20 December 2020 - 10:56
Scale back Yalda gatherings

Tonight, Iranians across the country will celebrate the feast of Yalda, an ancient holiday marking the the longest night of the year by one minute, more creatively while keeping safety top of mind

Iran (IMNA) - The Coronavirus pandemic has forced people to think about festivals more creatively while maintaining safety regulations. The best way to celebrate Yalda Night during the pandemic is only with household members; people can still be in touch with their relatives and friends virtually through online reunions.

For Iranians, Yalda is a night of eating fruits and nuts, celebrating and telling stories, reciting Hafiz and Sa'adi and singing together until midnight.

The ancient winter solstice celebration, dating back to the age of Zoroastrianism from sixth or seventh century B.C. to the seventh century A.D, traditionally marked by bringing extended family and friends around a highly furnished table.

Watermelon and pomegranates are the main elements of Yalda table as ancient Iranians believed that watermelon could keep them healthy in the wintertime, and the red seeds of pomegranates bring them liveliness and joy.

With over a million new Covid-19 cases in Iran, Iranian health officials have urged people to hold the festival virtually instead of having family reunions to contain the spread of COVID 19 infections.

The pre-holiday messages from responsible bodies have been direct and warning; governors and mayors have pleaded people not to form gatherings with friends outside their households, and if they do, keep it to a small number.

Let's modify the holiday plans to keep the coronavirus at bay as it seriously poses a particular concern to the frontline healthcare workers; they believe that the celebration will cause an explosion of new Covid-19 cases and will overburden the hospitals.

News ID 462865

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