Spring Around the World: Festivals, Traditions and Important Anniversaries

Spring Is Here: All the Colours of the World

India: The Holi Festival

In India, people celebrate the Holi festival, which takes place on the first night of the spring equinox. The streets are illuminated by bonfires to drive away evil spirits and represent the triumph of good. The next day, people throw powders of different colours mixed with water, then they dance and sing.

Mexico: The Plumed Serpent

On the first day of spring, people go up to the temple of Chichén Itzá, dedicated to Kukulkán, the plumed serpent. On the steps of the pyramid, there are lights. When the sun sets, the shape of the serpent goes down, and when the sun rises, it returns to the sky.

China: Spring and Light

In China, people celebrate Qingming, the Festival of Brightness, which is held between 4th and 5th April, 15 days after the equinox. It is traditional to visit the tombs of ancestors to honour them and bring offerings of food. When the sun sets, people light kites and let them fly in the sky. They look like special stars, and it is said that if you cut the string of the kite, you will have health and good luck.

Japan: Cherry Blossom

In Japan, people celebrate hanami, which means "admiring the flowers". Spring there is magical, as cherry trees colour the streets pink. For the Japanese, the cherry blossom is a symbol of the fragility of life and rebirth. Hanami takes place from the beginning of April until mid-May.

Holland and Its Tulips

The symbol of Holland is the tulip. Keukenhof is the biggest flower park in the world. The park is open from mid-March to mid-May. There are millions of tulips and other flowers, such as roses and orchids. It is like a sea of flowers.

Ancient Egypt: Sham El Nessim

In Egypt, people celebrate Sham El Nessim, which means "smell the air". On this day, Egyptians go out for a walk or a picnic, as the air has a more favourable effect than usual. They also eat eggs, which symbolise new life; fish, which symbolise wealth and health; and lettuce, which symbolises hope.

Important Anniversaries

Alexander Graham Bell

He was born in Scotland on March 3rd, 1847. He was an inventor, engineer and scientist who made many great inventions in hydrofoils, optical communications and aeronautics. He invented the first practical telephone. Most of his family was interested in the field of elocution, and his mother and wife were deaf. In 1876, he patented the first telephone. Through different experiments, he called his invention an "intrusion", because, as a scientist, he did not want to use the telephone.

The English Football League

The oldest football league competition was born on 22nd March 1888. There are professional football teams in England and Wales. When it started, there were 12 teams; until 1950, the number of clubs had grown to 92. In 1992, 22 clubs in the league separated to form the Premier League. It is one of the most watched sports in the world. Manchester United has won the Premier League 13 times, but Manchester City holds the record for the most points in a Premier League season, with 100 in the 2017–18 season.

Heathrow Airport

At first, it was called London Airport until 1966. It is the second busiest airport in the world. It has five different terminals and is located 23 kilometres from central London. At the beginning, it was a small airfield built on land bordering farms and gardens in 1920. In 1944, it began expanding for military aircraft. When the war ended, the British government decided to use the airport for civilian purposes.

The Union Flag

The Union Flag, also called the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom and an iconic national symbol. In 1606, King James VI of Scotland also became King of England and Ireland, uniting the three countries and reminding separate states of the union of England and Scotland. The new flag was created on 12th April 1606, joining both flags together, and was used on English and Scottish ships.

Charlie Chaplin

He was an English comic actor, filmmaker and composer who was famous during the era of silent films, thanks to his screen character, the Tramp. His film career lasted more than 75 years. He started working at a very young age because his family was poor, and then he began working as an actor and comedian. He did almost everything for his films, such as writing, producing and editing. He received many awards during his lifetime, and his films are considered some of the best films of all time.