Yalda

"Yalda" night,the first night of winter,longest night in year,and birth of Sun.(December 21st or 22nd),family and friends gather and eat fruit and vegetables like grapes, honeydew melons, watermelons, pears, oranges, tangerines, apples, and pomegranate. These were then enjoyed by everyone gathered around themselves.Snacks are passed around throughout the night: pomegranates with angelica powder (gol-par) and Ajil-e shab-e yalda, a combination of nuts and dried fruits, particularly pumpkin and watermelon seeds and raisins. This mixture of nuts literally means night-grazing; eating nuts is said to lead to prosperity in days to come.