Category: Ostara/Spring Equniox

A Smile for Today

Who says chocolate bunnies, eggs, etcetera is just for a Christian Easter? Enjoy dying your eggs, making Ostara baskets for yourself and your family!

I try to do this every year and my grandchildren love they get goodies and small toys baskets twice. I don’t do an egg hunt anymore as most of my grandchildren are to old to believe in a Goddess hiding eggs or parents are working during the week and it would be hard for a 1 and 5 year old to find them in the dark. After the 1 year old was born in January 2023 we did an egg hunt inside. It was banned as an egg I hid, I make a map to make sure none are forgotten started with my children decades ago, wasn’t where it should have been a search of the area around there turned up nothing. Will my grandson who was 4 at time found it about a month later and ate it. He had moved it so grandma could find it. Unfortunately he did get sick from eating the rotten egg, thankfully he was better in a couple of days.

Let’s Have Some Fun – Printable Ostara Coloring Pages

THE WICCAN CALENDAR: OSTARA (SPRING EQUINOX)

When is Ostara: March 19-23
Ostara pronunciation: OH-star-ah
Themes: balance, renewal, action, beginnings, hope, new possibilities
Also known as: Alban Eiler, Rites of Spring, Eostra’s Day, Vernal Equinox, March Equinox, Spring Equinox, Lady Day, Bacchanalia

Ostara is the second of three spring festivals on the Wheel of the Year. Coming in between Imbolc and Beltane, this is a time for celebrating the balance between extremes that is found amid the seasons. Although it may still be chilly in many regions, this is the official beginning of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere—it is the Vernal (Spring) Equinox, the moment of exact balance between the light and the dark.

Though it’s typically celebrated on March 20, the exact moment of the Equinox varies from year to year. This is due to a slight misalignment between the Gregorian calendar and the actual rate of the Earth’s rotation around the Sun. The Equinox also occurs at differing local times, so depending on where you live, it may fall the day before or the day after the date listed on any given calendar. For this reason, a date range of March 19-21 is often cited in sources on the Wheel of the Year.

In the Wiccan mythology, the growing daylight is evidence of the God moving from infancy toward maturity. Likewise, the Earth becomes warmer and more fertile as the Goddess is coming into the full power of her Maiden aspect. The promise of greener, warmer, more bountiful times is becoming apparent as buds and blossoms emerge from the trees and shrubs, bees return to begin the pollination cycle, and fields of grass wake up from their winter slumber. This is a time of innocence and child-like wonder as the end of Winter finally becomes a reality and being outdoors is pleasant again. We have not yet arrived at the passion and heat of Summer, but are instead enjoying the more balanced energies of this Equinox.

To honor the energies of this time of year, you can decorate your altar Click here to read the rest of this article about Ostara/Spring Equinox

Spell for Today – 5 Simple Ostara Rituals

(YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE ANY SPELLS POSTED TO A DOCUMENT TO PRINT AND/OR SAVE ON YOUR COMPUTER)

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence and Symbols For Ostara c.2022

(YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE ANY COROSPONDENCES POSTED TO A DOCUMENT TO PRINT AND/OR SAVE ON YOUR COMPUTER) 

Correspondences & Symbols of Ostara

Symbols used to represent Ostara include the egg-for fertility and reproduction, and the hare-for rebirth and resurrection, the New Moon, butterflies and cocoons. Symbolically, many Pagans choose to represent Ostara by the planting of seeds, potted plants, ringing bells, lighting new fires at sunrise, either in the fireplace, in the cauldron, or light a balefire outdoors. I always give myself a gift of a newly potted plant or take a seed and plant it within my cast Circle. Ritually, a fire may be lit in the cauldron during (not before) the rite itself. You may want to decorate your altar with a colorful bouquet of Spring wildflowers. Other traditional activities include working on magickal gardens and practicing all forms of  herbal work—magickal, artistic, medicinal, culinary, and cosmetic. author unknown

