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Spring has traditionally been the symbol of love, joy, spirituality, youth and melancholy and most importantly beginning of a new life for a person after suffering at the hands of the 'cold world of autumn'.

Symbolism of Spring

Spring is the time of new beginnings, characterized by blooming flowers, the awakening of animals from hibernation to nest and reproduce, the migration of birds towards warmer climates, and is the planting season. Because of these reasons, the season of spring overflows with symbolism. Symbolic themes stemming from spring include:

• Rebirth – Spring is when plants sprout, flowers bloom, birds lay eggs and animals give birth. Basically, spring is the time that nature is reborn. As such, it’s the perfect symbol of rebirth.
• Renewal – This symbolic meaning is derived from the nature of spring whereby crops that had been rendered dormant by winter sprout afresh, flowers bloom, and nature comes to life. Spring is seen as nature’s way of coaxing us to renew ourselves and initiate new projects and fresh ideas.
• Love – Winter, the season preceding spring, is a very cold and snowy time that limits interactions. When spring comes, people can get out and interact freely. There is no snow blocking roads or doorways. Festivities come alive during spring, hence the love symbolism. During late winter to spring, animals feel the shift in weather and procreate, another reason for the love symbolism.
• Youth – The symbolism of youth is derived from the vibrant nature of spring. Everything is fresh and strong. There are also a lot of festivities around this time, which represent youth and freshness.
• Growth – The growth symbolism of spring is closely related to the rebirth symbolism. Spring is the time to plant crops, plantation sprouts and new animals are born and begin to grow.
• Spiritual rejuvenation – Because spring brings with it warmth and light, many religions have ceremonies around this time that encourage the adoption of a fresh motivated outlook on faith. “Spiritual springtime” is a term that has been adopted widely. Two examples of such religions are Christianity with the Easter holiday and the Baha’i who term spring as the time for rejuvenation and intense rapture.

 

Symbols Representing Spring

Springtime is represented by several symbols and signs all centered around energy, renewal, love, and warmth. The Germanic symbol below, for example, is associated with spring and invokes three other signs associated with spring.

• Sprouts – The curlicues emerging above the circle are a representation of new sprouts coming out from the ground or trees, or new buds emerging from flowers.
• Bunnies – The curlicues also look like bunny ears. Bunnies in themselves are a representation of spring in some cultures and religions.
• Aries – The symbol generally resembles the horoscopic sign, Aries which is also an indicator of a new astrological year. Aries season is also known as the season for new blooms, positivity, and good vibes.

Other common signs of spring include fresh flowers, eggs, rainbows, pastel colors, baby animals, and in specific animals such as geese, bunnies, groundhogs, robins, and earth warms.

• Fresh flowers – This is an obvious representation because it’s during springtime that flowers bloom. Usually, a picture of plantation beaming with colorful flowers is a clear indication of springtime.
• Eggs – Eggs are an indication of new birth hence the symbolism for spring. This symbolism is also derived from the fact that most birds begin to lay eggs in early spring. The use of eggs to symbolize spring is also derived from the ancient Teutonic traditions, whereby Eostre, the goddess of spring and fertility, was celebrated by hiding eggs in her honor during the full moon.
• Rainbows –This symbolism is derived from the appearance of rainbows in the rain which in turn tends to fall mostly in spring as nature’s way of hydrating new sprouts.
• Pastel Colors – This symbolism is also derived from the blooming flowers which flourish in plenty during spring. Pastel colors are soft muted hues of bright colors. Some examples of pastel colors are peach, baby blue, lavender, pink, mauve, and periwinkle.
• Baby Animals – It goes without saying that baby animals will signify spring since a lot of animals reproduce during springtime. They’re also associated with youth, freshness, and new beginnings, all aspects of spring.
• Geese – Springtime is characterized by the abundance of geese in ponds, lakes, and rivers.     
• Bunnies – The spring symbolism of bunnies is twofold yet similar. Firstly, bunnies are known to have big families, making them a good reference for springtime birth. Secondly, in ancient Celtic traditions, bunnies were associated with rebirth and springtime.
• Earthworms – These small, wiggly animals that are found in the soils lack teeth, eyes, and lungs but have ten hearts which they use to give love to soil, and in association, contribute largely to plant growth. Earthworms aerate the soil, a process extremely vital for the growth and flourishing of plants hence its symbolic meaning for spring.
• Groundhogs – This symbolism is derived from the habits of the groundhog that hibernates for six months starting in October and emerging in March. A fable that originated from Punxsatawney indicates the ability of the groundhog to determine the time spring starts.
• Robins – The use of robins to symbolize spring is derived from the vibrant presence of these birds that are bright red in color and walk around with a bobbing movement. Robins in themselves are seen as symbols of hope, renewal, and growth.