Important Information: 

Ostara [Oh-star-ah] is very similar to Easter, a widely known Christian holiday, so there will be some similarities and differences between the two. This article is being made to explain where its long-lost sibling came from and how you can celebrate it with your friends and family.

In the section What Symbolizes Ostara, there will be the talk of essential oils, crystals, incense, etc. I do NOT condone using these materials to replace modern medicine like your doctor/pediatrician and prescribed/over-the-counter medicine. You may use these things to relax with, enjoy the Sabbat, and possibly use them in your day-to-day life to bring you joy and peace, NOT to use it instead of therapy.

What Ostara is About:

Ostara is typically on the first day of spring, essentially a festival for the spring equinox. In the northern hemisphere and in the year 2022 it will land on March 20th. Ostara is a time when farmers begin to plant seeds and get ready for their gardens to grow, and the balance between light and dark because Ostara is on the Spring Equinox.

What To Do During Ostara:

What to Eat:

There are many things you can cook for Ostara, and while Ostara doesn’t represent anything related to Easter (Catholics and Pagans/Wiccans developed their respected holidays around the same time, and it was German immigrants in the USA that introduced the easter bunny, colored eggs, etc.), a lot of these foods involve eggs such as: deviled eggs, quiche, and egg frittata with asparagus. Other more general foods include honey, sprouted greens, focaccia bread and baked goods like Lavender And Lemon Shortbread.

What Activities to Do:

There are many things to do during Ostara. Since it’s spring, it introduces many new activities, like how you can connect with nature. Whether it’s going in your backyard and appreciating all the wildlife coming back or taking the time to start your garden and do some spring cleaning. The options are nearly endless. The ones that are more common are decorating eggs because even if Ostara does not represent that, it’s still pretty fun to do it. Not only this but if you’re not in the mood to decorate them there’s still a fun activity that uses eggs. 

All you need to do is get an egg and write your intentions for spring on it (like health, love, happiness, etc.) and bury it underneath or next to the seeds you planted so as they grow, so do your goals. As an added plus, eggs make good fertilizer. If you don’t wish to do activities that involve the arts that’s totally okay, because you can also do things like reading about spring such as where good hiking spots are, or what plants are native to your area, or you could research folktales from your ancestors about spring if they have any available. Lastly for my witchy friends, now might be an especially good time to use flowers and herbs in your candle magic!

What Symbolizes Ostara:

There are a surprising amount of things that can symbolize Ostara, but they all sound as expected. Colors that symbolize it include pastel pink, green, blue, yellow, and some gold here and there. Some herbs and plants that symbolize Ostara include crocus, daffodil, ginger, honeysuckle, iris, jasmine, rose, strawberry plants, violets, clover, lilac, mint, narcissus, peonies, tulips, lemongrass, spearmint, and catnip. Crystals that symbolize it are aquamarine, moonstone, rose quartz, amethyst, bloodstone, clear quartz, green moss agate, and jasper. Finally, some incense and oils that symbolize Ostara include cedarwood, geranium, grapefruit, jasmine, lemon, lime, chamomile, sandalwood, tangerine, and wild orange.