Ostara is celebrated at the Vernal Equinox (Spring Equinox), which is
around March 21. This is one of the two days in the year
when the hours of daylight and
darkness are exactly the same length.
This is about the same time that Christians celebrate Easter,
which is held on the first Sunday after the full moon following the Eqinox.
The Christian holiday of "Easter" takes its name from the
Saxon
goddess of the dawn and springtime, Eostre. Many of the symbols associated
with Easter--
rabbits (or hares), eggs and "Easter" lilies were originally fertility
symbols of the Goddess.
The weather is warmer and
new life springs forth from field, tree and nest.The world is
beginning to awake from it's winter slumber.
At this time we celebrate the Goddess in her aspect of the maiden.
In the Greek myths, Persephone returns to the upper world at this time
and her mother, Demeter, celebrates by bringing spring to the world that
had been cold and barren in her daughter's absence.
Though some regions are still buried in snow, the promise of spring is
evident in the lengthening days and the appearance of birds migrating from
the south.
In ancient times the return of the birds meant an important
protein source
had returned. Our modern games involving eggs and the yearly
egg-hunt re-creates
this important part of our heritage, when the ability to find
eggs in the fields
and forest could mean the difference between health and hunger in
the lean days before
the harvest.
Celebrating Ostara with your child
As soon a the weather permits, take your children walking outside
to look for birds in the trees and new growth in the plant world.
If you live near a river or pond you can look for tadpoles in the water.
(Be sure you return later to see the frogs which have grown from those
tiny creatures.)
If you live where it is still too cold for outdoor adventures,
buy some fast-growing seeds (grass seed is especially satisfying as it grows fast
and is virtually indestructable) and let your
child plant an indoor garden. If your child/ren plants seeds in a small
pot which will fit inside their egg-hunting basket a week or so before
Ostara, they can have real
grass instead of shredded celophane to nestle their eggs.
A silly but fun activity is to use hollow eggshells which
have been opened at the wide end as small pots. Let your child
draw a silly face on the side of the egg with markers. Fill them full of
potting soil and sprinkle with grass seed. Water the seeds lightly and
in a few days your "egghead" will have grown "hair". When the grass begins
to die put the eggshells outside for the birds and other animals to enjoy.
The earth celebrates Springtime by exploding with colors, scents and
smells that are absent the rest of the year. Enjoy it! Teach your children
to value the earth. Whether you live in verdent farmland, the inner city,
or in the desert, look for the gifts the earth offers. They are waiting for
you and your child/ren to discover.
