Spring has finally sprung! Thank goodness! It seems like winter went on forever. With sunny weather and warm temperatures on the horizon, it's a great time to get some henna adornment on that skin!
Photo by Annaliese Tassano of StageRightPhoto.com
Historical use of Henna for Springtime Celebrations
Henna has long been used as a part of Springtime celebrations around the world. Both Henna and Spring are associated with new life, fertility, and transitions and beginnings. In addition to being a beautiful adornment, henna is thought to evoke wealth and fertility and to convey a sense of blessedness and protection to the wearer. While these things can be sought after by using henna at any time, in many cultures throughout history it has been used particularly for springtime holidays and celebrations.
Spingtime is a perfect time for wearing henna- to celebrate the beginning of the warm weather, the awakening of the land, the first sowing of the fields and the tender new growth of plants and baby animals. Several springtime holidays have historically included the use of henna as part of the celebration: Holi (India, Full moon in March), Purim (a Jewish holiday in Early March), Noruz (Spring equinox and the Iranian/Persian New Year), Ganguar (Hindu festival celebrated in parts of India in March), Passover/Pesach (Jewish holiday in early spring), Easter and Orthodox Easter (Christian holiday in early Spring), and the Spring Equinox (March 20).
Henna as part of springtime rituals and celebrations wasn't just for people, either. Many cultures would henna their livestock and pets as part of the seasonal observations. (This was done in part as adornment for the spring festivals, and in part to utilize the anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and sunscreen qualities of the henna plant.)
Henna's use as an adornment and medicine for animals is a tale for an upcoming Blog post- so keep an eye out for that!
Photo by Annaliese Tassano
Here are some links to articles about henna traditions for particular festivals in different countries:
Purim and more about Purim, Passover , Noruz, and Springtime festivals in Lebanon.
More "Rites of Spring"
There are some other springtime happenings that can be made even more special with the addition of henna and other body arts: adornment for prom, entertainment for "After Prom" parties, and henna for graduation events!
Know anyone getting ready for Prom that might like to have some super fancy henna, glitter or foil tattoo body art to go with their dress or tux? Pass along the discount code below so they can take advantage of our spring promotion and get extra adorned for the big night.
Know any soon to be graduates? Henna is a great way to celebrate the huge accomplishment of finishing a degree (whether it's High School or College) and is perfect for graduation parties or grad night lock-in events.
Keep an eye out for our May Give-away on Instagram
If you are already a follower on Instagram, hooray! We love sharing our work and ideas on social media! If you're not already an Instagram follower you might want to JOIN US there to keep an eye out for our upcoming Instagram Give-away! One lucky follower will be the recipient of a free 1 hour henna session or a gift certificate worth $50.00 plus shipping in our Shop! Stay tuned for info on how to participate. The give away will happen May 1-7.
Spring/Blog Celebration Discount Code
Our Spring special promotion is still going strong and we don't want you to miss out! Take 10% off any in studio booking (except bridal) between April 1st and June 1st. Just use the code "CELEBRATE" when you book online or mention the code in our conversation about booking your session.
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Keep Coming Back!
Wedding season is coming right up! In our next post we'll talk about how henna is used for weddings around the world and we'll share some of our favorite wedding henna photos and stories.
