Persians have celebrated the height of human civilization, scientific and military achivement through the spirit of Nowrooz. Such a unifying spirit has often made Nowrooz the target of much animosity by foreign invaders and anti-national forces throughout the history of Iran. Alexander the Great, the Arab conquerors and many others tried to eliminate this holiday and wipe it off the Persian cultural landscape, only to find it preserved by the masses. At the center of this traditional celebration is giving thanks for the fortune of having made it through another healthy year and to exchange any remaining paleness and evil with the life and warmth of the fire. The part of this night especially popular with the youngsters is the bonfire.
Every family gathers several piles of wood or brush to be lit shortly after the sunset.
Although a recent addition and generally against the law in the urban areas, the sights and sounds of fireworks are very common to this night. Another routine of the Chahar Shanbeh Soori festival is the Iranian version of Trick or Treating associated with the Western Halloween night. The sound of his songs and the sight of his dance is often analogous to hearing Christmas music in a shopping mall, telling all that Nowrooz is in the air. Although the blackness of his skin has been the source of some racial controversy in Iranian intellectual circles, Haji's intentions and spirit have always been well received and loved by the people. As implied by its timing and natural significance, Nowrooz is a time of renewal and symbolizes rebirth, awakening, cleanliness and newness.