The Spring Equinox, also known as the vernal equinox, is one of the four solar festivals of the year. The equinox — which translates roughly in Latin to “equal night” — is when the sun sits vertically above the equator, making day and night equal across the planet. The Spring Equinox officially marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and there are celebrations around the world to usher in longer days and springtime. In some cultures, this day also marks the beginning of the new year, which in Iranian culture is called Nowruz. The Spring Equinox is a brilliant time for new beginnings, no matter how you celebrate on March 20.
Spring Equinox timeline
Chinese rulers believe the Spring equinox marks the start of their line.
Some believe that this is when the practice of celebrating the spring equinox began.
The March equinox becomes and is celebrated as a national holiday in the Meiji period.
After World War II, General Macarthur declares Japan’s celebration of the vernal equinox as secular in an attempt to separate church- from state power.
Spring Equinox Activities
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Host a Nowruz party
Celebrate the Spring Equinox and Iranian New Year with a Nowruz party. Prepare the Haft Seen, the traditional table setting for celebrating Nowruz in Iran, and have your guests gather around it until the exact moment of the Spring Equinox. The table includes seven traditional items: greenery (sprouts grown in a dish), samanu (a sweet germinated wheat pudding), dried oleaster fruit, garlic, apples, sumac berries, and vinegar.
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Bring flowers into your home
Nothing says spring like flowers! Celebrate the Spring Equinox by bringing some flowers into your home. Buy a bunch of cut flowers from your local market — daffodils and tulips should be in season now — or buy a little plant to keep in your window. Buying flowers for yourself is a happy and small indulgence.
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Call your mom
In many Arab cultures, the Spring Equinox is a day to appreciate mothers. Take a page from their book, and use this day as a day to call your mom! Take it a step further by sending her flowers to celebrate the first day of spring.
5 Reasons Why We Love Spring Equinox
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It brings all the baby animals to the yard
And they're like, "animals reproduce in the spring because our biology says there's more food available.”
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Everything turns green
Spring: the time to enjoy the rebirth of flowers, trees and grass before summer zaps them into a fried crisp.
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Shorter utility bills
Warm up or cool down your house just by opening your windows.
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We get to say "Sprang Break, sprang break foreva”
Spring break is the one week out of the year you're allowed to do... well, anything you want.
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It lets us detox
It's called Spring cleaning for a reason! Spring also gives us a chance to "clean out" our bodies before summer swim suit season.
Why We Love Spring Equinox
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It signals the changing of seasons
Astronomically, the Spring Equinox signals the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of fall in the Southern Hemisphere.
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It's a universal moment
During the equinox, the Southern and Northern Hemispheres receive equal exposure to the Sun's rays. This moment happens at the same time around the world!
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The Earth is perfectly balanced
On the other 363 the year, the Earth's axis is tilted at an angle of about 23.4° relative to the Earth's path around the Sun, which means one hemisphere always receives more sunlight than the other. But on the Equinoxes, the tilt of the Earth is perpendicular to the Sun, meaning the Southern Hemisphere and the Northern Hemisphere are hit with equal amounts of sunlight.
Spring Equinox dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | March 20 | Saturday |
| 2022 | March 20 | Sunday |
| 2023 | March 20 | Monday |
| 2024 | March 20 | Wednesday |
| 2025 | March 20 | Thursday |
