Which ancient Persian holiday is still celebrated on April 1 or 2? And what does it have in common with April Fool’s Day?
The 13th day after Nowruz has been seen as unlucky since ancient times. That’s why people in Persian culture spend it outdoors. The name Sizdah Bedar literally means “the thirteenth outside the home.”
To outsmart fate and leave all the negativity behind, you’re supposed to be outside that day. Staying home is a bad sign.
It’s also important to stay positive. People gather in big groups in parks, fields, and by rivers. They play games, laugh, eat, sing, dance, and joke around, telling silly stories. This custom is called “the thirteenth day lie.” So the most unlucky day of the year turns into a big, joyful celebration that many people look forward to. This year it falls on April 2.
Besides fun and jokes, the day is full of rituals. One of them is getting rid of sprouted wheat grown for Nowruz. Keeping it longer is believed to bring bad luck, so it should be returned to nature. During the picnic, people usually let it float away in a river, leaving misfortune behind for the year ahead.
Before setting the “New Year” wheat free, you can make a wish by tying the stems into a knot. Traditionally, young people do this to meet their love in the coming year, and newlyweds do it to have a baby.
There are also special dishes for this day, like a lettuce salad with vinegar, honey, and mint. It’s a symbolic wish to stay healthy all year.
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Text by Yulia Zemtsova
Cover photo by August de Richelieu
