Ostara: The Pagan Celebration of the Spring Equinox

Ostara is the pagan holiday that falls the Spring Equinox on the Wheel of the Year. It comes between the two fire festivals of Imbolc and Beltane. The date of the holiday changes each year depending on the astronomical time of the Equinox, but occurs between March 19 and 21.

Ancient cultures honored the Spring Equinox, but Ostara is a newer holiday that became popular when Wiccan Gerald Gardener added it to the Wheel of the Year in the 20th century.

Ostara is linked to the Germanic goddess Ēostre, the goddess of the dawn who, according to some, represents fertility and the arrival of spring. (More on that in a moment.) The vernal equinox is about balance, renewal, and the return of the light.

The History of Ostara

Ostara has pagan roots in ancient seasonal celebrations, but is not an ancient pagan holiday. Neo-druids call it Alban Eilir and Gerald Gardner popularized the use of the Spring Equinox as a sabbat as part of the Gardnerian Wicca traditions during the 1940s and 1950s. All of that said, the Wiccan belief in the Goddess’ fertility and the God’s growth, are inspired by ancient cultures.

For Wiccans, the Goddess at Ostara is the Maiden, and the God is a youthful or young horned god, full of vitality and promise. At Ostara, he is emerging from the dormancy of winter. His power is connected to the increasing strength of the sun and the growing fertility of the earth, which will peak at Beltane.

It’s believed that the holiday is called Ostara because of Eostre, a goddess mentioned once in the 7th century writings of Anglo-Saxon monk Venerable Bene. In the Reckoning of Time, he goes over the names of the months, writing about the fourth month (Eosturmonath, meaning Eostre’s month) that:

Eosturmonath has a name which is now translated ‘‘Paschal month’’, and which was once called after a goddess of theirs named Eostre, in whose honour feasts were celebrated in that month. Now they designate that Paschal season by her name, calling the joys of the new rite by the time-honoured name of the old observance”

Kathleen Herbet, in her book, Looking for the Lost Gods of England, says the name Eostre means “from the East” in German and derives from the word “dawn.” There’s also a Greek goddess known as Eos. But, that’s all we know about her. We can surmise that she was a Spring fertility goddess because the Anglo-Saxon name for April was named after her, but that’s mostly just a guess.

Is There a Connection Between Eostre and Easter?

We don’t know. But, but there might be between the spring equinox celebrations and Easter. Jacob Grimm, of Grimm’s Fairytales, created the Eostre/Easter problem when he wrote Teutonic Mythology volumes in the 19th century.

Grimm ran with Bede’s idea and through conjuncture decided that the then German word for the month of April (Ostermonat) connected to Bede’s Eostre. And, that the Easter celebrations of the time, including the eggs, must be linked to her. (Despite the fact that we know literally nothing about her festivals or worship.)

But the Easter custom of dyeing eggs is actually a nod to the mythological Phoenix bird and its ability to resurrect itself. Christians also dyed the first Easter eggs red, the color of blood, not a color of spring or abundance.

Finally, to say that Easter is linked to Eostre because of the similarity in name is a stretch. Except in a few languages, including English, the word for Easter is a variation of the word Pascha. Pascha derives from the word Pesah meaning Passover.

All of that said, there is certainly a connection between the themes of Easter and the pagan vernal equinox celebrations.

What Were Some Ancient Spring Equinox Celebrations?

The ancient Romans honored the goddess Cybele and her partner Attis in a festival known as Hilaria around this time. Their myth involved themes of death and resurrection, and symbolizing the cycle of nature’s rejuvenation.

The Greeks recognized that Persephone, the Goddess of Spring, returned from the Underworld at this time, but her primary celebrations were in the fall.

The Mayans honored the feathered serpent deity Kukulkán associated with fertility, the rain, and the wind (he’s known as Quetzalcoatl in Aztec culture). At Chichen Itza, a temple dedicated to Kukulkán, as the sun sets on the vernal equinox, it casts a shadow on the northern staircase of the pyramid, creating the illusion of a serpent descending the steps. This symbolizes the god’s descent to Earth.

