No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.
Spring season is the embodiment of the spirit of life – new beginnings and refreshed hope. As the weather turns, flowers start to bloom, a light spring breeze takes away the winter gloom. With the sun’s power slowly increasing, the last remnants of winter thaws and gives way to the sweet spring season.
To mark this welcome change, the spring season is dotted with many activities and celebrations. A popular way for people to get together is carnivals and Stockholm Carnival is the biggest indoor Brazilian carnival in Scandinavia – this year, with four dance floors, 1,500 fans of samba, salsa, reggae, Afrobeat will get down as 100 musicians perform, and ten DJ’s spin discs at Bar Brasil, a popular venue in southern Stockholm.
Food is another way to bring people closer. It is said that nobody makes waffles as delicious as the Swedes and it is for this reason that every year on the 25th of March, we celebrate Waffle Day. It started out as a religious holiday, Our Lady’s Day, known as Feast of the Annunciation or Vårfrudagen in Swedish, and slowly evolved into a celebration of waffles. So how did this come about? Since the name of the holiday sounds a bit like waffles in Swedish, eating waffles came to be a popular way to celebrate this day.
Even internationally, spring is the epitome of cheer and joy. The UN has chosen the 20th of March to mark the International Day of Happiness. It aims to make people around the world realize the importance of happiness within their lives. In 2015, the United Nations launched 17 Sustainable Development Goals to make people's lives happier. Its main objectives are to eradicate poverty, reduce inequality and protect our planet. Apart from this, World Wildlife Day celebrated on March 3rd, World Forestry Day celebrated on 21st of March and World Water Day observed on 22nd of March are also occasions that emphasize the importance of spring and the need to act towards climate change mitigation.
The spring season is a mood booster, after a dreary winter, sunlight is the best remedy. Scientists have proven that sunlight exposure increases the release of serotonin in the brain making people happier. Sunlight also lessens the amount of melatonin in the body during the day and increases it at night, allowing for a better night’s sleep. Thus, spring provides us the perfect opportunity to shed old fears and worries and embrace a fresh start. Whether it is new effort required on the professional front, or your personal life that needs an overhaul, spring is just the right opportunity.
So, open your doors and windows and let the fresh air in!