Yalda Night in Iran: 5-Step Guide to Celebrate the Longest Night of the Year

Watermelon, pomegranate and nuts are traditional Yalda night treats
Source: hamgardi.com

As you might know, December 21st is Winter Solstice which means it`s the longest night in the year. Not many of us would have even noticed! However, for Iranians whose calendar is deeply intertwined with the laws of nature, it`s a big holiday called Yalda Night.

Yalda Night awakes nostalgic feelings  in most Iranians who had seen a more traditional, thorough and more widely celebrated Yalda night at their grandparents` house with all relatives gathered around korsi (a traditional heating device, if I may call it so) sharing sweet memories of the past, reciting poems of Hafez and having lots of tea and snacks together.

Nowadays, however, Yalda night is not celebrated so widely any more. It isn`t even an official holiday what doesn`t let many people enjoy the whole night celebration. Still, for many Yalda remains a good occasion to gather up with family or friends and have some quality time together.

Travel Guide to Qazvin: City of Ornaments

Qazvin is a city of ornaments and gorgeous tiles, "a city in the middle of a garden" (that`s how Nasseredin Shah depicted it to his European counterparts). Finally, Qazvin is the gate to amazing Alamut valley with its impressive castle. Although, it shouldn`t be missed by those who`re heading there. 
I`ve prepared a travel guide for you where I`ll tell you about the atmosphere in the city, its people, main tourist attractions, share some useful tips and my own experience of traveling to Qazvin. Hope you enjoy!

Moharram: There Is Never Too Much Of Nazri

I know, I have already written about it on the blog a couple of years ago, but every time I see it I just can`t keep silent! Yes, I`m talking about nazri and people`s excitement about getting more of it.

Let me first remind you what nazri is. It`s food (or drinks or snacks) given out for free by people for various reasons. Some give out food to thank God for something, some - for the memory of Imam Hossein, while others - just to keep a tradition. I have written more about nazri in this post.

Top 5 Ice Cream Shops In Tehran, or What You Should Know About Ice Cream in Iran

Summer is coming to an end just like my ice-cream challenge. Summer hot has given way to autumn chill, but the sun still warms us up, and you still can give summer delights one last shot! And I hope my recommendations will help you to choose the best!

Let me remind how it all started. It was around July when Tehran heated up to +40. The heat was getting unbearable. And to survive it we decided to check out some popular ice cream shops in Tehran. After searching different sources in Persian, asking friends for recommendations and just browsing various ice cream places on the web, we came up with this list. It took us a couple of months to try each and every place, and now I`m going to present you top 5 ice cream shops in Tehran and make sure to read up to the end to find out about the best ice cream dessert you can get in Iran!

Cheat Sheet On Iranian Food: Eat Out Like A Local

With my cheat sheet you will be able to order something new and exciting without the help of a local!

I have seen lots of tourists who came to Iran (several times even) and tried only kebabs in Iranian restaurants. And that`s very sad, because Iranians have amazingly delicious cuisine that is worth trying and kebabs are only part of it. 

Ramadan In Iran: How Not To Starve!

Ramadan is almost over. People have adjusted to a new pace of life, waiting for its ending, though. But this year Ramadan is not as it was last year. Iranian society changes so fast that you can see little changes every year. Take a look at how things were here last year and it has changed.

Guide to Events in Tehran: The International Tourism Fair

Tourism Fair is a very colorful event - there are lots of dancing, music, singing and other authentic stuff!

If you happen to be in Tehran in February, make sure not to miss the International Tourism Fair which is usually held in February. It can be especially useful, if you are in the beginning of your trip, and let me explain why. One of the halls, and the most colorful one, I must say, is usually dedicated to Iranian provinces. And visiting it you can see the whole Iran at one glance and decide which parts seem more interesting to you. 

Ultimate Guide to Tehran's Grand Bazaar. Part 2: Food

Snacks & Lunch Options at Tehran`s Grand Bazaar

A great variety of snacks and food are available at the Grand bazaar. While walking through the alleys of the bazaar you will occasionally see snack stands (mostly at the intersections) selling nuts and seeds, lavashak, steamed beetroot and bananas.

Ramadan: a month of fasting or a month of pretending

From the media you might have heard that Ramadan (Ramezan in Persian) is a holy month of fasting and like 90 percent of Iranians fast during this period of time. Even if you are inside in Iran, after seeing all the eateries closed during the day and most places like shops and parks getting crowded only after Iftar time (which is the official beginning of the night when Muslims can start eating), you might think that all the gossip that most Iranians follow the rules are true. But after taking a closer look you`ll see that Iranians spend Ramadan differently.

Photo: People in Iran spend Ramadan differently: some – in prayers,

 others – like nothing`s going on.

Moharram. The time for mourning: Food

Food is an inseparable part of any Iranian holiday, festival or even the day of mourning! And moharram is no exception. During the first ten days of moharram after the evening prayer (i.e. after sunset) in the streets of Tehran you can see numerous tents where you can get tea with sugar, dates or sweets absolutely for free.

Some people, who are patient enough, visit so-called “heyats” where a mullah tells the story of Ashura and then the attendees get free food. 

When a family gets into trouble, for example, a child gets sick badly, the family prays and promises to God that if the child gets well, they will give free food to people during the first 10 days of moharram for like 10 years or even more. Some, not-so-well-off people promise to give tea or something. Sometimes several people open up a tent, but any of them has to buy the tea and everything just for one night.

But some people are trying to get advantage of this. During these 10 days they line up in front of “heyats” waiting for free food to come. Some of them don`t even take a trouble to attend the praying part. Others bring pots if “ash” (Iranian kind of soup) is given out. On the last day of mourning (the day of Ashura) which is the culmination of the whole event, at lunch time you can see lines of 20, 30 or even 50 people waiting for food. And be sure they are not homeless or poor or anything like that. 

It was the 8th day of moharram... In the next post see what happens on its culmination - the day of Ashura!