The snow is melting, flowers are blooming, and the days are getting warmer. It must be spring! Cultures around the globe have different traditions for welcoming the new season, from festivals to parades. We asked Fishers residents to share their most treasured spring traditions and memories from years past.
Read on for some unique spring traditions celebrated by our local residents.
The Crell Family – Amy, Steve, Jacob, Hannah, & Emma
“Passover or Pesach is a festival of freedom, commemorating the Jewish People’s redemption from slavery in Egypt. Observance of Passover begins with a Seder, a special ceremonial meal that recounts our story from slavery to freedom through stories, song, and ritual foods. After the Seder, special foods are eaten during the eight-day holiday to serve as a reminder of the journey of our ancestors from slavery to freedom.
This year, Passover begins on the evening of April 5 and ends on April 13. Our Seder is a fun-filled afternoon and evening with family, friends, delicious foods, and songs.”
The Rajsheel Family – Priyamvada, Ram Yadav, & Manas Yadav
“Holi is a Hindu festival that takes place every spring. It’s all about new beginnings — Holi welcomes the spring season and celebrates the end of winter. The Holi festival always falls on Purnima, or the day of the full moon. It’s a two-day holiday; the day of the March full moon is Holika Dahan. That’s when a bonfire is lit for a puja (or prayer). The bonfire is cleansing and meant to burn away all the bad and evil.
The next day is all about the festival of colors. People gather, sing, and dance around the bonfire and pray for the safety of their loved ones. Participants play, chase, and color each other with dry powder and colored water, with some carrying water guns and colored water-filled balloons for their water fight. This celebration is accompanied with songs and dance in a colorful and joyful atmosphere. People visit family and friends to throw colors on each other, laugh and chit-chat, and then share Holi delicacies, like food and drinks.”
The Homer Family – Ruth & John
“We are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Our church holds annual conferences on the first weekend in April. Easter Sunday usually falls on or near a conference Sunday, and speakers frequently celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection. Important events in church history are often scheduled as part of April Conference, and my family will remember these sacred experiences as spring traditions.
Also, our immediate family in Central Indiana will study the New Testament and remember the Savior in family worship every evening. For our family, spring brings renewal of faith and family connections.”
The Mohamed Family – Yasser, Rehab, Hussein, & Amr
“Myself and all Muslims will be observing the holy month of Ramadan this spring. The month actually follows the lunar calendar, so it doesn’t have to be in spring every year; a few years ago it was in summer!
Ramadan is a month of fasting (from dawn to sunset), prayer, and reflection. We usually get together as a family at sunset and eat a big meal to break our fast, and at dawn we eat another meal before we start fasting. On top of fasting, the whole month is a time of added spirituality and giving. A lot of charity is done this month and my family will usually go to the mosque more than usual. A sense of community is also a big part of Ramadan, as we’ll try and meet with extended family and family friends to break our fast. It honestly feels like Thanksgiving every day!”
The Adamson Family – Kristen, Drew, Kaitlin, & Bennet
“Our family has many fun spring traditions! Celebrating Easter is a special time at our house and definitely kicks off the spring season. We always decorate with bunnies and spring colors, and the kids love coloring eggs to use as decorations, as well.
On Easter Sunday, we typically go to church, have egg hunts and have a special Easter brunch or meal with family. A few years ago, we started doing an Easter scavenger hunt instead of a traditional egg hunt with cousins, and it has been fun to watch the kids work together to solve clues and find a special Easter surprise.
During the spring season, we also create a spring bucket list. It has been fun for me to hear my children list off the fun things they hope to do together as the weather warms up. Many of the items on the list are activities that we traditionally do each spring and others are new things to try. It is a great way to ensure that we carve out time to do special things together!”
Amy Crell is the Volunteer Coordinator for the City of Fishers. She and her husband have lived in Fishers for 31 years, where they raised their three children. Her favorite things to do in Fishers are enjoying bike rides, taking daily walks with her dog Dot at Cumberland Park, visiting the Fishers AgriPark, and shopping the Fishers Farmers’ Market and local boutiques. She also enjoys gardening, exercising, volunteering, and hanging out with her kids and close friends. She is on the Executive Committee for Fishers Multi-Faith Community for Compassion and is a founding member of The Indiana Multi-Faith Network. Her favorite aspects of Fishers are the people, the strong sense of community, and the abundance of fun and interesting opportunities to get out, get involved, have fun, and be enlightened.