Ostara Deities: Eostre, the adolescent Spring Maiden, the adolescent Spring Lord, All Youthful and Virile Gods and Goddesses, Sun Gods, Mother Goddesses, Love Goddesses, Moon Gods and Goddesses, and all Fertility Deities including :Persephone, Blodeuwedd, Eostre, Aphrodite, Athena, Gaia, Cybele, Hera, Isis, Ishtar, Minerva, Venus, Robin of the Woods, the Green Man, Cernunnos, Lord of the Greenwood, The Dagda, Attis, The Great Horned God, Mithras, Odin, Thoth, Osiris, and Pan.

Symbolism of Ostara: Renewed promise of life, The Union of the Goddess and the God, Fertility, and dispensing of the old and making way for the new.Resurrection of life , The Season of Rebirth

Symbols of Ostara: Eggs, bunnies, new moon, butterflies, cocoons, dragons, flowers,trees.

Colors: lemon yellow, pale green and pale pink. Other appropriate colors include green, all pastels, Robin’s egg blue, violet, and white.

Ostara Foods: eggs, egg salad, hard-boiled eggs, honey cakes, first fruits of the season, fish, cakes, biscuits, cheeses, honey and ham. You may also include foods made of seeds, such as sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds, as well as pine nuts. Sprouts are equally appropriate, as are leafy, green vegetables.

Plants and Herbs: acorn, broom, celandine, cinquefoil, crocuses, daffodil, dandelion, dogwood, elder, ginger, Gorse, honeysuckle (woodbine), iris, jasmine, jonquils, irish moss, lavender, lemon balm, lilac, Lily, lily of the valley, lovage, marjoram, meadowsweet, narcissus, oak, oakmoss, olive, orris root, peony, rose, rose hips, sage, snowdrops, strawberry, tansy, tarragon, thyme, trefoil (purple clover), tulip, vervain, violet, willow, woodruff and all spring flowers.

Incense: jasmine, frankincense, myrrh, dragon’s blood, cinnamon, nutmeg, aloes wood, benzoin, musk, African violet, sage, strawberry, lotus, violet flowers, orange peel, or rose petals.

Gemstone: agate, amazonite, amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone, clear quartz crystal, garnet, lapis lazuli, moonstone, red jasper and rose quartz.

Spellwork for Ostara: Spellwork for improving communication and group interaction are recommended, as well as fertility, balance and abundance

Animals and Mythical Beasts: rabbits,snakes,unicorns, merpeople, and pegasus

Candle Colors: Yellow and Green.

Tree: The Alder, a tree sacred to the God Bran, who is said to protect the British Isles. Trees are very
important to Witches, and indeed important to us all. They are the lungs of the Earth, purifying the very air we breathe as they shade us and protect us.

Straight from

Raven and Crone

Happy and Blessed Ostara/ Spring Equinox

Ostara – Saxon Goddess Of Spring And Easter

Ostara

From goddessgift.com

 by 

Easter gets its name from the goddess Ostara, also known as Eastre. ​Ostara is a fertility goddess. Her annual arrival in spring is heralded by the flowering of trees and plants and the arrival of babies, both animal and human.

Table of Contents

The Origin Of Ostara

​The Goddess Ostara And The Easter Bunny

​More Easter Bunny Beliefs

    1. Bunnies And Christianity
    2. Resurrection And The Rabbit

Legacy

Ostara Symbols

    1. General
    2. Animals
    3. Plants
    4. Perfumes/Scents
    5. Gems And Metals
    6. Colors

Ostara’s Meaning, Traditions and A Simple Ostara Ritual

From otherworldlyoracle.com

The Spring Equinox is knocking on our dew-stained windows, beckoning us to remember its beauty and release. Many Wiccans, witches and Pagans celebrate the Spring Equinox, also known as Ostara, which falls around March 21st on the calendar each year. Learn all about Ostara’s meaning, how to celebrate Ostara with old and modern traditions, and adapt our simple Ostara ritual as your own.

