Now that we’ve gone over the history – or lack thereof – of Ostara, let’s talk about ways you can celebrate the Spring Equinox in 2023! This year Ostara falls on Monday, March 20th. And as I’ve stated in the history post:
“…it is important to note that it doesn’t matter how much or little history is behind a festival or holiday. Concern with historical evidence defeats the purpose of observance and celebration in the first place. A holiday or Sabbat can lack in history and be just as meaningful spiritually.”
The History of Ostara
Having said that, let’s get started!
11 WAYS A MODERN WITCH CAN CELEBRATE OSTARA IN 2023
- BUILD AN OSTARA ALTAR
If you are a regular reader of mine, I always start off my Sabbat celebration lists with building an altar. I find it helps to get into the mindset of the Wheel of the Year turning when I remove the previous Sabbat’s cloth and decorations. After cleaning and cleansing the surface, I practice some visualization and then get into setting up the new altar.
Here are some Ostara correspondences you can include when building your own altar:
- White or pastel pink, blue, yellow, green or lavender altar cloth
- Amethyst, aquamarine, moonstone, moss agate, peridot, rose quartz, sunstone
- Spring flowers: crocuses, violets, tulips, daffodils, lilies*
- Herbs: lemon balm, lemongrass, clover, tarragon, thyme
- Fallen twigs from alder, ash, birch, or willow trees
- Food: baked goods, eggs, honey, sprouts, asparagus, peas, lettuce, rhubarb
- Objects that symbolize balance: a scale, black and white items, god and goddess representatives
- Decorated and/or dyed eggs
- Animals: chicks, birds, hares, rabbits, lambs
- Deities: Asase Yaa, Cybele, Freya, Osiris, Saraswati, Eostre**
Remember that as it’s your altar, arrange it how you are called to. Make it personal to your taste and your path. It doesn’t have to be large or elaborate. You can even construct a jar altar where you place small representatives of Ostara in a container and place it central in your home. Follow your intuition and get creative!
- PERFORM AN OSTARA MEDITATION
An Ostara meditation can benefit you in a couple of different ways. First, it offers a time for you to sit and ponder the winter and all that you experienced. It’s also a great time to think about what you learned and how you can apply it towards your spring goals. Second, an Ostara meditation invites you to think about those spring goals and your intentions, plus anything you wish to experience.
Just like your Ostara altar, this doesn’t have to be a complicated affair. It does not have to take hours out of your day either. Even 10 minutes can do you wonders. Personally, I like to meditate first thing in the morning. It sets the tone of my day and gives me a chance to quiet any noise of overthinking before it has a chance to take things over.
Carve out a sliver of your time, head outdoors if the weather permits, and settle in. Relax in a comfy position and breathe slowly. You can decide what to focus on beforehand or allow your mind to decide in the moment. Again, follow your intuition and allow your thoughts to flow. Give yourself the space to let things happen naturally.
- SPRING CLEAN AND CLEANSE
They don’t call it spring cleaning for nothin’! This method of celebration is beneficial for the ‘out with the old and in with the new’ mantra. As Mother Nature awakens from her long wintery slumber, view your spaces that you occupy in the same light.
Take the time for deep physical cleaning and then follow up with an in-depth cleanse. Dust, declutter, delete – make room and space for your goals and intentions to manifest. View this activity as a way to sweep out old habits and patterns while blessing your home for the coming cycles of life.
- PLANT SOME SEEDS
Take this both literally and figuratively. Figuratively, think about the goals and ideas you mulled over during Yule and Imbolc. Now is the time to make an action plan and take those first steps to actualize them. Remember that what you plant now will be ready for harvest during Beltane, Litha, and Lughnasadh.
As for literally, now is the time to get those seedlings started and your soil and pots ready for the upcoming season. Remember that this Sabbat is all about honoring the Earth’s fertility! And even if you don’t garden, consider buying a fully matured houseplant to care for.
- THE INCREDIBLE EDIBLE EGG
A prominent symbol of Ostara, eggs can be made in at least 100 ways! Click here for 100 egg recipes. Choose a recipe or two, serve up some yummy dishes and reflect on what Ostara means to you.
Perhaps you could even host an egg brunch that features different types of egg dishes for each course. Serve the spread outside, make some mimosas, and enjoy the company of friends and family. Celebrate in true Springtime fashion!
- TEA TIME
In the same vein of an egg brunch, host a tea party outdoors. You could even incorporate delicate egg sandwiches as a feature. Offer up different kinds of tea – including an option for iced or hot – and decorate in Ostara’s corresponding colors.
- GET OUTSIDE
A walk or hike where you can bird watch and collect stones, sticks, and other bits of nature is the perfect way to celebrate Ostara. After being cooped up indoors for the duration of winter, it is a welcomed activity for most. You could also take the opportunity and do a ritual for grounding.
This way of celebrating is perfect for those with little ones. Make a game out of it by turning it into a scavenger hunt – but always be respectful and ask permission before taking anything from Mother Earth.
- NURTURE YOUR INNER CHILD
Springtime brings with it a new and refreshing energy. I don’t know about you, but it makes me feel like a kid all over again. To celebrate this type of energy and Sabbat, get outdoors and fly a kite. Dance and laugh in the sunshine. Read a book under a tree. Make flower crowns and wreaths. Blow bubbles.
Do all of the things you used to do when you were a kid. Do all of the things you didn’t get a chance to do when you were a kid. Nourish and nurture that child that still lives inside.
- DECORATE EGGS
You knew this was coming, didn’t you? You can stick with the tried-and-true method of dip dying eggs or take it up a notch. Try your hand at painting them, using crayons, adding some glitter, gluing decorations – use your imagination and really get creative!
- BAKE YOUR HEART OUT
Symbolic of growth, the yeast we use to bake Ostara breads and buns rises just like our newly planted seedlings. And just as a freshly baked loaf is pulled from the oven, it reminds us of the finishing of our last harvest. Baking is the perfect way to honor this cycle.
Even if you aren’t a baker, head to your local bakery and pick out the freshest goods you can find. Take it home and reflect on this representation, decorate with flowers and fruit, and as you take a bite, relish in the moment.
- HOLD AN OSTARA FEAST
Outside of constructing an altar, my other mainstay of any Sabbat celebration is to hold a feast. When planning the menu I aim to align food that is local and in season. I also make sure to incorporate sustenance that represents the themes of Ostara.
A typical Ostara menu for me looks like:
- Bacon and Chive Deviled Eggs
- Quiche
- Scones
- Hot Cross Buns
- Spring Mix Salad with Vinaigrette Dressing
- Creamed Spinach
- Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Leg of Lamb
- Ambrosia
- Lemon Bread
This is typically served throughout the day, sometimes standing up and eating over the sink! We make it a family affair and do what’s called the ‘kitchen dance’ where we both pitch in. Leftovers can be taken on a picnic in the following days – if there’s any left, that is.
IN CONCLUSION…
There you have it, Witches! Are there any other ways you celebrate this Sabbat? Will this be your first Ostara celebration? Let me know in the comments! And as always, Bright Blessings and Happy Crafting!
*Lilies are poisonous to pets
**”Interestingly, Eostre doesn’t appear anywhere in Germanic mythology, and despite assertions that she might be a Norse deity, she doesn’t show up in the poetic or prose Eddas either. However, she could certainly have belonged to some tribal group in the Germanic areas, and her stories may have just been passed along through oral tradition.
So, did Eostre exist or not? No one knows. Some scholars dispute it, others point to etymological evidence to say that she did in fact have a festival honoring her.”
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