Winter solstice?is one of those iconic days in the year that almost every culture around the world celebrates in one way or another. I can’t help but notice the similarities and closeness of all the major celebrations with the winter solstice.

Think about it Christmas, Hunaka, and winter solstice are all within one week and they all share a few things in common. Gathering families together celebrating with food and laughter and of course, lighting a candle or few, bring joyous light to the mix is a big part of the celebrations. Kind of makes you think maybe just maybe all of these different celebrations?were once ONE, meaning we were all ONE at some point in time. Thought provoking isn’t it.

This is me just observing I haven’t done any research or anything. I’m just comparing the Yalda (Solstice) traditions that I grew up with on the other side of the planet in Iran to the Christmas traditions I adopted in my new home Canada.

Winter Solstice called Yalda is a big important day and we always celebrate it by gathering with family and sharing good food and laughter. As we do on Christmas eve.

Yalda Traditions

• The main thing about Yalda is its fruits and nuts. It’s interesting that even in ancient?times our ancestors knew what supper food was and how our immune system needs a bit of a help during winter time. So to honour the nature, our cycle of health and the immune system they made this a tradition. On winter solstice no matter if we get together with family and friends?or not, we make sure we eat three different things. That are Pommogranet, Watermelon, mixed dried fruits and nuts like apricots, raisins, pistachio, walnut….etc. All of these foods are antioxidant, and help to strengthen the immune system which is so needed during winter time.

• The other thing I always looked forward to as a child and even now when we get together is that quite, spiritual?moment when all adults and children come together?and read ancient poems of Hafez and Ferdowsi. Someone reads the poems and everyone says what that poem means to them. The beauty of old poems is that they always have more deep meanings that what we read on the surface. Its’ so much fun to figure out what that poem means relating to your life today.I guess they call this reflection time!?

Do you find similarities?between Yalda and Christmas? Setting aside the gift giving part I think we have a lot of similarities between winter celebration. Yalda and Christmas are just examples, we have so many different winter celebration around the world and different cultures that tells us we once belong to ONE family.

Let’s celebrate our ONEness this winter!