Finally, the Ancient Egyptians honored the goddess Isis during springtime. Her myth and the resurrection of her husband Osiris at this time of the year, ties into themes of life overcoming death and the cyclical nature of the earth.

Ways to Celebrate Ostara

Neo-pagan Ostara celebrations include rituals to celebrate the spring. Here are some you might want to consider.

• Go for a walk in nature or simply observe the changing season and the green grass, new leaves, and all the animal activity.
• Decorate an altar using flowers like lavender and lilacs, green and yellow candles, eggs, or representations of rabbits and birds.
• Start seeds for plants that attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
• Dye or decorate eggs.
• Do some Spring cleaning and declutter to energetically clean your home.
• Cast a circle using collected wildflower petals and do magick or meditate inside of it.
• Drink dandelion tea.
• Make recipes that use eggs or early spring produce like asparagus or rhubarb.
• Do a balancing ritual to honor the equal amount of light and dark.

Here are more Ostara rituals you may want to consider.

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Ostara Symbols and Colors

The traditional colors and symbols of Ostara reflect the energy of renewal, abundance, and balance. As a celebration of the spring equinox, Ostara honors the return of light, fertility, and new beginnings. Choose symbols like eggs and rabbits that evoke growth, awakening, and the blossoming of life.

Here are some Ostara altars to inspire yours.

Ostara correspondences for your altar:

• Eggs: These are a powerful symbol of fertility and new beginnings, perfect for representing spring. For some Wiccans, the sunny yolk of the egg, symbolizes life and vitality or can represent the God. The egg white can symbolize purity, fertility, and the womb, the source of creation.
• Rabbits: Rabbits and hares are another symbol of fertility and new life. They’re so legendarily fertile that a rabbit can become pregnant again before she gives birth to her first litter. Hares are also sacred to many fertility goddesses including Freya, Aphrodite, Wenet, and others.
• Gods: Statues of the Horned God and Goddess or symbols that represent masculine and feminine energies. Other deities to include could be: Persephone, Isis, Cybele, Kukulkán.
• Plants: Crocus, violets, daffodils, forsythia, rose, peony, iris, narcissus, honeysuckle, jasmine, dogwood
• Herbs: Lavender, rosemary, thyme, chamomile
• Colors : Green, pink, yellow, lavender
• Animals: Rabbits, hares, birds, lambs, chicks
• Food: Eggs, rhubarb, asparagus, peas, lettuce
• Stones and crystals: Rose quartz, citrine, aquamarine, emerald, jasper, amethyst.
• Personal Items: Any meaningful objects that align with your intentions for growth and transformation

What Are Ostara’s Recipes and Foods?

For Ostara, traditional foods reflect the early spring harvest and the celebration of fertility and renewal. Fresh greens, eggs, and spring produce take center stage.

• Eggs: Eggs are a symbol of fertility and the central symbol of the spring holiday.
• Honey: It’s delicious and the color of the sun, and a good way to add sweetness to the day.
• Spring greens: A good way to connect with the turning of the wheel and have gratitude for what is present
• Lemon: The bright, refreshing flavor of lemons reflects the energy of the season.
• Lavender: Like, violet, lavender first blooms in the spring and is a way to add floral flavor to your dishes.
• Mint: This herb is the color of abundance and grows well in this season.

Here are 50 easy Ostara recipes you can make for the Spring Equinox.

Sources and Further Reading

You can find these and other books about paganism, witchcraft, and more in my Amazon storefront.

The Reckoning of Time by Venerable Bede
Teutonic Mythology by Jacob Grimm
Pagan Goddesses and the Early Germanic World: Eostre, Hreda and the Cult of Matrons by Phillip Shaw
Looking for the Lost Gods of England by Kathleen Herbert
Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham
Ostara: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for the Spring Equinox by Kerri Connor

Updated on: February 24, 2025