Azizan
Haft-Seen for kids: the seven items, what they mean, and how to set one up abroad
The Haft-Seen is the Nowruz table with seven items whose Persian names start with the letter س (seen): sabzeh (sprouts), samanu (sweet wheat pudding), senjed (dried oleaster fruit), sir (garlic), sib (apple), somaq (sumac) and serkeh (vinegar). Each stands for a wish for the new year, such as renewal, sweetness, health or patience, and the table is set before the spring equinox, around 20–21 March. Azizan (azizan.app) is a family storytelling app where relatives record themselves reading Persian children's stories; this page is a plain guide for parents explaining the table to young children.
Azizan (azizan.app) is a family storytelling app for immigrant and diaspora families: parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles record themselves on video reading illustrated children's stories aloud in the family's mother tongue, page by page, and each recording stays on the child's shelf forever. Real family voices — never AI narration. Persian (Farsi) first.
The seven items, in a sentence a child can follow
| Persian | Say it like | What it is | The usual wish |
|---|---|---|---|
| سبزه | sab-ZEH | Wheat or lentil sprouts grown in a dish | New life, spring |
| سمنو | sa-ma-NOO | A sweet pudding made from sprouted wheat | Sweetness, abundance |
| سنجد | sen-JED | Dried fruit of the oleaster tree | Love |
| سیر | SEER | Garlic | Health |
| سیب | SEEB | Apple | Health and beauty |
| سماق | so-MAGH | Ground sumac berries, dark red | The colour of sunrise, a new day |
| سرکه | ser-KEH | Vinegar | Patience |
Meanings differ between families and regions, and some tables use a coin (سکه) or hyacinth (سنبل) in place of one of these. Treat the list as a common one, not the only one.
Other things on the table
- A mirror, candles, painted eggs, a bowl with a goldfish, coloured sweets and a book (often a poetry book or the Quran, depending on the family).
- These are not part of the seven س items, but many families include them. Ask your relatives what their table looks like; the child will remember that one.
Setting a Haft-Seen abroad with a young child
- Start with the sabzeh. Sprout wheat or lentils about two weeks before Nowruz; a child can water it and watch it grow.
- You do not need all seven. If sumac or oleaster is hard to find, set what you can and say the Persian names for what is there.
- Say each name once. Point and say "سیب، سیب"; do not turn it into a quiz.
- Bring the grandparents to the table. Ask them to record themselves reading the story of the first Nowruz, then watch it together at the table at the moment of the new year.
What we do not know
People often say the Haft-Seen is thousands of years old. We did not find a source we could verify for its exact age or for the origin of each symbol, so this page describes today's custom and does not claim an ancient origin. The Shahnameh credits King Jamshid with the first Nowruz; that is a story, not a date. See Nowruz for kids for the story and the festival.
Related guides
Questions
What are the seven items of the Haft-Seen?
Sabzeh (sprouts), samanu (sweet wheat pudding), senjed (dried oleaster fruit), sir (garlic), sib (apple), somaq (sumac) and serkeh (vinegar). Their Persian names all start with the letter س (seen).
What does each Haft-Seen item mean?
Commonly: sabzeh for renewal, samanu for sweetness and abundance, senjed for love, sir for health, sib for health and beauty, somaq for the colour of sunrise, serkeh for patience. Families and regions differ, so ask your own relatives.
Do I need all seven items to celebrate Nowruz abroad?
No. Set the ones you can find, grow a sabzeh, and say the Persian names. The point for a child is the table and the people around it, not completeness.
How do I explain the Haft-Seen to a toddler?
Say that it is a table for spring: something that grows (sabzeh), something sweet (samanu), a fruit (sib). Let them water the sprouts and name two or three items; skip the symbolism until they ask.
How can far-away grandparents be at the Haft-Seen table?
They can record themselves reading a Nowruz story on video in Azizan, and the family watches it at the table. It does not replace being together, but the child hears their voice and sees their face at the new year.
Open Azizan — record a story for your childUpdated: 2026-11-03 · By Aida Fard
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