OSTARA: Celebrating the Spring Equinox
A how-to guide for celebrating Ostara with kids of all ages
What is Ostara?
The Wheel of the Year, or Sabbats, is a cycle of celebrations that follows the seasons. Celebrating by the season is an old practice, although the Wheel of the Year as it’s known today was compiled/organized in the 1950s and 1960s, with the resurgence of Wicca and Paganism into the mainstream.
Ostara is the Spring Equinox, also known as the Vernal Equinox. Celestially, this is the time when the Sun is directly over the equator, and is headed toward the longest day of the year. It’s also a time when the sun appears to rise “due east” and set “due west”. If you watch the sun the other days of the year, it tends to move a little as it rises and sets.
Ostara is the fourth sabbat, or celebration, in the Wheel of the Year. During Ostara we celebrate Spring, new life and growth. Symbols of Ostara include eggs, pastel colors and spring flowers like daffodils, tulips and lilacs. This is the season of chicks and baby animals like lambs.
Ostara symbols are very similar to the symbols for Easter. There are egg hunts, bunnies and gift baskets. It’s fairly accepted history that several (most) Christian holidays use the same symbols as early Pagan celebrations to help with conversion and colonialism. Many of the things you’ll find in the stores for Easter can be used for Ostara.
Botanical Symbols
Plants associated with Ostara tend toward the first of Spring, such as daffodils and tulips.
In my own garden, I know Ostara is upon us when I see chives, mint and yarrow, and green in my rose bushes.
Other Symbols
Eggs, honey, rose quartz, aventurine, sun and moon balance, feminine and masculine balance,
Colors & Animals
Ostara is symbolized by pastel colors and baby animals – chicks, lambs, ducks, rabbits, porcupines, and baby pink and blue.
When I think of Ostara, I just think of the beauty of new things, and of the regeneration of all things.
Activities for Families
Celebrating the Spring Equinox with all ages
You’ll find activities to celebrate the Spring Equinox below. If this is your first time celebrating, just try one activity. Feel free to adjust to how your family celebrates best. The point of all celebrations is to make them work FOR you, rather than stressing you out.
DYE EGGS: One of the easiest ways to do this with very small kids is to put a few drops of food coloring in muffin tin and mix with baking soda. Let the kids use paint brushes to spread the baking soda on the eggs, then pour over vinegar. See an example here: Fizzy Eggs Activity by Kelly Oester on Instagram.
Dye eggs with natural dyes. Learn more about natural dyes for eggs here.
ONLINE ACTIVITIES: Find videos of eggs hatching or bunnies, lambs and chicks frolicking on social media.
GET LOCAL: Visit your local farm and pet the cute baby (and adult) animals.
Purchase a CSA share (Community Shared Agriculture). Learn about CSAs here: What Is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)?
Visit your local farm store and look at the chicks. Watch them and talk about the sounds they make, the colors they are and how cute they are. If you’re in a season of life where you can, pick a few out and raise them. You can find detailed instructions all over the internet.
RITUAL SUPPLIES: Save the shells when you peel your hard-boiled eggs and put them in your garden or smash and use in protective spells.
ALTAR DECOR: Decorate or create an altar with Ostara symbols. Make paper mache eggs (you can find these at a craft store.
EGG HUNT: Hide the dyed eggs (make sure you count them before hiding them) and have a hunt.
ALTERNATE: Allow the kids to hide them for parents. Try to find them (and have a hard time even if it’s easy). They’ll love it!
IN THE KITCHEN: Make a frittata with spring greens and eggs. I love this recipe: Goat Cheese Frittata | Lodge Cast Iron Sometimes we replace the spinach with arugula or another spring green.
Make homemade eggnog. While this has become a Christmas or Yule tradition, it fits right in with Ostara, using eggs as a drink. Plus, if you do it right it’s delicious. Try one of these recipes out: Homemade Eggnog Recipe (So Creamy) | The Kitchn
Homemade Eggnog Recipe – Tastes Better From Scratch
Make honey lemon crepes like these: Meyer Lemon Chamomile Suzette Crepes with Greek Yogurt. – Half Baked Harvest
SELF IMPROVEMENT & GOALS: Make your annual health and wellness goals. The ease of warm weather and fresh foods will help with your goals of getting more active and healthier!
EGG CRAFTS: Make egg-shell candles with the eggs from a frittata or other item. See how to make egg shell candles here from the Dark Wytch on Instagram and see how to make egg shaped candles here from Cassandra Evans.
GET DIRTY! Head to the backyard or the the local community garden and get your hands in the dirt. Start planting cool-weather crops like peas and lettuces.
CLEAN IT UP: Deep clean a room and open up your windows. Pump the music and get going!!
A WORD OF ADVICE
These activities can and should be adapted to fit your season of life and your family.
If you’re not a fan of eggs or are vegan, feel free to substitute most of the activities with plastic or paper mache eggs. This should work within your budget – no need to spend a ton of money. One plus of paper mache and/or plastic eggs is that you can reuse them year after year, they don’t rot or smell, and they don’t break as easily.