Ostara and Easter’s Similar Origins

The word Ostara originates from a Spring Goddess’s name—Eostre. The symbols of Ostara are uncannily similar to the traditions of the Christian holiday Easter. Why is this? To find Jesus’ Resurrection Day on the calendar – look at the first full moon following the Spring Equinox, and Easter will be on the first Sunday following the full moon. If it happens the first full moon of Spring falls on a Sunday, then Easter will be on the following Sunday.

Easter & Fertility

The word Easter looks a lot like the Spring Goddess’s name Eostre, doesn’t it? There’s no coincidence there! Ostara (the Spring Equinox) was celebrated by Germanic people and by the Anglo-Saxons. Fertility and rebirth of the earth were the two main reasons for Ostara festivities. The earth is returning to its abundant greenness and the sun is returning to the high skies. Flowers are budding, lambs are bleating in the fields, and the whole of nature is singing.

Ostara Symbols and Traditions

The Easter Bunny is an image on a pedestal with the likes of Santa Claus and The Tooth Fairy. But where does the Easter Bunny come from? Just like so many other historical Holiday icons and traditions, the Easter Bunny was born from Pagan customs. Bunnies are cute, fluffy, and hippety-hoppety. But they’re also known for mating. LOTS of it. It should come as no surprise the Rabbit is one of Ostara’s original symbols of fertility. In addition, there’s speculation the goddess Eostre once had a consort who was part-rabbit.

Easter Eggs

Easter Eggs are another symbol of fertility and rebirth. Christians claim Easter eggs represent Christ’s Resurrection – an egg inevitably means new life or birth into a new life. The “dying of eggs” tradition may have its roots in the ancient Zoroastrians’ painting egg ritual on the Spring Equinox. Painting eggs is a common activity at various times of the year for many countries, including Ukraine, the U.S., Austria, Germany, Poland, Russia, and Bulgaria.

Flowers

Another image that is widely associated with Ostara and Easter…the flower. The symbol of the flower is new life. Flowers have an uplifting effect on us. Their bright colors prove even though there is a time for death, there will always be a time for rebirth. This Ostara, pick some wildflowers and place them in a vase on your table or altar. Or decorate your table with Spring greenery. It will remind you of the beauty of Spring and of the true meaning of Ostara (and Easter, for that matter) which is new life.

13 SIMPLE Ways to Celebrate Ostara …

A Simple Ostara Ritual

If you’re looking for simple Ostara rituals, here’s one of ours to adapt to fit your needs.

On Ostara, stand outside somewhere private. Breathe in the air and remind yourself why Spring is special and magical. Let old memories of the Springtime and Ostara arise in your mind. Holding the joyful memories of spring in your mind:

Turn and face the direction of the sun. Thank the sun for its grand return to the sky and ask for its blessings upon the land.

Thank Mother Nature for her nourishment and love.

If you have shoes on, remove them and allow the earth’s energy to rise into your feet and gradually up your legs and then through the rest of your body.

Choose the nearest tree and walk over to it, still feeling the earth’s energy undulating in waves throughout your body. Hold your hand out to the tree, fingers up and place your palm against the tree, as if saying hello.

Let the tree’s energy flow into your fingers and palm and then into your arm, slowly meeting and mixing with the energy still rising from your feet. Place your other palm against the tree to greet the tree’s spirit.

Let the tree’s energy fill the top portion of your body, including your mind and heart. At this point, you will feel the earth and tree’s energy meeting and combining. If you cannot feel it physically, feel it with your mind and spirit.

Visualize the energies mixing and filling your body fluidly. This is the spirit of Spring and the soul of nature.

Wrapping Up the Ritual…

To end your Ostara ritual, be sure that both of your feet are flat upon the ground and both palms are flat against the same tree. Imagine some of your energy and spirit flowing out from your heart chakra and into the tree.

