First Day Of Spring Fun Facts And Trivia 2016: What Does ‘Vernal Equinox’ Mean And More Answers to Questions About Season

The first day of spring means more than snow melting and flowers blooming. To find out some fun and interesting trivia facts, continue reading below, courtesy of Express and MSN.

1.What does vernal equinox mean? “Vernal” is the Latin word for spring and "equinox" is the Latin word for “equal night.” It’s one of two days in the year where there is nearly 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness, but this event doesn’t always coincide with the first day of spring.

2.Does the first day of spring occur in the same day? No. The first day of spring changes because there are 365.242 days in the Gregorian calendar. Sometimes, spring falls on March 20, like in 2016. Other times it falls on March 19 or 21. These dates are true for the northern hemisphere. The seasons are flip-flopped in the southern hemisphere.

3.Is there a spring goddess? In ancient Greece, the Greeks named Persephone as the goddess of spring. She oversaw growth and rebirth. During the winter, she would go underground and was known as the Queen of the Underworld. But every spring, she would return.

4. Was it always called spring? The first season of the month used to be referred to as Lent or Lenten until the 16th century.

5. What are common spring flowers? Lilacs, tulips, lilies, iris, dandelions and daffodils are all associated with spring.

6. Can you stand an egg on its head on the first day of spring? You might be able to, with perseverance, on the first day of spring or any other day of the year.

7. When did “spring cleaning” start? The first known time there was a “spring cleaning” was in 1857.

8. Is “spring fever” real? While it might sound like an old wives tale, spring fever is both psychological and physiological. The human body can have trouble adjusting to the new temperature and increase in light.

9. What is Ostara? It’s a festival observed by Scandinavian religious groups of Wiccans, who celebrate the end of the cold, dark winter and the beginning of spring.

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