The daffodils are blooming, the clocks will soon change and Easter is nearly upon us – and spring is finally here.

Winter is officially behind us as March 20 marks the beginning of spring in an astronomical sense. It will come to an end on Wednesday, May 31.

This is what much of the public goes by when heralding the start of spring, and is commonly marked on calendars.

What is the spring equinox?

The spring equinox signifies the midway point between winter and summer, when day and night are almost equal in length.

The astronomical definition of spring is based on the passage of the Earth around the Sun.

The way the Earth rotates means that different parts of the globe are titled towards the Sun whilst others are away from it.

Because of this there is a difference in the amount of sunlight that reaches different parts of the Earth at different times of year.

On March 20 we'll have exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night.

Celebrating the spring equinox in Wales

The Druids, the ancient priests of Britain and Ireland, have always celebrated the spring equinox.

Long seen as the ancestors of Wales' bards, the druids celebrated something they called "Awen", meaning something along the lines of “divine inspiration” or “flowing spirit".

The festival of the spring equinox in Druidry is Alban Eilir meaning "The Light of the Earth" according to

The website explains: "As the Sun grows warmer, so life begins to show through the soil. Plants are seen by some as inanimate greenery with no actual feelings and life force.

"But Druids see life in all living things, from rocks and stones, to rivers and springs, plants and trees - all life is sacred. How does a plant know when it is time to grow? It cannot tell the time or see a calendar.



These are traditions marking March 20 from around the world

1. Balance an egg


The theory goes that, due to the sun's equidistant position between the poles of the earth at the time of the equinox, special gravitational forces apply.

This is, of course, nonsense. But it does still make for a fun party game - and you can save your eggs to paint on Easter Day.

2. Throw some coloured powder

Revelers throw coloured powders in the air during the Holi Festival of Colors in Lisbon. The festival is fashioned after the Hindu spring festival Holi, which is mainly celebrated in some regions of India and Nepal

Holi is an ancient Hindu festival celebrating the victory of good over evil. It takes place each year around the time of the vernal equinox.

Known as the "festival of colours", it is celebrated by tossing vibrant coloured powders onto each other and dancing in the streets. This year, Holi started on Sunday, March 12.

3. Wear a shamrock

The symbolic plant of the equinox in Druidry is the trefoil or shamrock, which is also customarily worn on St. Patrick's Day.

The three leaves shaped like hearts were associated with the Triple Goddess of Celtic mythology, otherwise known as the "Three Morgans"

The shamrock is thought to be symbolic of the regenerative powers of nature.

4. Plant seeds

The spring equinox is symbolic of rebirth, renewal, and growth, and in ancient Italy, it was traditional for women to plant seeds in the gardens of Adonis on this day.

The custom persists in Sicily, where women plant seeds of grains - lentils, fennel, lettuce or flowers - in baskets and pots.

When they sprout, the stalks are tied with red ribbons and the flowers are placed on graves on Good Friday, symbolising the triumph of life over death.

5. Visit an ancient monument

Many of the world's ancient monuments were built as astrological calendars, to map the movement of the Sun over the course of the year.

The equinox is therefore a great time to visit these monuments, as they are often aligned to make the most of the Sun's unique position in the sky.

At Stonehenge in Wiltshire, the sun can be seen rising precisely between two stones, while at Chichén Itzá in Mexico, the rising sun transforms one edge of the giant pyramid into a blazing serpent, representing the Mayan god Kukulcan.

A version of this story first appeared on The Mirror