Suzanne_Marques's Blog

I'm posting this on Good Friday.  Spring is also here! It's also the second day of the Persian New Year.  So many changes.. the weather is warmer as well.  Don't you just feel different?  I feel great. 

The Persian New Year is called Norooz - meaning the dawn of a new day. Yesterday, I spent the first day of Norooz with a lovely family. They patiently taught me the traditions and rituals of the holiday.

Families normally spend 13 days making the rounds to homes of loved ones, visiting, sampling tiny delicious Persian pastries and drinking endless cups of Persian tea.

Here in LA, families don't have that luxury, so it's shorter, but just as special. My favorite part was talking to the family's daughter, Pegah Ebrahimi. She is independent, vivavious and being girls, we gossiped about current fashions.

In Tehran, women are supposed to wear head scarves and cover their bodies. I learned young women are pushing the boundaries by wearing just a scrap of flimsy scarves - often with cutouts. Their hair is often dyed, ratted & spiked into wild bouffants, outrageous makeup. Tight pants tucked into boots.... I love it!  Go ladies!  Way to fight back against suppression.

My favorite part of the holiday - aside from the goodies - was the Haft Sin table.

It's set with seven dishes on display.

sprouts : symbolizing rebirth

wheat germ pudding : symbolizing affluence

senjed, which is fruit from an oleaster tree : symbolizing love

garlic : symbolizing medicine

apples : symbolizing beauty and health

sumac berries : symbolizing (the color of) sunrise

vinegar : symbolizing age and patience

Happy spring holidays! :)  Happy Easter too!