Think of your solar plexus as sending waves of your energy down through your legs, through your feet and into the earth. This is to give some of yourself to the earth, as you have taken some of its energy in this rite.

Once more, face the sun (don’t stare directly at it), and thank the sun for its warmth and thank the earth for its upcoming gifts to us this Spring.

After you have performed this simple Ostara ritual, remember the exchange of energies for the rest of the day. Remember why we love Spring and be grateful for all of the fruitfulness of the earth. If we take, we must give something in return.

Ostara Recipes: 15 Spring Equinox Foods and Meals from otherworldlyoracle.com

Egg Cleanse: How To Do An Egg Cleansing & Read the Meaning from otherworldyoracle.com

Ostara: The Promise

Ostara, the vernal equinox, is celebration of rebirth and renewal. It’s the promise of eternal life. The green world holds the promise of rebirth.  The grass greens sand a veil of green mists the trees. Daffodil foliage pierces the soil, greeting the spring Sun. In the early evening the small Hylas or “peppers” can be heard singing the spring song from the swamp margins. It’s a song as ancient as time itself. It’s the voice of renewal and enduring life.

To observe Ostara’s promise of life’s eternal cycle, you’ll need two hard-boiled eggs. Place them on your altar. Hold one egg. Think of how it holds the promise of new life. Peel the egg and discard the shell. Slowly, with purpose, eat the egg. The white represents the future. The yolk represents the life-giving Sun. Last, decorate the second egg with life affirming design of your choice. Flowers, a cross, and a pentacle are a few ideas. Keep the egg for a while, then discard it.

Let Ostara’s promise of new life spark your energy and creativity.

By James Kambos in Llewellyn’s Witches’ Datebook 2024 Page 57

Blessing From WOTC to Our European Readers on This Beautiful Ostara/Spring Equinox

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for Ostara – Printable

Blessing on This Beautiful, Sunny Ostara/Spring Equinox

From all of us at WOTC we wish you and your family a bountiful year full of new awakenings, love, hope and joy.

March 20 Daily Divination Journal – Ostara

Tarot Card

From Tarotx.com – Gilded Tarot Deck

Six of Cups

Menu of Contents

 

I. Meaning of the Six of Cups Gilded Tarot

II. Message of the Six of Cups Gilded Tarot

III. Interpretation of the Six of Cups Gilded Tarot in a spread

Rune

From TheRuneSite.com – Medieval Runes

Sól

Sound: “ss” as in “kiss”
Stands for: Disk of the sun
Magick/Healing use: Brings the healing power and warmth of the sun.

Witch’s Rune

From GroveandGrotto.com

The Leaf

Ostara
Growth, abundance, promise of harvest, good fortune.  A strong “maybe”.

Ogham

From LearnReligions.com – Celtic Ogham

Fearn or Fern

Fearn represents the Alder, which is often found holding up the banks of a river or creek. Patti Wigington

F is for Fearn or Fern, which is associated with the Alder tree. The Alder is representative of the evolving spirit. Connected with the month of March and the spring equinox, Alder is the symbol of Bran in Celtic mythology. In The Mabinogion, Bran laid himself across a river as a bridge so that others might cross–likewise, the Alder bridges that magical space between earth and the heavens. It is also associated with oracular powers–Bran’s head was an oracle in legend.

Alders are often found in swampy, boggy areas, and conveniently, their wood doesn’t rot when it gets wet. In fact, if left to soak in water, it becomes hardened. This came in handy when early Britons were building strongholds in bogs. The city of Venice, Italy, was originally built upon piles of Alder wood. Once it’s dry, though, Alder tends to be less than durable.

Fearn Correspondences

Mundane Aspects: Keep in mind that you are an individual… but so is everyone else. When you look at someone, see the unusual which makes them themselves–and allow them to see that uniqueness in you. Be a mediator, a bridge, between people who may be having a disagreement.

