Everyone is waiting for Uncle Nowruz, especially the old woman who sets the Haft-sin table and waits, but will she see Nowruz?

Nowruz is the Iranian New Year / Persian New Year day. It begins on spring equinox, marking the first day of Farvardin (first month of the Iranian solar calendar). It falls on or around 21 March of the Western (Gregorian) calendar and has been celebrated for over 3000 years in Asia and Balkans.

Haft-sin table is an arrangement of 7 symbolic items whose names start with the letter "س" pronounced as "seen". It is traditionally displayed at Nowruz and may  includes wheat, barley, sprouts, wheat germ sweet pudding, vinegar, apples, garlic. Sometimes coins are added as well as a mirror, candies, painted eggs and traditional Persian sweets.