March brings longer days, increased sunshine, greener grass, and colors abounding as flowers start to blossom and bloom – all which lead up to the first day of Spring on the 20th.

That day, known as the March or vernal equinox, is when the length of day and night is nearly equal (12 hours each) in all parts of the world, hence the literal meaning of the word “equinox,” which comes from the Latin words for “equal night”—aequus (equal) and nox (night).

The vernal equinox marks the moment the sun crosses the celestial equator. This is the imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator, from south to north, says nationaldaycalendar.com.

In 2021, March 20 will mark the vernal equinox – or the first day of spring – and after that, the amount of sunlight will increase incrementally each day until the first day of Summer. 

“With the equinox, enjoy the increasing sunlight hours, with earlier dawns and later sunsets,” says almanac.com.

To welcome spring this year and help mark the occasion, nationaldaycalendar.com is touting a hashtag — #SpringBegins – for people to use across social media platforms to post pictures of a sunset, your favorite flower at a park or garden or even a selfie mowing your grass for everyone to see, share and bask in.