Magical Aspects: Follow your instinct. Others will turn to you for advice and counsel during spiritual disagreements, and it’s your job to be the mediator and voice of reason.

I Ching

Click here for more detailed information about Hexagram 18 from iching.online

(Question – What do my southern hemisphere readers need to know for Mabon?)

Hexagram Eightteen/18

Ku / Repairing the Damage

Winds sweep through the Mountain valley:
The Superior Person sweeps away corruption and stagnation by stirring up the people and strengthening their spirit.

Supreme success.
Before crossing to the far shore, consider the move for three days.
After crossing, devote three days of hard labor to damage control.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

You are blessed with an opportunity to resuscitate that which others have abandoned as beyond repair.
This ruin wasn’t caused by evil intention, but by indifference to decay.
Just by addressing yourself to the problem, you exhibit a new awareness, a fresh perspective.
This is a time of recovery, renewal, regeneration.

Numerology

Click here to read more about the numerology meaning of the number 18 from numerology.com

Eight

Every number in Numerology has a different meaning. The real substance is in the single digits; each of these numeric symbols casts a unique energy that impacts us on both external and internal levels — and even how it relates to our compatibility with other people! By understanding the different meanings of these numbers in Numerology, we can better realize the messages the numbers are sending when they appear in our lives. If there is an abundance of the number 8 in your life, the meaning of these messages center around hard work, success, and karmic balance.

What is the definition of 8 in Numerology?

Of all the numbers in Numerology, the number 8 is the achiever and measures life by the goals it reaches. It has good business sense, a powerful presence, and a strong drive for success. The 8 is also a symbol of balance — you can see it in its symmetrical shape. For every blessing it receives, it puts one back out to the universe. When things are balanced, they feel stable, controlled, and supported, which is the most productive environment for the 8 to work in.

In Chinese culture, the number 8 is considered the luckiest number of all, and …

Angel Number

Click for more information about Angel Number 321 from informationseries.com

Three Hundred Twenty One

Basic knowledge of angel number 321

An angel number has a meaning as a block of numbers and a meaning separated. Also, when it comes to a three-digit number like angel number 321, the meaning of the middle number is the strongest. First, let’s learn basic knowledge.

321 can be decomposed most strongly in the middle number

In the case of angel number 321, it means “321”, “3”, “2” and “1”. The 321 means that believing in God gives you the support of the Ascended Master. It has multiple meanings.

3-digit numbers are considered to have the strongest meaning in the middle

It is said that the energy of an angel number increases as the number of digits increases. Also, in the case of numbers like three digits, the middle number has strong energy. In the case of angel number 321, the energy of the number 2 is strong.

Meaning of angel number 321

Angel number 321 has multiple meanings, but the overall meaning is supported by the ascended master. It also means trusting God and turning fear into confidence and security. Let’s take a closer look.

Ascended Master Dedicated Help

Ascended Masters are saints who have accomplished feats in the human world, such as Jesus Christ and Buddha. The Ascended Master has been a lofty person even after the Ascension. By believing in the Ascended Master, you will receive a positive message…

Animal Spirit Guide or Helper

Click here for more information about the spiritual meaning for the RAccom from UniGuide.com

Raccoon

Raccoon meanings and symbolism include disguise, trickery, adaptability, dexterity, resourcefulness, and training. In this post, you’ll learn about raccoon symbols and meaning and the raccoon spirit animal. Plus, you’ll learn about the raccoon in cultural mythology and more.

Table of Contents

What does a raccoon symbolize?

