Nowruz, the Persian New Year, begins at the spring equinox, around 20 or 21 March. In the days before it, families in Iran and across the diaspora lay a cloth, the sofreh, and set the Haft-Seen: seven items whose Persian names begin with the letter sin (س).
The seven S’s
- Sabzeh: wheat, lentil or barley sprouts, for rebirth and growth.
- Samanu: a sweet pudding made from wheat germ, for strength and plenty.
- Senjed: dried oleaster fruit, for love.
- Sir: garlic, for health.
- Sib: apples, for beauty.
- Somāq: sumac berries, for the colour of sunrise.
- Serkeh: vinegar, for patience and age.
What else goes on the table
Most tables add a mirror, for reflection on the year past, and candles, one for each child in many families, for light and warmth. Painted eggs stand for fertility, a goldfish in a bowl for life, hyacinths (sonbol) for spring, coins (sekkeh) for prosperity, and a book of poetry, often Hafez, or the family’s holy book.
Setting it up
Start with the cloth or runner, then place the mirror at the back so it reflects the candles. Group the seven S’s in small matching dishes in front, keeping the sabzeh as the green centrepiece. Leave space around the candles, and light them only while someone is at the table.
The studio’s velvet runners in blue tile and traditional bird designs are made for exactly this table. See the Persian table collection. More Haft-Seen pieces return to the shop before Nowruz.