On March 21 Baha'is celebrate the beginning of a new year. Called Naw-Ruz, which means "new day" in Persian, it is one of nine Baha'i holy days on which Baha'is suspend work and school.

Happy Naw-Ruz!Baha'is follow the Badi ("wonderful") calendar, which consists of 19 months of 19 days each (361 days), with the addition of "Intercalary Days" (four in ordinary and five in leap years) between the 18th and 19th months to adjust the calendar to the solar year.

Naw-Ruz begins at sunset on the last day of the Baha'i Fast and is observed with celebration and prayers. Ashley Sandvoss, who became a Baha'i last fall, has a stirring reflection on her blog about coming to the end of her first 19-day Fast.

Baha’is often send cards to family and friends at this time of year. Conveniently, they can go to these commercial sites to send e-cards: Blue Mountain and USAGreetings.

Naw-Ruz celebrations vary by community. Baha'is in the Washington, D.C., area are taking a luncheon cruise on the Potomac. Another group in the area is having a party with dancing and a disc jockey.

"We're having tea and biscuits this year," says Jeanne Diaz, a Baha'i in Gainesville, Fla., "but in the past, we have been more elaborate -- usually a big dinner with lots of Persian food and group dancing with a fun DJ. Very family oriented with square dancing, Indian stick dancing, Persian dancing, you name it.

"We often have a Persian member of the Faith talk about the meaning of Naw-Ruz from ancient times," Diaz continues. "I really like to dress up for Naw-Ruz, and I notice the Persian members of the Faith always comment positively about this. I think it comes from my Catholic background and reminds me of Easter!"

Barbara Campbell, a Baha'i in Penn Valley, Calif., remembers that when her kids were little, she'd take them on Naw-Ruz on a nature hike, or to the Denver Botanical Gardens or the zoo.

Roger Coe of Palm Harbor, Fla., thinks "the most joyful time for a Naw-Ruz celebration is at sunset on the last day of the Fast. It seems almost directed by Baha'u'llah that it should be this way: 'O Pen of the Most High! Say: O people of the world! We have enjoined upon you fasting during a brief period, and at its close have designated for you Naw-Ruz as a feast.'"

Stephanie Fielding of Uncasville, Conn., recalls: "One year when I was living in Hawaii we held a Naw-Ruz celebration at a Moroccan club filled with about 50 African-American, Asian, Caucasian, Hawaiian and mixed-blood Baha'is like me. The leader of the band said, ‘We'd like to dedicate the next set to the Baha'is who are celebrating Naw-Ruz here tonight.' There was a mighty cheer and grand applause."

Happy Naw-Ruz!