Etymology of the Word Raccoon

Detailed Racoon Symbols and Meanings

Raccoon Mythology and Folklore

Native American Raccoon Meanings

Raccoon in Natchez Culture

Choctaw Raccoon Meanings

Abenaki Tribe: Azeban the Trickster

Sioux

Winnebago

Biblical Meaning of the Raccoon

Japanese “Raccoon”: The Tanuki

China: The Red Panda

Raccoon Spirit Animal

Raccoon Power Animal

Raccoon Totem

Raccoon Dream Meaning

Raccoon Tattoo

Organizations that Protect Raccoons

 

 

Happy and Blessed Ostara Dear Sisters and Brothers – Printable

OSTARA LORE

 

OSTARA LORE

A traditional Vernal Equinox pastime: go to a field and randomly collect wildflowers [Thank the flowers for their sacrifice before picking them, using a collection formula such as can be found in “An Herbal Grimoire”]. Or buy some from a florist, taking one or two of those that appeal to you. Then bring them home and divine their magickal meanings by the use of books, your own intuition, a pendulum or by other means. The flowers you’ve chosen reveal your inner thoughts and emotions.

It is important at this time of renewed life to plan a walk (or a ride) through gardens, a park, woodlands, forest and other green places. This is not simply exercise, and you should be on no other mission. It isn’t even just an appreciation of nature. Make your walk celebratory, a ritual for nature itself.

Other traditional activities include planting seeds, working on magickal gardens and practicing all forms of herb work – magickal, medicinal, cosmetic, culinary and artistic.

Foods in tune with this day (linking your meals with the seasons is a fine way of attuning with nature) include those made of seeds, such as sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds, as well as pine nuts.

Sprouts are equally appropriate, as are leafy, green vegetables. Flower dishes such as stuffed nasturtiums or carnation cupcakes also find their place here. [Find a book of flower cooking or simply make spice cupcakes. Ice with pink frosting and place a fresh carnation petal on each cupcake. Stuff nasturtium blossoms with a mixture made with cream cheese, chopped nuts, chives and watercress.]

Happy and Blessed Ostara Dear Sisters, Brothers, and Guests

Ostara – Sabbat Lore and Traditions

For more about Ostara

Date: September 20  – 23

Other Names: Spring Equinox, Lady Day, Alban Eiler (Druidic)

Pronunciations: uh-star-uh, oh-star-uh

As Spring reaches its midpoint, night and day stand in perfect balance, with light on the increase. The young Sun God now celebrates a hierogamy (sacred marriage) with the young Maiden Goddess, who conceives. In nine months, she will again become the Great Mother. It is a time of great fertility, new growth, and newborn animals.

The next full moon (a time of increased births) is called the Ostara and is sacred to Eostre the Saxon Lunar Goddess of fertility (from whence we get the word estrogen, whose two symbols were the egg and the rabbit.

The Christian religion adopted these emblems for Easter which is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. The theme of the conception of the Goddess was adapted as the Feast of the Annunciation, occurring on the alternative fixed calendar date of March 25 Old Lady Day, the earlier date of the equinox. Lady Day may also refer to other goddesses (such as Venus and Aphrodite), many of whom have festivals celebrated at this time.

Herbs: Daffodil, Jonquils, Woodruff, Violet, Gorse, Olive, Peony, Iris, Narcissus and all spring flowers

Traditional Foods: Leafy green vegetables, Dairy foods, Nuts such as Pumpkin, Sunflower and Pine. Flower Dishes and Sprouts

Incense: Jasmine, Rose, Strawberry, Floral of any type

Stones: Jasper

Recipes

Ancient Celebrations for Today – OSTARA

For more about Ostara and the Wheel of The Year

Ostara marks the Spring Equinox, which happens between March 19 -23. Ostara is a pagan celebration of the German goddess Eostre and the origins of the Christian celebration of Easter. As the beginning of spring Ostara is a good time to literally and figuratively plant seeds for the future.

In modern day living Ostara is also good time to start taking action on the ideas and goals you started thinking about around Yule and Imbolc. What you plant during Ostara will be ready to be harvested during the coming summer months and the sabbats of Beltane, Litha and Lughnasadh.

