Unique spring traditions (beyond Egypt’s immortal love for smelly feseekh): We know nothing beats the Sham El Nessim traditions we still embrace, but this list of the eight best spring traditions around the world lists the gatherings that dare to come close. High on the list is the Songkran water festival, celebrating the Thai new year. The annual event combines going to a Buddhist monastery and visiting elders with a tradition of throwing water at anyone you meet (think truckloads of people engaging in giant water fights).

We also love the sound of the spring equinox of Teotihuacán, Mexico, where thousands gather at the Aztec Pyramid of the Sun, some 30 miles northeast of Mexico City, dressed in white to observe the spring equinox on 20 or 21 March. They spend the day “raising their arms towards the sky” to “soak up energy for the year.”

The takeaway: While decorated eggs and the Easter Bunny have become universal spring symbols, diverse ways of welcoming sunnier days and regeneration are something to be celebrated in their own right too.