since 1995

Yalda Night 2026

The evening of Monday, December 21, 2026: the longest night of the year, from sunset to sunrise.

This year the solstice itself falls in the middle of Yalda night in Iran, at 12:20 AM Tehran time.

How long is Yalda night where you are?

Sunset to sunrise on Yalda night, local time. The further north, the longer the night; south of the equator, December brings the shortest night of the year.

  1. London3:53 PM – 8:04 AM16 h 11 min
  2. Vancouver5:16 PM – 9:05 AM15 h 49 min
  3. Seattle4:20 PM – 7:55 AM15 h 35 min
  4. Montreal4:13 PM – 7:31 AM15 h 18 min
  5. Toronto4:43 PM – 7:48 AM15 h 5 min
  6. Boston4:14 PM – 7:10 AM14 h 56 min
  7. Chicago4:22 PM – 7:15 AM14 h 53 min
  8. New York / New Jersey4:31 PM – 7:17 AM14 h 45 min
  9. Denver4:38 PM – 7:18 AM14 h 39 min
  10. Washington DC Metro4:49 PM – 7:23 AM14 h 34 min
  11. Sacramento4:48 PM – 7:20 AM14 h 32 min
  12. San Francisco Bay Area4:54 PM – 7:21 AM14 h 28 min
  13. Las Vegas4:29 PM – 6:48 AM14 h 19 min
  14. Tehran4:54 PM – 7:10 AM14 h 16 min
  15. Charlotte5:15 PM – 7:28 AM14 h 14 min
  16. Los Angeles4:47 PM – 6:55 AM14 h 7 min
  17. Atlanta5:33 PM – 7:38 AM14 h 6 min
  18. Phoenix / Scottsdale5:24 PM – 7:28 AM14 h 4 min
  19. San Diego4:46 PM – 6:47 AM14 h 1 min
  20. Dallas5:25 PM – 7:26 AM14 h 1 min
  21. Austin5:35 PM – 7:23 AM13 h 49 min
  22. Houston5:26 PM – 7:13 AM13 h 46 min
  23. Dubai5:34 PM – 7:00 AM13 h 26 min
  24. Sydney8:05 PM – 5:41 AM9 h 36 min

What is Yalda?

Yalda, or Shab-e Chelleh, is the last night of autumn and the longest of the year. Since ancient Persia, long before Islam, Iranians have stayed up through it to see the darkness out and the sun “reborn”: from the next morning the days grow longer again. In 2022 UNESCO inscribed Yalda/Chella, nominated by Iran and Afghanistan, on its list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

How Yalda is celebrated

Families gather at the home of the eldest relatives and stay up late into the night. The Yalda table is red: pomegranates, watermelon, persimmons, and bowls of ajil, the Persian mix of nuts and dried fruit. The heart of the evening is reading Hafez: the head of the family holds a wish in mind for each person and reads them a ghazal from the Divan as their fal. Many families also read from the Shahnameh or tell stories, and in the old days everyone gathered under the korsi, a low heated table covered with quilts.

Dinner varies by family, but stews made with pomegranate, like fesenjan, are a natural fit for the night.

Take a fal from HafezPomegranates and ajilBakeries and sweets

Cook for Yalda

Fesenjanخورش فسنجان2 h 45 min · Serves 6

After Yalda comes Nowruz

Three months on, the spring equinox brings the Persian New Year. See the exact moment of Sal Tahvil in your own city.

Nowruz countdown

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Yalda Night 2026?

On the evening of Monday, December 21, 2026 (30 Azar 1405), from sunset until sunrise the next morning, 1 Dey.

What does Yalda mean?

Yalda is a Syriac word for birth: the rebirth of the sun, since the days grow longer again from the next morning. It is also called Shab-e Chelleh, because it opens the chelleh-ye bozorg, the first forty days of winter.

Why do people eat pomegranates and watermelon on Yalda?

The red pomegranate seeds stand for dawn and life. Watermelon was kept from the summer, and eating it on Yalda was believed to keep you healthy through the winter cold.

Is Yalda the longest night everywhere?

Only in the Northern Hemisphere. In Sydney and the rest of the Southern Hemisphere it is the shortest night of the year; Iranians there keep Yalda by the date.

How do you say Happy Yalda in Persian?

Yalda mobarak (یلدا مبارک), or Shab-e Yalda mobarak (شب یلدا مبارک).