Ostara is also a good time to freshen up your home and life. Take time to do some spring cleaning. Cleaning isn’t just limited to your home. Take some time to declutter and clean up areas where you spend a lot of time, like your car, your computer (delete those old emails!) or your work office.

Symbols Of Ostara

Colors:  Green, pink, blue

Foods:  Eggs, honey, sprouted greens, baked goods, asparagus

Stones:  Aquamarine, amethyst, rose quartz

Symbols:  Rabbits, eggs, spring flowers , lambs, clover, baskets

Flowers & Plants: clover, daffodils, crocus, tulips

Deities:   Isis, Estotre, Adonis

Ways To Celebrate Ostara…

THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2021: HOLIDAYS, FUN FACTS, FOLKLORE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SEPTEMBER

From The Old Farmers Almanac

What happens in the month of September? It’s a little for everyone: the last days of summer and the first days of fall. See September holidays, advice, recipes, fun facts, and trivia below.

September, in Old England, was called Haervest-monath (Harvest Month). This is the time to gather up the rest of the harvest and prepare for the winter months.

There are flowers enough in the summertime,
More flowers than I can remember—
But none with the purple, gold, and red
That dye the flowers of September!
—Mary Howitt (1799-1888)

THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER

September’s name comes from the Latin word septem, meaning “seven.” This month had originally been the seventh month of the early Roman calendar.

SEPTEMBER CALENDAR

  • September 6—the first Monday in September—is Labor Day. Canadians also observe Labour Day.
  • September 6 is also Rosh Hashanah, a Jewish holiday that marks the beginning of the new year.
  • September 11 is Patriot Day, held in honor and remembrance of those who died in the September 11 attacks of 2001. This year marks the 20th anniversary of September 11.
  • September 12 is Grandparents Day. Honor your grandparents today—and every day!
  • September 15 is Yom Kippur, the holiest holiday in the Jewish calendar.
  • September 17 is Constitution Day. This day celebrates the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, which occurred on September 17, 1787 (just five years prior to the founding of The Old Farmer’s Almanac, believe it or not!).
  • September 21 is recognized as the annual International Day of Peace. Observances range from a moment of silence at noon to events such as peace walks, concerts, and volunteering in the community.
  • September 22 marks the start of fall! This year’s Autumnal Equinox occurs at 3:20 P.M. EDT on Wednesday, September 22. At this time, there are approximately equal hours of daylight and darkness.
  • September 29 is Michaelmas. Michaelmas is an ancient Celtic “Quarter Day” which marked the end of the harvesting season and was steeped in folklore.

“Just for Fun” Days

Have fun with these strange celebrations in September!

  • September is National Happy Cat Month
  • September 8: National Hug Your Hound Day
  • September 13: Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day
  • September 19: International Talk Like a Pirate Day
  • September 24: National Punctuation Day

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD

Mid-Autumn Festival: September 20–21, 2021

Also known as the Moon Festival, this holiday has been celebrated for at least 3,000 years and is said to be the second largest festival in China after the Chinese New Year. Observed on the 15th day of the eighth month of the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, it can occur in either September or early October in the Gregorian calendar.

This autumn festival occurs during the full Moon nearest the fall equinox, which is traditionally said to be the brightest and roundest. Local festivities might involve brightly colored lanterns, dances, games, and other entertainments. Families and friends celebrate into the evening to give thanks for the harvest and for being together, offering each other wishes for happiness and long life and remembering loved ones who live far away.

Celebrants may make offerings to the Moon goddess Chang’e or share traditional mooncakes by moonlight. These round pastries, which symbolize the full Moon and reunion, are often filled with red bean or lotus seed paste surrounding a salted egg yolk in the center.

September Zodiac

September’s zodiac signs are Virgo (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) and Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22). Find out your zodiac profile!

See the Best Days to do things this month.

SEPTEMBER ASTRONOMY

Full Harvest Moon

September’s full moon, the Harvest Moon, reaches peak illumination on Monday, September 20, at 7:54 P.M. EDT. Read more about September’s Full Moon!

