OUT WITH THE NAUGHTIES, IN WITH THE TEENIES

Happy New Year From All of Us at Magnolia

A new decade is born, out with the naughties and in with the teens. For most of us here in Iran, the new year was simply the 11th of Dey 1388; a work day. We Iranians still have a few months to go before our new year arrives, and for those outside, it will simply the 21st of March, 2010, probably a work day too.

In way of explanation, the Iranian calendar is referred to as the "Solar Hejri" calendar and it's years are designated AP, short for Anno Persico. For over two millennia Afghanistan, present day Pakistan, Northern India as well as Iran have been observers of this method. The Solar Hejri begins on the Vernal Equinox as determined by astronomical calculations for the Iran Standard Time meridian (52.5ºE or GMT+3.5h). This would make the starting point more accurate than the Gregorian calendar hence why we sometimes celebrate our new year countdown sometime after four in the morning, "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… Happy new year! I'm going back to bed".