With the beginning of the year, we all gear up to bid Bye Bye to the winters and celebrate the onset of spring season. Those brilliant fields of wild flowers, brightening the landscape during this time is breathtaking. The first day of spring is cause for a celebration. People from every corner of the world have set a time to mark the beginning of a new year in this bright season. Much like the world celebrate Nowruz which ceremonially falls on March 21, 2018. Nowruz or “New Day” is an ancient festival that marks the beginning of spring and celebrates the rebirth of nature. It is the Iranian New Year which is also known as the Persian New Year. Parsis get all busy preparing for table-top decorations which is popularly known as Haft Seen.

The celebration starts at the stroke of the vernal equinox, when the sun crosses the equator. During this time, Parsi families gather around a ceremonial table known as Haft-Seen. Adorning the table is quite a tough job. Yes, but Parsis  are experts in beautifying the spot but what most of you look for is how to give it a unique touch. The Haft-Seen, also spelt as Haft Sin is basically the arrangement of seven items. Each of them begins with the letter sin (s), representing the unique culture of Persia and they are a symbol of spring and renewal.

Seeb (apple), representing beauty.

Seer (garlic), representing good health.

Serkeh (vinegar), representing patience.

Sonbol (hyacinth), representing spring.

Samanu (sweet pudding), representing fertility.

Sabzeh (sprouts), representing rebirth.

Sekeh (coins), representing prosperity.

Apart from this, a mirror and a golden fish are common elements kept at the Haft-Seen table. Some families even add a little more flair by improvising and modifying the traditional items. Since you have all the ingredients ready, let us look at some of these ideas that may help you to embellish the Haft-Seen table.

1. Decorate the Haft-Seen table with tiny flower vase.

Haft-Seen table decorations (Photo Credits: Pinterest)

Wouldn't it be great to see flowers on your Haft-Seen table? You can beautify the table by decorating it with tiny flower vase. The theme would go perfectly to celebrate the season of spring.

2. Decorate the Haft-Seen table with a book of poetry

Haft Sin Table (Photo Credits: Pinterest)

To add a little more spark, individuals sometime include a book of poetry or a Quran at the top of the table. Bookworms can explicitly beautify the seven arrangements of the Haft-Seen with their favourite volume. This touch can add grace to the age-old practice.

3. Decorate the Haft-Seen table with candles

Happy Nowruz 2018 (Photo Credits: Pinterest)

Light a candle or two on one side or around a centered mirror at the ceremonial table. A candle flame will brighten up your New Year!

4. Decorate the Haft-Seen table with the Painted Eggs

Nowruz 2018 Haft-Seen Table Decorations (Photo Credits: Pinterest)

Of course, the Haft-Seen decoration cannot be complete without the painted eggs placed at the tabletop. Painted eggs is a rich tradition of the Persian culture where family members decorate eggs together and put them in a bowl on the table. It adds a beautiful touch to your Haft-Seen table and provides a charming sight!

These are a few things that you can add in your adornment list since all of them boost the beauty of the Haft-Seen table along with the golden fish. And if you are a fan of decorations, you can go ahead and brainstorm ideas to make your New Year an exclusive one. We wish you all a Happy Nowruz!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 20, 2018 03:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).