Moon Phases for September

New Moon: September 6, 8:52 P.M. EDT
First Quarter: September 13, 4:41 P.M. EDT
Full Moon: September 20, 7:54 P.M. EDT
Last Quarter: September 28, 9:58 P.M. EDT
See more about Moon Phases.

Check out our Sky Watch for the month’s best night sky events.

RECIPES FOR THE SEASON

We like to think of September as the month of apples, as apple-picking becomes a common weekend pastime. Here are a few recipes for this fruit of the season:

Wondering which kind of apples to use in your dish? See the Best Apples for Baking: Apple Pie, Applesauce, Cider & More to find out!

For more fall recipes, use our Recipe Search.

SEPTEMBER GARDENING

The garden may be winding down, but there’s still plenty left to do!

See more gardening jobs for September.

EVERYDAY ADVICE

If you’re planning on baking some apple pies, try consulting our Best Apples for Baking article.

Do you still have herbs left over? If so, use them to make your own herbal remedies.

Try this fun fall craft using apples: Apple Heads.

Help out the birds this coming winter by preparing some bird food for them.

FOLKLORE FOR THE SEASON

  • Heavy September rains bring drought.
  • September dries up ditches or breaks down bridges.
  • September blow soft, till the fruit’s in the loft.
  • Married in September’s golden glow, smooth and serene your life will go.
  • If the storms of September clear off warm, the storms of the following winter will be warm.
  • Fair on September 1st, fair for the month.

SEPTEMBER BIRTH FLOWERS

September’s birth flowers are the aster and the morning glory. The aster signifies powerful love, and the China aster expresses variety or afterthought in the language of flowers. The morning glory symbolizes affection. It can also mean coquetry, affectation, or bonds in the language of flowers. Find out more about September’s birth flowers and the language of flowers.

SEPTEMBER BIRTHSTONE

The September birthstone is the sapphire, which was once thought to guard against evil and poisoning.

  • Sapphire is a form of corundum that is typically blue, a color caused by tiny bits of iron and titanium; the vivid, medium blues are more valuable than lighter or darker forms. Due to various trace elements, sapphires also appear in other colors. Those with red colors are called rubies.
  • Sapphires were thought to encourage divine wisdom and protection. They symbolized purity, truth, trust, and loyalty. Some believed that if they were placed in a jar with a snake, the snake would die.
  • The sapphire, along with the related ruby, are the second-hardest natural gemstones, with only the diamond being harder.

Find out more about September’s birthstone.

THIS MONTH IN HISTORY

September 12: Choices

On this day in 1962, President John F. Kennedy went to Rice University in Houston, Texas, to make a speech justifying his proposed $5.4 billion space program. He had called on Congress in the previous year to fund a massive project to put a man on the Moon and bring him home safely before the end of the decade. Toward that end, he asked his vice president, Lyndon Johnson, to make it happen. Johnson, a Texan, was happy to oblige.

The plan was to establish a Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, upon land that had been made available by Rice University (which had received it from Humble Oil and Refining Company). If that happened, federal money would flow to that city and to Rice, a university distinguished for its scholarship, if not for its football. In football, the University of Texas was king, although Rice gamely played Texas every year.

Kennedy challenged 35,000 listeners, sweltering in the Rice football stadium, to think big: “But why, some say, the Moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask, Why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic?” he asked. Then he added another impossible goal, one he had jotted in the margin only minutes earlier: “Why does Rice play Texas?”

The line drew a huge laugh and added a touch of humor and humility to the soaring rhetoric. His speech continued, soon issuing the now famous lines, “We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard … .”

Kennedy eventually got his moonshot, although he did not live to see Neil Armstrong’s 1969 moonwalk. And, three years after the speech, in 1965, Rice beat Texas. It would be 28 years before that happened again.

 

Some Ostara Correspondences