Vernal Equinox 2016: 5

weird traditions to
celebrate the first day of
Spring

08:10, 21 MAR 2016

UPDATED 08:15, 21 MAR 2016

BY SOPHIE CURTIS

Spring is in the air, and this weekend sees the Vernal Equinox - which traditionally marks
the beginning of the Spring season in the Northern Hemisphere.
If you live in the UK, that hopefully means the daffodils are blooming, blossom is on the
trees, Easter is coming, and lambing season is well underway.
Here's everything you need to know about the first day of spring .

Why does the Vernal Equinox happen?

The equinox occurs because of the tilt of the Earth in relation to the Sun. This is what
causes the seasons.
The Earth's tilt is 23.5 degrees relative to the plane of its orbit and means that, although one
revolution of the planet takes 24 hours, it's different depending on the time of year.
During the summer time, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun, so we
get longer days as more light falls on this part of the planet.
In the winter time it's the Southern Hemisphere that gets the majority of the light.

"Equal night"
On the spring equinox, the Earth hits the turning point in its orbit where neither the North or
the South poles are tilted towards the sun.
As a result, the Sun spends a roughly equal amount of time above and below the horizon at
every location on the Earth, so night and day are about the same length.
The word equinox is Latin for "equal night".
Meteorologists use it as the official turning point in the seasons because - although it can
vary from year to year, it allows for the most accurate record-keeping.

Getty

When is the spring equinox?

This year, the vernal (or spring) equinox takes place on Sunday March 20.
After this point, the days will get longer and the nights will get shorter until the summer
solstice on June 20, when the pattern will reverse.

How is the spring equinox celebrated?

Equinoxes and solstices mark key stages in the astronomical cycle of the Earth.
The March equinox has long been celebrated as a time of rebirth in the Northern
Hemisphere.

Getty

Many cultures celebrate spring festivals and holidays around the March equinox,
likeEaster and Passover.
However, there are also a few more unorthodox celebrations - some of which date back
thousands of years.
If you're looking for a way to mark the occasion, here are five weird traditions to give you
inspiration:
1. Balance an egg
There is an ancient Chinese belief that you can stand an egg on its end on the first day of
spring.
The theory goes that, due to the sun's equidistant position between the poles of the earth at
the time of the equinox, special gravitational forces apply.
This is, of course, nonsense. But it does still make for a fun party game - and you can save
your eggs to paint on Easter Day.
2. Throw some coloured powder
Holi is an ancient Hindu festival celebrating the victory of good over evil. It takes place each
year around the time of the vernal equinox.
Known as the "festival of colours", it is celebrated by tossing vibrant coloured powders onto
each other and dancing in the streets.
This year, Holi falls on Wednesday March 23, but if you fancy brightening up your Sunday,
why not get started a little early?
3. Wear a shamrock

The symbolic plant of the equinox in Druidry is the trefoil or shamrock, which is also
customarily worn on St. Patrick's Day.
The three leaves shaped like hearts were associated with the Triple Goddess of Celtic
mythology, otherwise known as the "Three Morgans"
The shamrock is thought to be symbolic of the regenerative powers of nature.
4. Plant seeds
The spring equinox is symbolic of rebirth, renewal, and growth, and in ancient Italy, it was
traditional for women to plant seeds in the gardens of Adonis on this day.
The custom persists in Sicily, where women plant seeds of grains - lentils, fennel, lettuce or
flowers - in baskets and pots.
When they sprout, the stalks are tied with red ribbons and the flowers are placed on graves
on Good Friday, symbolising the triumph of life over death.
5. Visit an ancient monument
Many of the world's ancient monuments were built as astrological calendars, to map the
movement of the Sun over the course of the year.
The equinox is therefore a great time to visit these monuments, as they are often aligned to
make the most of the Sun's unique position in the sky.
At Stonehenge in Wiltshire, the sun can be seen rising precisely between two stones, while
at Chichn Itz in Mexico, the rising sun transforms one edge of the giant pyramid into a
blazing serpent, representing the Mayan god Kukulcan.

Bibliography: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology-science/science/vernalequinox-2016-5-weird-7581938