Happy Spring

Eideh Shoma Mobarak!!
(translation: Happy New Year!!)

This week is the official first day of spring.  While the weather warms up and flowers start to bloom, the Persian community celebrates a new year or "Norooz".  This holiday dates back thousands of years to the Persian Empire and many families, including mine, still celebrate it today.  Even though Iran is the only country that recognizes the calendar (it's technically 1391 this year), I think it's cool how the new year corresponds with the first day of spring.  It has a sense of "rebirth" and starting fresh with the cycle of seasons.

Traditions include, doing some massive spring cleaning, taking time to visit family and friends, lots of food and parties, spending time outside, and putting together the traditional Norooz table setting "sofreh." 

I grew up with a sofreh that was detailed and colorful, so trying to replicate that was a challenge.  I live in a typical Manhattan studio where my kitchen, dining room, living room, and bedroom are all in one closet-size space, so I wanted to put together something.

Here is my sofreh "haft-seen" on the corner of my kitchen counter.  Each item symbolizes (7 of them begin with an 's') something for the new year.

There is supposed to be real goldfish (symbolizing life), but I was a little lazy and opted for goldfish crackers.

Colored eggs symbolizing fertility.

Hyacinth flowers, the standard flower in the sofreh.

"Sabzeh" symbolizing rebirth (I used wheat grass) 

Being in the spring mood, I wanted to celebrate by going outside and really experience spring.  It's been absolutely beautiful out the past few days and I had to take advantage.

Performers on a lovely day in the park.

First signs of spring in the park.  The picnics are starting.

The tree that I see outside my apartment window.  I love watching this tree change every season.

I also have a yearly tradition of cleaning out my closet as a part of spring cleaning and donating clothes that are still in good shape that I no longer wear to Goodwill.  I really dug through this year and found shirts that I haven't worn since the first couple years of college!!! (aka, a long time ago)

The bag of clothes I donated.

Can't wait to see what the new season brings!  I actually have no major events set in the next few months, guess that just means that I'm in for a lot of surprises!