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Akitu and Tammuz (diety)
"Akitu (Sumerian Akiti-šekinku "cutting of barley", Akiti-šununum "sowing of barley", Babylonian rêš-šattim "head of the year") was a spring festival in ancient Mesopotamia. The name is from the Sumerian for "barley", originally marking two festivals celebrating the beginning of each of the two half-years of the Sumerian calendar, marking the sowing of barley in autumn and the cutting of barley in spring, in the month of Nisannu (Aries). In Babylonian religion it came to be dedicated to Marduk's victory over Tiamat."
Afghanistan
Nowruz
"The first day of spring is the beginning of the new year, Nowruz, in the Afghan calendar. Nowruz (also Naw-Rúz, Norooz, Newroz, Navroj, and many other variants) marks an important traditional holiday festival celebrated in Afghanistan as well as in many other countries such as Azerbaijan, Iran and Tajikistan,
Persia
Nowruz
"The first day of spring (celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, which usually occurs on March 21 or the previous or following day depending on where it is observed) is the beginning of the new year, Nowruz, in the Iranian calendar. Nowruz (also Naw-Rúz, Norooz, Newroz, Navroj, and many other variants) marks an important traditional holiday festival celebrated in Iran as well as in many other countries with a significant population from one of various Iranian peoples, such as Azerbaijan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, and by Kurdish communities in Turkey and Iraq and elsewhere."
May Day
"May 1 is the date of several public holidays. In many countries, May Day is synonymous with International Workers' Day, or Labour Day, which celebrates the social and economic achievements of the labour movement. As a day of celebration the holiday has ancient origins, and it can relate to many customs that have survived into modern times. Many of these customs are due to May Day being a cross-quarter day, meaning that (in the Northern Hemisphere where it is almost exclusively celebrated) it falls approximately halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. In the Celtic tradition, this date marked the end of Spring and the beginning of Summer."
Easter
"Easter is the most important religious feast in the Christian liturgical year. Christians believe that Jesus was resurrected from the dead on the "third day" (two days after his crucifixion), and celebrate this resurrection on Easter Day, two days after Good Friday. The date of Easter varies between 22 March and 25 April in Western tradition, and between 4 April and 8 May in Eastern Christianity."
Chinese New Year
Main article: Chinese New Year
"The Chinese Spring Festival is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is often called the Lunar New Year, especially by people in mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first month (Chinese: 正月; pinyin: zhēng yuè) in the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th; this day is called Lantern Festival. Chinese New Year's Eve is known as Chúxī. It literally means "Year-pass Eve". The usual starting date is the second new moon after the winter solstice, i.e. between mid-January and mid-February in the Gregorian calendar."
India
Main article: Indian Spring Festival
"Holi, celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon of the lunar month Phalguna (February/March), is the most vibrant festival of colours celebrated by Hindus in India. People throw water and apply colour powders on each other.
Vasant Panchami is celebrated in North India on the fifth day of the Indian month Magh (January-February), the first day of spring."
Vietnam
Main article: Tết
"Vietnamese use the traditional lunar as well as the modern solar calendar. The celebration of Vietnamese New Year in late January or early February is regarded as the beginning of Spring. The lunar calendar is used mainly to divide the year into seasons for agriculture purposes. In the old days, the celebration used to last the entire month of January of the lunar calendar. Traditionally, firecrackers are used on New Year's Eve, or đêm giao thừa in Vietnamese, to scare away bad spirits."
Pakistan
"Kite festival competitions are held all over Pakistan and awards are distributed among winners."
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