It may be cold outside right now, but spring is coming – even though today is technically supposed to be spring, the weather outside would disagree. I love spring. It’s my favorite season; there’s new life, there are bunnies and flowers and hope in the air. It’s the time to bring out the iced teas, and the flowered dresses.
And there are so many people around the world who love spring. Many places around the world have different traditions to celebrate the arrival of spring, and the end of a long, dark, and gloomy winter. Being in a place like Boston, it’s important to know how your neighbors might be celebrating, and maybe take part in their celebration, too!
In China, the Chinese celebrate the arrival of spring with the QingMing festival. They go to the temple to make a wish for the new year, and go to the tombs of their ancestors to clean and pay their respects to the dead. They also have a spring outing, where they enjoy the outdoors and appreciate the scenery that starts to emerge with the onset of spring. The spring outing is supposed to contribute to a healthy body and mind, and bring some joy to your day. This year QingMing is celebrated on April 4th.
Then there’s Japan. The Japanese celebrate the arrival of spring with the Hanami festival, widely known as the cherry blossom festival. The festival is a means of appreciating the beauty of nature, and what better time to do it than when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom? They eat, drink and sing under the cherry blossoms. The festival happens when the seasonal flowers have bloomed, which can vary year to year. This year it’s predicted that they will bloom in Japan somewhere in the first two weeks of April. In Boston, the cherry blossoms normally bloom sometime in mid-April.
Then we have Falles, a fire festival celebrated in Spain. There’s music and firecrackers in the streets in the early morning, firework displays, a flower offering to the Virgin Mary, and bonfires. Then, there is open-air dancing on the last night of the festival. The festival stemmed from pagan festivals where things were burned in order to welcome spring, and to get rid of the things that they only needed for the winter months. Falles was celebrated this year between the 13th and the 17th of March.
Down in the subcontinent, there’s Holi. Holi is a Hindu religious festival. It is also known as the festival of colors, or the festival of love. There’s a legend behind the festival, where the takeaway is the victory of good over evil and the return of the god of love. It is the day to move on from your past mistakes and forgive. On this day people visit their families and friends, and they throw colored powders at each other, normally in a large open space. The colors can be dry or immersed in water, sort of like a colored water fight. It’s a day for enjoyment and partying. This year, Holi was celebrated on March 13th, however, there are events in Boston that celebrate Holi later on in the year.
Then there’s my personal favorite, Nowruz. It is celebrated in multiple countries, such as Iran, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Albania, China, Turkey, Pakistan and some places in India. It’s the Iranian, or Persian, New Year. It is now described as a “spring festival of Iranian roots.” On this day, people clean their houses, buy new clothes, light fireworks (symbolic of replacing your negativities with warmth and energy), plant trees and flowers, go for picnics, visit each other and eat. It’s celebrated on the equinox, March 21st.
How will you be celebrating spring this year?