The Vernal Equinox is celebrated by many pagans as the quarter sabbat of Lady Day. In modern times it is referred to very frequently by the title Ostrara or Eostre. Originally these names referred to a different holiday which fell on the first full moon after the Equinox. (Many will note that the Christian holiday of Easter is the Sunday after this full moon.) However, since both holidays place importance on the two goddess of fertility Ostara and Eostre, it is not in the least difficult to see how their practices have merged.

It is thought that the practice of celebrating the vernal equinox began in the Mediterranean although the monolithic sites of the British Isles attest that the early inhabitants of the islands also observed it. It is definite that the holiday was held in more importance in the Mediterranean were it was seen as the beginning of the New Year.

After the equinox, the hours of daylight will, of course, begin to outnumber those of darkness. It is the observation of this that led to one of the main themes of the holiday. Numerous legends state that on Lady Day the forces of Light defeat those of Darkness. It is said that on this day Lugh took his vengeance on Goronwy by piercing him with a spear of sunlight.

In a continuation of this theme, the holiday pays heed to many myths concerning the decent of a deity into the realms of death and back into the world of the living. In many stories, the Goddess descends into the Otherworld and returns with the gift of life. A good example of this is the story of Demeter's daughter, Persephone, who was tricked into spending half of every year in the underworld and who would be returning with spring right around now. King Arthur was said to have done something very similar, as were Gwydion and Amaethon. Oh, yes, and of course, perhaps the and one of the most famous deities to ever return from the dead, Jesus Christ.

The other aspect of the holiday is that of fertility, which is how it came to be so closely associated with the Germanic goddess Ostara and the Saxon goddess Eostre. It is this aspect that lends us the motif of eggs, an age-old symbol for fertility. It is held that on the night of the vernal equinox, the god and the goddess lay together to conceive the child that will be born in nine months on Yule. The Christians have a version of this in the form of the Feast of Annuciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It obviously differs in that Mary supposedly did not conceive the same way the pagan goddess does, but it was on this day that she was said to have been informed by the angel Gabriel that she was with child.

There are many popular customs shared by pagans and Christians at Lady Day and Easter. My favorite has always been the Easter Bunny. Eostre was a goddess often seen to be accompanied by a hare. One legend tells us the she once found a bird wounded in the snow, where it would obviously die without help. Eostre transformed the bird into a hare, which could survive the wintry weather. The transformation was not a complete one. The bird took the appearance of a hare, but retained the ability to lay eggs. The stories tell us that the hare would decorate these eggs and leave them as gifts to Eostre. Since Eostre was well known for her fondness of children, it is easy to see how the hare came to gift children with eggs and small gifts thinking that it would please her goddess.

The eggs are, of course, a tradition of their own. They are an obvious symbol of fertility and life. One ancient tradition was to paint on the egg symbols of a wish. One would then bury the egg in an offering to the earth. They were also used as tailismans of protection, prosperity, and fertility. In days before people could simply pop over to the supermarket for a dozen eggs, it was necessary to go seek the eggs oneself. The practice of going out in the morning and searching for appropriate eggs led into the modern Easter Egg Hunts which are still enjoyed by so many children.

Other ideas for holiday activities include a celebratory journey through the out doors, perhaps a hike or a boat ride. While you're out, pick some flowers (make sure to ask the plant's permission and thank it for the gift!) or, if you'd rather, grab some from florist so you can easily find their names. Pick the flowers based on your instincts, take them home, and look up their meanings. If keep a garden, now is a very good time to go work on it.
Colours associated with Lady Day are green and yellow. Foods include leafy greens, fruits, seeds, and, of course, boiled eggs.

Many of the cute graphics are this page are courtesy of Billy Bear. (Including the egg that isn't working!)