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Holidays:  Winter Solstice  |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4737 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4737 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 20 2011 : 4:06:25 PM
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Below is something I wrote last year about the Persian Winter Solstice holiday celebration. I thought maybe some of the new farmgirls would enjoy reading it.
I have my menu planned out for tomorrow and will start cooking the minute I get home from work at 1. My mother-in-law is always very happy to hear how we celebrate the Persian holidays. She is always telling my husband how lucky he is to have me for a wife!!!!
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In Iran (my husband is originally from Tehran) they have a winter feast to celebrate the solstice. It is called Sahb-e yalida, which means rebirth of the sun. It was considered a battle between dark and light, light triumphing in the end.
Bonfires are lit outside while families gather inside for a night-long vigil. A low square table is covered with a thick cloth & a brazier with hot coals is placed under the table. The oldest family members saved fruit & vegetables for everyone to enjoy.
The oldest member of the family says prayers, thanks God for the previous year's crops & prays for the prosperity of next year's harvest. Then with a sharp knife, thick yogurt, melon & watermelon are cut & given to the family. The cutting symbolizes the removal of sickness & pain for the family.
There are many fruits, nuts, and main dishes that are eaten that have different symbolic meanings too. Poetry is recited & music played. Stories and jokes are told as well. People talk until the sun, triumphantly returns in the morning.
We celebrate here on a more modest scale of dinner & music. I hope everyone has a triumphant solstice too!
Sahar (Persian for Dawn) in IL |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
Posted - Dec 20 2011 : 4:55:58 PM
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Sahar, I love, love, love cultural holidays! I wish you a happy Sahb-e yalida, with much peace, prosperity, health and happiness!
We are lighting candles and having a little savory and sweet feast board with cheeses, nuts, fruits and holiday pate =) sometimes we sing (very off key, mind you) silly songs like "Here comes the sun" other good sunshine songs =P
Enjoy your solstice!
Annika
Farmgirl & sister #13
http://thegimpyfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
http://pinterest.com/annikaloveshats/
Make eggnog not war!
Joyeux Noel!!!
'Nollaig shona duit!'
Happy Christmas!
May peace and plenty be the first to lift the latch on your door, and happiness be guided to your home by the candle of Christmas.
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HLB
Farmgirl at Heart
5 Posts
Heather
South Portland
ME
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - Dec 21 2011 : 04:41:04 AM
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| If this were facebook, I'd be giving you a thumbs up! |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4737 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4737 Posts |
Posted - Dec 21 2011 : 06:33:08 AM
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Thank you farmgirls! I love hearing how other people celebrate their own cultural holiday traditions too!
Dawn in IL |
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MrsRooster
True Blue Farmgirl
1168 Posts
Amy
Seabrook
TX
USA
1168 Posts |
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Tea Lady
True Blue Farmgirl
645 Posts
Lorraine
Morris
IL
USA
645 Posts |
Posted - Dec 22 2011 : 06:00:52 AM
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Sahar - that is lovely. We also celebrate the Winter Solstice - in a more modest way. I receive daily meditations from Father Richard Rohr - and I thought this was very nice about the winter solstice:
Pre-industrial people were far more connected to the natural cosmos and seasons than we are today, and were very aware that today is the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, and not really the death of the sun—but its rebirth! The liturgical year was easily connected to the seasons of nature. The Latin word was Oriens, also translated “The Dayspring” (see Luke 1:78), and used as an image of Jesus, the Rising Son/Sun who is always leading us into the future horizons of time and history.
[The somewhat artificial date for Jesus' birthday was chosen to be December 25, because it was not until a few days after this that early astronomers could assess the rebirth of the sun, and so this became the Roman celebration of the birth of the sun and for Christians—Jesus' birth day!]
So go outside on this shortest day of the year (or longest if you live in Australia, New Zealand, Bangalore, or Singapore!), and know that whatever it appears to be, it is about to change! But who would suspect? The great change is totally hidden from us because we are still inside of it and too close to it.
~ Richard Rohr, December 2011
Starter Prayer: O Rising Sun, enlighten my darkness.
Lorraine
(aka Tea Lady)
Farmgirl #1819
www.birdsandteas.com |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22937 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22937 Posts |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22937 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22937 Posts |
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ceejay48
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm/Sharpshooter
13618 Posts
CeeJay (CJ)
Dolores
Colorado
USA
13618 Posts |
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debtea2
True Blue Farmgirl
1853 Posts
deborah
nutley
nj
USA
1853 Posts |
Posted - Dec 22 2011 : 11:55:57 AM
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thank you for sharing
that is a wonderful celebration
inch by inch we find our way
jersey farmgirl
#1330
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acairnsmom
True Blue Farmgirl
1319 Posts
audrey
cheyenne
wy
1319 Posts |
Posted - Dec 22 2011 : 2:41:46 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Alee
I am so glad that today is the first day of a longer day! Up here in the northern states the winters can get pretty long and cold. I am so thankful when the sun starts coming back!!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
You said it Alee! Woo hoo for the sun's return!
Audrey
.jpg) Good boy Hobbs! I love and miss you. |
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Holidays: Winter Solstice |
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Winter Solstice
