Although one swallow does not make a spring , but surely spring has sprung, and why not celebrate it? Did you know that there are various celebrations all around the world just to welcome spring?

March 20th is the first day of spring in the Northern hemisphere and it is also called Vernal Equinox or Spring Equinox, which is on 22nd of September in the Southern hemisphere. This is the day when there are exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness in the Northern/Southern hemisphere.

If I mention cherry blossoms, most people would recognize it as the symbol of the beginning of spring in Japan. But how about other countries? Have you ever thought that scrambled eggs, exploding snowmen, flower festivals and burning dolls, could all be associated with the celebration of the start of spring? Marzanna is one of the festivals from around the world during which Polish people celebrate the beginning of spring. Marzanna is a doll, usually made of straw, which symbolizes the winter. The dolls are paraded on the streets of Polish cities and taken to a river or lake and then they are tossed into the water, which symbolizes the end of winter.

If this celebration seems too scary for you and you are looking for a more cheerful spring welcoming activity, the Netherlands offers you a beautiful flower parade, which is 12 hours long and it gives you the opportunity to catch a glimpse of many magnificent flowers such as hyacinths, tulips and daffodils.

And believe it or not, there s a country, where they celebrate the beginning of the springtime by eating scrambled eggs, and this country is Bosnia. The egg is the symbol of new life, and huge amounts of scrambled eggs are cooked in enormous pots and handed out for free.

If you are still upset about the cold during winter, and you can t wait for the arrival of spring, don t be upset, remember this proverb: No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.

Words and phrases:

One swallow does not make a spring(or summer) means that one day or brief time of happiness does not make a person entirely happy.

英文諺語，意指一花不獨春；一燕不成夏

Northern/southern hemisphere北/南半球

Paraded 遊行

hyacinths, tulips and daffodils風信子 鬱金香 洋水仙

No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow means that even though you are facing difficulties in your life good periods will come too

英文諺語，只要你夠堅持，好事總是會發生