Nowruz
Nowruz is a very old Iranian festival that celebrates the start of the Iranian or Persion New Year. This tradition is celebrated in many countries like Iran, north Iraq, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Albania, Kurdistan and others. Nowruz is the first day of spring (March 21) and the beginning of the year in the Iranian calendar. In Iran it is also called eid festival. The word Nowruz means new day. This tradition began more than 1,500 years ago. Jamshid is the person who introduced this celebration. Nowruz is the most important holiday in Iran. Preparations for Nowruz begin in the month Esfand, which is the last month of winter in the Persian calendar. The preparations for Nowruz celebration in Iran include: 1) Spring cleaning and visiting one another, 2) Haft Sin, 3) Haji Firouz, and 4) Sizdah Bedar.

Nowruz

First, spring cleaning or khane takani (means shaking the house) is performed before Nowruz. So everybody cleans their houses like washing the walls and carpets. Another thing that everybody does is buy new clothes to wear for New Year. During the Nowruz holidays, people are expected to visit one another, and the younger people have to go to visit their parents, grandparents, and whoever is older than them. Normally, on the first day of Nowruz, family members gather around the tablecloths, with the Haft Seen on the table or set next to it, and whoever is there prays for New Year and waits for the transition time to the New Year. At that time gifts are exchanged.

Second, haft sin (means seven S) it is another item that Iranian people care about during the New Year, which includes: 1) sabzeh (grass), 2) serkeh (vinegar), 3) samanu (a kind of dish with juice of germinating wheat or malt mixed with flour), 4) sekeh (coin), 5) seeb (apple), 6) seer (garlic), and 7) sumac.

Third, haji firouz is the traditional herald of the Nowruz season, this is a man called Haji Firuz (or Khwaja Piruz). He symbolizes the rebirth of the Sumerian god of sacrifice, Domuzi, who was killed at the end of each year and reborn at the beginning of the New Year. He usually uses face paint to make his skin black (black is an ancient Persian symbol of good luck—maybe from their black beards) and wears a red costume. Then he sings and dances through the streets with tambourines and trumpets spreading good cheer and heralds the coming of the New Year.

Finally sizdah bedar is thirteen days after New Year. In that day all the families plan to leave the house, so mom cooks food and makes tea, father prepares carpet and boxes to put the food in. Children look for toys and balls to play with other kids. Sizdah bedar celebrations stem from the ancient Persians' belief that the twelve constellations in the Zodiac controlled the months of the year, and each ruled the earth for a thousand years at the end of which the sky and earth collapsed in chaos. Hence Nowruz lasts twelve days and the thirteenth day represents the time of chaos when families put order aside and avoid the bad luck associated with the number thirteen by going outdoors and having picnics and parties.

This tradition of Nowruz is the most popular and favorite time for Iranian people, because at each point of this tradition make everybody together and people make one another happy by visiting each other and giving or receiving gifts. Moreover everybody wishes for New Year to have a better life, and job or business.