Blessed be! Today marks the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere; spring traditionally begins with the vernal equinox. Many witches and neo-Pagans also celebrate Ostara on the first day of spring. It's a joyous holiday to welcome the nicer weather, flowers, and rebirth after winter's harshness. You don't need a fancy home altar to celebrate Ostara — just gather these supplies and get in the magical mood.
Eggs, real or fake.
Just like Easter, eggs are traditionally used in an Ostara altar and ritual. They symbolize the bounty and new life of spring. You can use real eggs and cook them up afterwards (more on that below), or fake eggs, like in the beautiful Ostara setup above.
Flowers and greenery.
For Ostara, you want to surround yourself with as much living flora as possible. Flowers, house plants, succulents, anything green is a welcome symbol of nature's bounty. You can pick flowers from your garden or some fallen leaves from a tree.
Green, yellow, purple, and pink candles are also a lovely addition to your ritual.
Bunnies!!!!
Another similarity to Easter traditions, rabbits are a favorite Ostara motif. They symbolize rebirth, and lots of it — rabbits are known for getting their springtime mating season on. They are one of nature's most prolific creatures!
A broom.
Spring cleaning is a huge part of the Ostara tradition. Before setting up your altar, use a broom to sweep dust out of the your space. It's both a ritualistic and practical cleansing to welcome the warm rays of the sun.
Now, for your ritual chant.
There's a ton of Ostara ritual chants you can find all over the internet, but I love this one from The Grimoire of Lady Sheba ($13.50, Amazon), a spell book that was first published in 1972. Lady Sheba's rituals are full of flair and drama, which is why I like them. I took photos of her Ostara ritual chant, pictured above, though I did crop out some parts that were probably fine in 1972, but are totally problematic today.
You don't even need to say the whole thing — Ostara is meant to be a very lighthearted, happy occasion, so give blessings in whatever words feel right to you.
Now, you feast!
What ritual is complete without a feast? None, I'd say! Scramble those eggs, enjoy a refreshing salad, fruit mix, anything that tastes fresh. Enjoy jam and honey on your bread, indulge in sugary cinnamon rolls, devour a bowl of strawberries — this is the time to enjoy the bounty of spring. Happy Ostara!
