SPRING HOLIDAYS AND CUSTOMS

Spring Holidays traditionally celebrate the end of Winter and the renewal of life, energy and growth. Festivals usually include flowers, music, dancing and a sense of humor and gaiety. The oldest of customs is the giving and receiving of eggs to symbolize the return to life in Springtime.

As the seasons change and Spring arrives the earth is tilted so the sun is over the equator. In the northern parts of the world the first day of Spring is March 21 or on the Vernal Equinox when night and day are of equal length.

The ending of Winter was a great relief to ancient peoples as it meant the end to food shortages and trying to keep warm. The changing of the seasons mystified ancient civilizations and brought about the worshipping of gods and goddesses. In Northern and Central Europe the goddess of spring was called Eostre, her name is thought to have been given to her as the direction from which the sunrise and warm came, the east. Consequently some believe the word Easter was derived from the same source. Festivals were held in her honor and cakes very much like hot cross buns were baked and offered in thanks to the goddess.

Many early tribes believed that stones, rivers, trees, etc had their own spirits and worshiped each with a different rite. It is believed that May Day stems from an ancient Druid ceremony honoring trees they believed to be sacred. The Druids, a pre-Christian religious sect found mostly in France and Britain, prayed to the trees for sun, rain and good crops. For centuries May 1 was celebrated by people decorating their doors and windows with branches of trees. A tree would be placed in the center of the village and the residents would dance around it to honor it and ask for good luck.

Some early tribes believed that their sun god was kidnapped each year by the evil spirits of cold and darkness (winter) and escaped each year bringing the warmth and sunshine of spring back to earth. Lighting bonfires, candles and hanging flower wreaths along with making loud noises were thought to scare the evil spirits and witches and to help the sun gods escape, ensuring good fortune for the year.

Buddhists celebrate the birth and death of Buddha during Spring and the Japanese celebrate nature and all growing things.

Eggs, Rabbits, Lamb, Processions and Candles/Bonfires

The Persians, among other ancient peoples, believed the world was hatched from an enormous egg. The Chinese used eggs as offerings in their temples. Some tribes ate colored eggs during their Spring Festivals. The dyes were made of vegetables and flowers and tried to re-created the colors of nature. Roasted eggs were used in the Jewish seder and the Romans believed it was lucky to always begin a meal with an egg. The Greeks believed red was a lucky color and dyed their eggs red. The breaking of the egg was believed to let the blessing out.

Egg rolling at Easter also stems from an ancient tradition believed at first to be an athletic competition. Later it evolved to represent the rolling away of the stone from Jesus' tomb.

The Easter Bunny is believed to come from the association of rabbits and fertility. In ancient Egypt,  rabbits symbolized new birth. In some civilizations the rabbit symbolized the moon. Some historians believe the rabbit became a symbol of Easter because the exact holy day depends on the moon. Some think that hares were sacrificed to Eostre, the goddess of Spring.

The eating of lamb at Easter dates back to pagan rituals where animals were sacrificed. Ancient Israelites sacrificed new born lambs as a tribute to God.

Fire ceremonies have been used for many spring festivals. In Europe huge bonfires are used to scare away witches and evil spirits. It is the custom of some Churches to put out all the lights on the night before Easter. On Easter the Priest lights the main candle with new fire. This is then used to light all the candles in the church and those brought by worshippers.

Procession or marches have their beginnings in fertility rites. Over Palm Sunday and Easter some countries march with huge statues of Jesus and the Virgin Mary. In some pre-Lent festivals viewers were masks.