Celebrated on the 21st or 22nd of September, the Yalda festival celebrates the longest night of the year, at the end of which light triumphs over darkness. The following day is the day of harvest and the beginning of the rest period, a time for family to converge at the home of the oldest member and indulge in a spread of Iranian food, summer fruits and an array of nuts while reciting poetry and catching up with what is happening in each other's lives. (Tehran Hotel)