1of1: Yalda night

Yalda night or Chellah night is one of the oldest Iranian festivals. In this celebration, the passing of the longest night of the year and the lengthening of the days in the northern hemisphere, which coincides with the winter solstice, are celebrated. Yalda night is said to be between sunset on December 30 (the last day of autumn) and sunrise on January 1 (the first day of winter). On Yalda night, Iranian families usually prepare and serve a sumptuous dinner together with all kinds of fruits and, most commonly, watermelon and pomegranate. In this celebration, it is common to serve snacks, read the Shahnameh, tell stories by the elders of the family to other family members, and also fortune-telling with Diwan Hafez.