Shab-e Yalda, the longest night

Yalda is one of the oldest Iranian celebrations, turning the year's longest night into a night of warmth.

Shab-e Yalda شب یلدا, also called Shab-e Chelle, marks the winter solstice, the longest and darkest night of the year, around 21 December. It celebrates the symbolic victory of light, since the days begin to lengthen afterward.

What people do

Families gather, often at the home of grandparents, and stay up late together. The night is about togetherness, storytelling, and outlasting the darkness in good company.

The foods of Yalda

Two foods are essential: anar انار (pomegranate) and hendoone هندوانه (watermelon), both red like the dawn. Bowls of ajil آجیل (mixed nuts and dried fruit) keep everyone going through the night.

Poetry by lamplight

A beloved tradition is reading Hafez: someone makes a wish and opens his Divan at random, taking the verse as a message. On Yalda, the poet, the pomegranate, and the family come together in one long, warm night.

Knowing Yalda gives you a window into how Persian culture meets winter, not with gloom, but with fruit, poetry, and the people you love.