Sham El-Nessim
Sham el-Nessim, or "Smelling/Taking In of the Zephyrs is an Egyptian national holiday marking the beginning of spring. It always falls on the day after the Eastern Christian Easter , so that it always comes on Monday
Despite the Christian-related date, the holiday is celebrated by Egyptians of all religions , so it is considered a national festival, rather than a religious one.
this festival is being celebrated in Egypt since the pharaonic time . known as Shemu, which means a day of creation.
the Ancient Egyptians used to offer salted fish, lettuce, and onions to their deities on this day.
The main features of the festival are:
People spend all day out picnicking in any space of green, public gardens, on the Nile, or at the zoo.
Traditional food eaten on this day consists mainly of fesikh (a fermented, salted and dried grey mullet), lettuce, scallions or green onions, tirmis, and colored boiled eggs.
