7Sins - A persian spring
By vamp_shadow_werewolf
Dearest Non-Persian Friends of Mine,
While all plants are sprouting outside & blossoms are decorating spring trees, one of the calendars in the world is coming to its end. Yes, the Persian Solar Calender comes to an end, only to start a new year much more fruitful than the previous.
Persian people celebrate the new year (which happens on March 21st) with an ancient ritual called the 7 Sins. Whenever I try to explain this ceremony to my foreign friends, they get reminded of the 7 deadly sins. So this year I'm going to come up with clarifications. 7 Sins (pronounced Haftseen) is an ancient ritual which existed from the time of Zoroaster. Every new year, each Persian family should set a new year table with 7 items that start with the letter S (seen in Persian) .
These seven items symbolize different virtues & qualities that each family looks forward to in their new year.
These items are:
•-Sabzeh : wheat, barley, mung bean or lentil sprouts growing in a dish - symbolizing rebirth
•-Samanu : sweet pudding made from wheat germ - symbolizing affluence
•-Senjed : dried oleaster Wild Olive fruit - symbolizing love
•-Seer : garlic - symbolizing medicine
•-Sib : apples - symbolizing beauty and health
•-Sumac : sumac fruit - symbolizing (the color of) sunrise
•-Serkeh : vinegar - symbolizing old-age and patience
Some families paint boiled eggs in different colors & shapes much like Easter & add them to the mentioned items. Some put their religious book, a mirror & photos of deceased loved ones. However, my favorite part of this collection is the goldfish. A swimming goldfish symbolizes rich, active life & nothing is more beautiful than watching the fish when new year is coming. As a child I was told that at the first moment of the new year, the fish take a full spin in the fishbowl. It did take a few years of childhood to realize it's just a prank but nonetheless, I enjoyed watching them.
To me, no spring is complete without the 7sins of my culture. This year, I'm adding two other sins: Slytherin & Snape.
Snape, because of my eternal love towards this character & Slytherin, because this house has always made us proud. I sincerely hope that this spring brings you all some lively action in your lives & on Hex. May your lives be magical !
Love,
Mrs Snape
By vamp_shadow_werewolf
Dearest Non-Persian Friends of Mine,
While all plants are sprouting outside & blossoms are decorating spring trees, one of the calendars in the world is coming to its end. Yes, the Persian Solar Calender comes to an end, only to start a new year much more fruitful than the previous.
Persian people celebrate the new year (which happens on March 21st) with an ancient ritual called the 7 Sins. Whenever I try to explain this ceremony to my foreign friends, they get reminded of the 7 deadly sins. So this year I'm going to come up with clarifications. 7 Sins (pronounced Haftseen) is an ancient ritual which existed from the time of Zoroaster. Every new year, each Persian family should set a new year table with 7 items that start with the letter S (seen in Persian) .
These seven items symbolize different virtues & qualities that each family looks forward to in their new year.
These items are:
•-Sabzeh : wheat, barley, mung bean or lentil sprouts growing in a dish - symbolizing rebirth
•-Samanu : sweet pudding made from wheat germ - symbolizing affluence
•-Senjed : dried oleaster Wild Olive fruit - symbolizing love
•-Seer : garlic - symbolizing medicine
•-Sib : apples - symbolizing beauty and health
•-Sumac : sumac fruit - symbolizing (the color of) sunrise
•-Serkeh : vinegar - symbolizing old-age and patience
Some families paint boiled eggs in different colors & shapes much like Easter & add them to the mentioned items. Some put their religious book, a mirror & photos of deceased loved ones. However, my favorite part of this collection is the goldfish. A swimming goldfish symbolizes rich, active life & nothing is more beautiful than watching the fish when new year is coming. As a child I was told that at the first moment of the new year, the fish take a full spin in the fishbowl. It did take a few years of childhood to realize it's just a prank but nonetheless, I enjoyed watching them.
To me, no spring is complete without the 7sins of my culture. This year, I'm adding two other sins: Slytherin & Snape.
Snape, because of my eternal love towards this character & Slytherin, because this house has always made us proud. I sincerely hope that this spring brings you all some lively action in your lives & on Hex. May your lives be magical !
Love,
Mrs Snape