Every year, on December 21st, Iranian people around the world prepare themselves to commemorate an ancient celebration together, which is called Yalda (literally means birth). Iranians celebrate the arrival of winter, the renewal of the Sun and the victory of light over darkness. Yalda night is not only celebrated in Iran, but also people in other countries such as Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan celebrate this night. Yalda night is the longest and darkest night of the year, symbolizing many things in Persian poetry; separation from a loved one, loneliness and waiting. After Yalda night, a transformation occurs – the waiting is over, light shines and goodness prevails. But the beautiful celebration of Yalda night in Iran, interestingly, happens around the same time as Christmas. Could there be a correlation between the two festivities?
Yalda and Christmas Similarities
The red and green colours, candle lights, eating and drinking, spending time with friends and family are among the similarities between these two ancient traditions but the most important is that both Christmas and Yalda night derive from the pagan celebration of the Winter Solstice.
Some historians believe Christmas derives from the ancient and pagan Persian tradition of Yalda night or ‘Shab e Yalda’. What’s certain is both Christmas and Yalda night have to do with the celebration of the Winter Solstice.
Yalda: The meaning and the tradition of Winter Solstice
Yalda night is one of the most ancient celebrations in Iran and it happens around December 21st which is the Winter Solstice, when in the northern hemisphere, the Sun travels the shortest path through the sky, and that day therefore, has the least daylight and the longest night. As Yalda night is the longest night of the year, thus it means that from now on the longer days become. The word Yalda in Persian tradition also represents the ‘victory of light over darkness’. That is why in ancient times, Yalda was associated with the birth of Mithra, the Zoroastrian angelic divinity of light.
How is Yalda night (Shab e Yalda) celebrated?
Yalda night is a time when families and friends gather, eat, drink, and recite poetry. The presence of the two red fruits, pomegranate and watermelon, is the most symbolic on the “Yalda table”. The colour red represents the Sun, light, fire, or the energy of life. Also imperative in the ceremony is the presence of mixed nuts and candle light (or some form of fire).
The ritual also includes reciting poetry with friends and family. What is most entertaining during Yalda night is “faal e Hafez”. You make a wish and open the book of Hafez randomly and read the poem that Hafez has for you on that page, or ‘your faal’.
The most traditional way of celebrating Yalda
The most traditional way of celebrating Yalda is to sit around the Yalda table with the heater underneath, called ‘korsi’. Shab-e-Yalda is also known as Shab-e Chelleh which means ‘fortieth night’ as it happens forty nights into winter.
Christmas and Winter Solstice
Winter Solstice was a pagan ceremony that was also celebrated in Rome (and was called “Saturnalia”). This was an important day because it marked the return of the Sun and days getting longer. “Several customs used in Christmas actually evolve from pagan traditions celebrating the Winter Solstice” says the historian Kenneth C. Davi. Christmas began in the 4th century when church officials chose to honor the birth of Jesus. They decided to relate the date of Winter Solstice (which was celebrated on December 25th in Rome), to the Nativity of Jesus.
Many traditions used today around Christmas time, such as gift giving and candle lighting, derive from pagan traditions celebrating the Winter Solstice.
It’s interesting and illuminating how two seemingly unrelated celebrations in two seemingly separated cultures are linked together with the same history and message. Yalda and Christmas both show us shared hope between various cultures: light shines, goodness prevails, and a new birth is coming.
