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The Surprising History Behind The Spring Equinox

2 minutes estimated reading time

Goodbye, Old Man Winter! This year handed a harsh winter to us here in Ohio, with February snow storms that had wide-reaching effects across the entire United States. Luckily we are safe here at Delaware Court, and we even managed to take advantage of the cold and snow by making fun crafts and playing engaging games. Just imagine what we’ll be able to do in the spring!

Speaking of spring, the spring (vernal) equinox takes place in just a couple of weeks, on March 20th this year. Do you know what an equinox means compared to the solstices or their cultural history?

The solstices take place in June and December, and they’re “the days when the Sun’s path in the sky is the farthest north or south from the Equator,” according to Britannica. It’s when the Sun reaches its highest point in the sky, halfway between sunrise and sunset. The days will start getting much longer, and that’s a reason to celebrate! On the other hand, the equinoxes initiate the spring and fall seasons.

Throughout Persian history, the vernal equinox is treated as the new year. This makes sense since things begin to grow and come alive again! In another culture, the ancient Chinese tied the swallow bird to this day after a legend involving a woman named Chien-Ti who had a miraculous virgin birth after either winning a swallow’s egg or having one dropped in her mouth, depending on which version you read.

Do you know of legends about the vernal equinox from other cultures? What do you do, if anything, to celebrate it here in the US? We’d love to hear from you!

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