Haft Seen is the Christmas tree of the Now Ruz season

March 15, 2023

On the night the new year officially begins, Iranians sit down at a traditionally set table called the Haft Seen.

Seven items beginning with the Persian letter “seen,” which corresponds to the English letter “s,” are spread out on the table; and since the Persian word for seven is “haft, “the table has come to be called the Haft Seen table. The seven Haft Seen items are sekeh (coin); samanu (an Iranian dish made of flour, sugar and coloring); sabzi (green vegetables); sonbol (hyacinth); seer (garlic); senjed (a dried fruit); and serkeh (vinegar). Fresh water, a mirror, candles, eggs, milk, cheese and yogurt are also placed on the table. Sometimes one candle and one egg are set out for each family member.

The candles are lit and left to burn out on their own because it is bad luck to blow out a candle. The male considered the head of the household is generally required to eat all the eggs, which are a symbol of life. Other items on the table may include a bowl with goldfish, because it is good luck to look into a bowl of fresh water containing a live goldfish at the new year. Looking into water, which represents light, means you will have a bright new year. Iranians also eat sweets, called shirini, at the new year’s feast, to ensure that they will have a sweet, rather than a bitter, year.

As with many Now Ruz rituals, the Haft Seen tradition has its roots in ancient Zoroastrian practice. At one time it was a Zoroastrian ritual to celebrate the creation of life by offering the deity, Ahura Mazda, seven trays containing symbolic objects. These trays represented justice or truth; good thoughts; dominion; piety; prosperity; immortality; and obedience. It was through these qualities, known as Amesha Spentas, that Ahura Mazda was believed to make his presence known to man.

The first tray offered to Ahura Mazda was empty, bearing only a prayer. This worship of the lord of creation with an empty tray symbolized man’s inability to know all the bonds with his creator. The other six trays were filled with flowers, sugar, milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, cream, eggs, water, mirrors, candelabra, burning coal, silver, and gold a number of which can still be found today on the modern Haft Seen table.