Haft Cinn

Immediately prior to the new year, a ceremonial table called Sofreh-e Haft Cinn (“cloth of seven dishes”) is spread on a Persian carpet in every household. Each dish begins with the Persian letter “cinn”. Seven is a long-sacred number in Iran and the seven dishes symbolize seven angelic heralds of happiness, prosperity, life-rebirth, health, beauty and patience. The seven "cinns” symbolically recall Ahura Mazda and the six Amesha Spentas who help him regulate the affairs of man according to the "din" or order prescribed by Ahura Mazda's Ahuric Order.

The symbolic dishes consist of:

• Sabzeh or sprouts, usually wheat or lentil to represent rebirth.
• Samanu, a pudding consisting of common wheat sprouts which are transformed and given new life as a sweet, creamy pudding. It represents the ultimate sophistication of Persian cooking.
• Seeb, an apple which represents health and beauty.
• Senjed,  the sweet, dry fruit of the lotus tree, which represents love. The belief is that when the lotus tree is in bloom its scent and fruit make people fall in love.
• Seer, (garlic in Persian), which represents medicine.
• Somaq, sumac berries, which represent the color of sunrise. At the rising of the sun Good conquers Evil.
• Serkeh or vinegar, which represents age and patience.

Representing the goodness and warmth that comes with the arrival of Spring and the dissipation of evil, lighted candles are placed on the sofreh. A large setting would be more likely to have an open fire to replace the candles. The number of the candles is equal to the number of children of the household. Many times an egg accompanies each candle. The candles must be allowed to burn out by themselves or bad luck ensues. A copy of the family's holy book (i.e, Avesta, Torah, Injil (Bible), or Qur'an - depending on the faith to which the family belongs) is put in a prominent place on the sofreh. The bond between the faithful and source of good from the light is made with the holy scripture.

Samanu sweetness, fertility, having many children Senjed love Sir medicine for recovering from evil Sib health, natural beauty, fragrance Somaq color of the sun at sunrise Serkeh age and patience; wards off bitterness in life Sohan sweetness in life Sabzeh purity, opulence, and good fortune

It should be noted that haft-sin could have been haft-shin--shir (milk), shekar (sugar), shahd (nectar), sharbat (compote), shane (comb), sharab (wine), and sham' (candle) in pre-Islamic times. "Shin" has been changed to "sin" to accomodate Islam's disapproval of sharab or wine. It is not known why that one item isn’t replaced with another item beginning with cinn.

Others believe that while the first tray to Ahura Mazda was empty (Truth is a combination of things with no substance of its own), the other six trays were filled with flowers, sugar, milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, cream, eggs, water, mirrors, candelabra, burning coal, silver, and gold. The items would represent Truth, Good Thought, Dominion, Piety, Prosperity, Immortality, and Obedience.

A mirror placed on the sofreh face up with a plain hard-boiled egg placed on it in the middle. A bowl of clear water with an orange and a leaf of a rose bush floating in it. Live goldfish in a bowl of clear water The barley, lentil, or wheat sprouts that had been growing since early March decorated with a red ribbon around the outside and an orange seated in the center.

Some of the items would represent the other kingdoms, such as the animal kingdomn in the form of cheese and yogurt. The plant kingdom would be represented by flour, vegetables, rice. The kingdom of water would be represented by the goldfish. Pomegranates and pussy willows also are sometimes seen. The latter is especially important as it blossoms at this time of the year.