February 1-7 is known by many names, one of which is Candlemas. Candles are lit to welcome and bring back the light and warmth of approaching spring. The practice of rousing sleeping ground hogs to predict the return of spring has grown out of this holiday. Ostara or the Spring Equinox is on March 21. This is a time of balance and promise, with days and nights of equal length.
Trees begin to bud and plants push up out of the ground.
The Christian holiday of Easter gets both its name and its rite of Easter egg hunts from this holiday. In the old pagan rite of Ostara, eggs symbolized the birth of spring, they were decorated and wishes were made upon the eggs for the coming growing season or the granting of personal needs. Easter, by the way, always falls on the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon following the spring equinox. Celebrated symbolically by dancing around a Maypole to awaken Mother Earth from winter's slumber and ensure an abundant growing season. Litha or the Summer Solstice on June 20 or 21 is the high point of the year, when the sun is at its zenith and the joyful aspects of light, life and love are celebrated.