Payam Mirrashidi: SF DaysReflections on the City, Sillicon Valley and other places and events near and far.Norooz Mobarak- March 21, 2004 The vernal equinox past last night and so today is the first day of spring. This auspicious day begins the Iranian year. In Iran, the Norooz(new year) holiday is something akin to a Christmas and New Year maxi-holiday. Children expect presents, families get together and there is joyous revelry all around. Interestingly, the history of this celebration is pre-Islamic. A haft seen(translation: seven S) spread, which can be found in almost all Iranian homes, is a vestige of when Iran was a...http://www.mirrashidi.com/sfdays/archives/000085.html |