In Persia, an ancient tradition for the first day of Spring involved growing a platter of grass. Let me show you how adapting a cultural practice from a country half way around the world can provide you a versatile centerpiece that can be used with any number of theme parties and can even be used as a series of educational lessons for your kids.
The plate of grass is called “sabzeh.” It represents one of the symbols of spring. Families in Persia begin 2-3 weeks before Naw Ruz to grow the grass. When the grass is tall enough, a ribbon is wrapped around the grass and the sabzeh joins six other items on the “haft’sin” table, each of the 7 items start with the letter “s” and each symbolizes the themes of light, abundance, happiness, and health.
I asked a Persian friend of mine to tell me how to grow the grass. She did more than that, she grew the grass for me. These are her instructions on how to grow the grass. First, use either wheat seeds or lentils.She said wheat seeds can be found in Middle Eastern grocery stores. Soak the seeds in water for a couple of days, rinsing the seeds a couple of times a day.
Prepare a plate for the seeds, something flat and round, like a pie plate. Place some paper towels in the bottom of the plate. Generously spread the seeds over the paper, several layers of seeds thick. Water the seeds and the paper. It is not necessary to place the plate in bright sunshine, though some light is preferable.
Rinse the seeds a couple of times a day. This is to keep everything fresh and not decaying. Eventually you will have a stand of grass. Persian tradition is to wrap a colorful ribbon around the grass.
I suggest that this stand of grass could be used as a centerpiece for several theme parties.
Obviously, it would be appropriate for a party with a spring theme. I show it here was butterflies. If the grass were transferred to a lovely piece of china with an English Garden motif, that would enhance the theme.
Again, with a spring theme, the grass would work perfectly for an Easter party. Lay some Easter eggs on the grass. That would be much more appealing than the fake Easter grass.
Another theme party where you could use the grass would be a golf party. Stick a tee in the grass and scatter about some golf balls.
An especially appealing thing about this project is that it is one that the kids can easily help you with. Let them help rinse the seeds, watch the growth of the seeds, and tie the ribbon around the final growth. And you could easily turn it into a science lesson (germination), a geography lesson (where is Persia and what is it called today), and a comparative religions lesson (which religion does this tradition stem from–Zoroastrianism!).
Do you have some other suggestions for either theme parties where we could use the grass or educational lessons that could be taught around the growing of the grass? Please add them as a comment at the end of this post. Thank you.
interesting material, where such topics do you find? I will often go
Thanks for commenting. I have friends from many cultures.
Hi,
We actually grow wheat and oat grass as a business. It is known as catgrass or petgrass in the Pet Industry. Cats, birds, hamsters, rabbits etc. love to nibble away at it as a healthy addition of green fibre to their diets.
We have also grown it for Naw Ruz for stores in North Vancouver, BC for the Persian New Year, March 21. And again, for wedding table arrangements, golf banquets etc. and my child has taken it to school to do in the spring for learning about germination and new growth. Very neat indeed.
happy naw ruz from afghany to the all world.