Things to do for Ostara

fae-sidhe:

Ostara is the spring festival, and the pagan pre-cursor to Easter, falling between the 20th and 22nd of March. Here are a list of easy things you can do to celebrate the festival at home!

• Paint and decorate eggs! Hard boil them first and use vegetables to stain them or simply paint your designs onto them, they look lovely in a decorative bowl.
• Collect a bunch of spring flowers, go outside with friends or while walking your dog and hunt for some pretty spring blooms. These might include daffodils, lesser celendines, dandelions, snow drops, primroses or blackthorn blossom. Be sure to be considerate with what you take, don’t take too much, and ensure to do your research first to make sure that none of the flowers you’re picking are endangered (such as bee orchids or cowslips). Place them in a pretty jug or vase with plenty of water to invite some life and spring freshness into your home. 
• Bake bread! Any type of bread is good, but hot-cross-buns are traditional, the cross on representing the crucifixion to Christians, or the wheel of the year to pagans!
• Do an Ostara-egg hunt, or an egg rolling competition. Simply line up your eggs with your fellow competitors at the top of a hill, and the first egg to reach the bottom wins! A great game for kids at this time of year, and a little different from the traditional egg-hunt. 
• Light candles, place them in your window on Ostara Eve to symbolize your hope for the new season. 
• Invite friends around and have an Ostara feast. Traditional seasonal foods include; lamb, rabbit, eggs, honey, bread, onions and leeks, potatoes, cakes, lemon, oranges, stews, soups and salads. 
• Make an Ostara alter, dedicated to the goddess, or just the season itself. Decorate with painted eggs, rabbit/hare ornaments, candles, incense, fresh flowers and green and yellow cloth.

Have a blessed and safe Ostara everyone! ❤