To name a few, there is the Holi Festival in India in Persian culture, there are new year celebrations called Norooz and, in Japan, there is Shunbun No Hi. Various countries honor the Spring Equinox in their own way based on customs and traditions. Celebrations are plentiful during this time, and the traditions are longstanding. The Spring Equinox officially marks the end of Winter promising fresh beginnings filled with sun-kissed days, new growth, and a fruitful season. It’s no wonder that cultures around the world prepare to celebrate the seasonal transition from the darkness of Winter into the brightness of days in the next season – Spring is arriving! Winter, in many parts of the world, offers long, cold, and dark days signaling the need for warm fires and comforting food. We watch as nature marks the days, weeks, and months with seasonal changes to the air, the sky, and the earth. As we share this, in 2021, it’s especially important to acknowledge the value of rest.Each year, seasons come and seasons go. Take cues from the animals and begin to prepare for the darker colder months, when all is more quiet and restful. Celebrate the foods of the season with meals and gatherings with family and friends. Take time during autumn to offer gratitude to the foods that the natural world provides, and to honor the patterns of our natural world. In some cultures - most notably Japan - the autumn equinox is marked as a time to honor ancestors and the dead. The equinox also has close associations in many celebrations with the “harvest moon,” which is the full moon that occurs closest to the equinox. Many cultures affiliate this date with the beginnings of harvest season, celebrating with feasts, gifts, special foods, and offerings of gratitude. Learn about Autumn Traditions and Celebrations Around the Worldįor thousands of years, the autumnal equinox has been honored around the world. How have you and your family grown? What kinds of changes are to come in the year ahead? Try setting aside time with your family to reflect on the small and large ways your life has changed since the previous fall. The signs of autumn that we see in the natural world (especially in the tree foliage) are dramatic reminders that the world is always in a state of change. Reflect on Change and Transformation in your Life Need ideas to celebrate the autumnal equinox? Here are some ideas to help you out: The transition from shorter nights to shorter days is also a reminder that our very existence is connected intimately to the relationship between our planet and the solar system. It’s also a time to talk to kids about seasonal changes around us, and notice how colder and shorter days affect the living world. It gives us time to reflect on the relationship between humans and other animals that like many of us use this time to gather the foods of the season to store for the less bountiful months. The autumnal equinox is a time of year that can remind us how we are connected to nature through the bounties it provides. It has affiliations with harvest, abundance, gathering, slowing down, and gratitude. In autumn, the equinox is marked by changes in the natural world that signal a maturation and preparation for the winter months. “Equinox” derives from the Latin words “aequi” (which means equal) and “nox” (which means night) and marks the exact moment between the two solstices when the length of dark and light are nearly the same. The autumnal equinox is an exciting time of year to get outdoors and explore.
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