Yalda Winter Holiday Celebrating the Longest Night of The Year

Its no coincidence that so many holidays around the world fall around the same time. Usually holidays mark some kind of event in nature, like harvest, the coming of winter or the arrival of spring. Persians around the world use the seasons as the way to mark their holidays. So naturally for the arrival of winter, there is a big winter feast called Yalda, marking the official winter solstice. Yalda usually falls on December 21st and marks the longest night of the year. Its the day when the sun is out the least and darkness prevails so there is always a lot of mystery around it. What can happen on the longest night? My father would tell us stories of when he was a kid and his entire family would gather under the Korsi (a wooden home heater) and get warmed up listening to my grandmother tell fairy tales from 1001 Nights or other ancient Persian tales. Because this is the longest night of the year, people are encouraged to stay up all night and celebrate and of course the best way to do this is with a proper feast. Typical snacks that are around the house on Yalda include lots of fruits, including watermelons and pomegranates considered the last fresh fruits of the summer, as well as bowls and bowls of nuts: pistachios, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, dried berries, sunflower seeds, and more. Traditional Yalda meals include Khoresht Bademjan (eggplant stew) with Saffron rice and Doogh, which is a wonderful yogurt drink flavored with herbs and mints. For dessert, all kinds of Halva should be on hand. Yalda decorations are also key in keeping the place light and bright, so lots of candles, a crackling fireplace and lights and ornaments are always a good idea! Bring stories, poetry, and family games to keep everyone awake as long as possible and celebrate the longest night of the year together.