Tonight is the longest night and tomorrow the shortest day for the Northern Hemisphere - Happy Yalda!

Yalda is a time when family and close friends get together to eat the last of the summer fruit and nuts and stay awake all night sharing stories, feet tucked cosily up under a warm blanket. Ancient custom held belief that staying awake most of the night was protection from misfortune.

More on Yalda by Somewhere in the world today…

Picture: Yalda by kamyar78, on Flickr