Are you ready to celebrate the spring season? Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal, growth and awakening.
Here’s everything you need to know about the spring season, including when it starts, the symbolic meaning of spring, and the best ways to celebrate the season!
When is the Spring Season in 2022?
Spring starts on the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, which occurs around the 20th of March and ends on the summer equinox in mid-June. In 2022, the exact dates for spring in the north are March 20 – June 21.
In the Southern Hemisphere, spring starts in September and lasts through November.
The different hemispheres experience different springs due to the Earth’s tilt. The north tilts closer to the sun in the spring and further away in the fall.
Spring Months
Four months encompass the spring season. These four months are March, April, May, and June. Both March and June are only partially in spring, with March starting in the winter and June ending in summer.
The essential spring months are typically April and May. These two months are most commonly associated with the season.
What Does the Spring Season Represent?
Spring is the time when cold turns into warmth. The dead of winter ends, and new life emerges in the northern hemisphere. Grass grows again, animals come out of hibernation, and birds flock to the north in spring migrations.
The season represents rebirth, renewal, and life.
The ancient story of Persephone embodies the spirit of spring. Persephone was tricked into marrying Hades and becoming Queen of the Underworld, according to myth. Her mother, Demeter, goddess of the harvest and agriculture, was so distraught about losing her daughter that she appealed to Zeus to interfere.
Zeus felt terrible for Demeter, so he allowed Persephone to spend six months with her mother every year in the upper world. Persephone emerges from the underworld every spring, bringing the season’s new life with her.
Holidays in Spring
Many cultures throughout history have celebrated the spring season as a time of renewal. Here’s a sampling of some of the critical holidays from different religions and traditions in the springtime.
Easter
Easter is the most well-known spring holiday in North America. It’s a Christian holiday that celebrates the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. Easter is one of the most important holidays to Catholics, with Catholic churches often celebrating via Midnight Mass.
The importance of Easter as a religious holiday differs depending on each sect of Christianity. It’s also celebrated as a secular holiday with bunnies, egg hunts, jelly beans, and various other activities.
Passover
Passover is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the day the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt. Passover is a seven-day festival that starts on the 15th day of Nisan, a month in the Hebrew calendar. This timeframe correlates to March or April in the Gregorian calendar used in the United States.
Passover is a time of rejoicing. It celebrates the freedom of Israel and a new start away from the oppression of Egypt.
Holi
Holi is a Hindu festival that goes by many names: Festival of the Spring, Festival of Colors, and Festival of Love.
Holi is a celebration of the end of winter and the beginning of spring. It’s a day to meet with loved ones, repair broken relationships, laugh, and enjoy life. It’s also a call for an abundant harvest.
Songkran
Songkran is the celebration of the new year in Thailand. It falls on April 15 every year, but the festival often lasts from the 14th through the 15th.
Although the Thai people celebrate the new year on January 1 with the Gregorian calendar, they maintain the traditional April 15th date as a national holiday. Songkran comes from the Sanskrit word Samkranti, loosely translated to transformation or change.
Ostara
Ostara is a Pagan celebration of the spring solstice. Ostara celebrates the German goddess Eostre. It’s a time to plant the seeds for the future.
The early celebrations of Ostara have a lot in common with traditional Easter celebrations, and many of the Christian traditions associated with Easter have origins in Ostara.
Themes of Spring Holidays
The common theme in all of these holidays is rebirth. New life and new possibilities are commonly celebrated in the springtime.
Springtime holidays also celebrate planting new seeds for future harvests and embracing the new possibilities that come with the freshness of life.
The Best Ways to Enjoy the Spring Season
Whether you follow a religion, the entire spring season is a great time to celebrate. The warmer weather is an invitation to get outdoors and enjoy the magic of the season. Here are some of the best ways to enjoy spring.
Visit a Botanical Garden
A botanical garden in the spring is an explosion of vivid color and wonderful smells. As most flowers bloom in spring, this is the best time to see the widest variety of blossoms.
Find a botanical garden near you, and make sure you take the time to stop and smell the flowers.
Go for a Hike
Hiking is an excellent activity in any season, but there’s something about the freshness of a spring trail that’s inspiring.
Hiking in the springtime allows you to see wildflowers in their natural environment, hear the buzz of bees singing of songbirds, and be one with nature in its time of glorious renewal.
See a Baseball Game
The opening day of Major League Baseball is in April every year. Celebrate the start of both the spring season and the baseball season by scoring tickets to see your favorite team.
You can also go to their spring training events if you’re a diehard fan.
Hit the Zoo
Springtime is often the season of baby animals. Head to your nearest zoo to catch a glimpse of any newborn babies.
Even if your local zoo isn’t caring for infants, spring is a great time to visit. Zoos have more extended hours in the spring and summer, and it’s the perfect time for them to start new programs and special exhibits.
Enjoy an Easter Egg Hunt
Spring is the season of egg hunts. Spend an evening dying eggs with brilliant colors, then hide them for an epic quest in the morning.
You don’t have to limit your hunts to eggs. Spring is an excellent time for any scavenger hunt. Create your own or follow along with a search happening in your city.
Have a Picnic
A picnic is a perfect activity for spring. Imagine yourself sitting on a blanket in a fresh meadow, sipping on a glass of bubbly. Birds are singing, bees are buzzing, and the season’s freshness is all around you.
The only problem with picnics is the unwanted visitors, but they are also a reminder of the renewal of spring.
Try a New Sport
If ever there was time to try a new sport, it’s spring. As the weather warms up, it’s a great time to get outside and become more active.
Great springtime sports to try are jogging, cycling and tennis. Give them a try!
Fly a Kite
Spring is a great time to get outside and try something different, like kite flying. The spring winds are a perfect time to lift the kite off the ground, and the pleasant days are ideal for being outside watching it soar.
Any open field is ideal for kite flying. Beaches are lovely spots for watching your kite soar as well.
Head to a Festival
Spring kicks off festival season, and you can find unique festivals on all topics in every state. Check out South by Southwest in Austin in March or Coachella in California in April.
Every state has music festivals, and springtime is the best time to check them out.
Embrace the Spring Season!
Spring is a beautiful time of year filled with new growth, rebirth, and the freedom to explore new possibilities. Enjoy it!
Melanie Allen is an American journalist and happiness expert. She has bylines on MSN, the AP News Wire, Wealth of Geeks, Media Decision, and numerous media outlets across the nation. She covers a wide range of topics centered around self-actualization and the quest for a fulfilling life.