This article is about the solar holiday. For the 19th-century Viennese publication, see Ostara (magazine); for the pop band, see Ostara (band).

Ostara is one of the eight major holidays, sabbats or festivals of the Wiccan wheel of the year. It is celebrated on the spring equinox, in the northern hemisphere around March 21 and in the southern hemisphere around September 23, depending upon the specific timing of the equinox. Among the sabbats, it is preceded by Imbolc and followed by Beltane.

The name is derived from a goddess said to appear in German legends by Jakob Grimm in his Deutsche Mythologie. Bede indicated that this name was used in English when the Paschal holiday was introduced. This name was then converted to Easter, or Ostern in German. Some scholars question Bede's and Grimm's conclusions because of a lack of supporting documentation for this goddess given that Bede is credited with writing the first substantial history of England, while Grimm was specifically attempting to capture oral traditions before they might be lost.

The holiday is a celebration of spring and growth, the renewal of life that appears on the earth after the winter. In the book Eight Sabbats for Witches it is characterized by the rejoining of the Mother goddess

Traditional Neopagan decorations include budding boughs, flowers, and decorated eggs. The color red, possibly symbolizing the blood of menstruation and birth, is particularly important.

Etymologically, Ostara, or Eostre as it is sometimes called, comes from the word "east", meaning dawn. These words, however, are more widely considered to be derived from the Greek οἶστρος (oistros), meaning "gadfly" or "frenzy".

History of Ostara

Ostara is a modern Wiccan festival, and there is no evidence that Spring Equinox festivals were called by this name in the past. This would put the start of 'Ostara's Month' after the Equinox in March. However, it must be taken into account that these 'translations' of calendar months were approximate as the old forms were predominantly lunar months while the new were based on a solar year. The start of 'Eostremonat' would actually have fallen in late March and thus still associated with the Spring Equinox.

See also: Beltane, summer solstice, Lughnasadh, autumn equinox, Samhain, winter solstice and Imbolc.

Ostara