The question which definition to use divides countries and regions around the world.

For
example, Australia and New Zealand use the meteorological definition, so spring begins
on September 1 each year. In many other countries, both definitions are used,
depending on the context.

In Ireland, St Brigid's Day on February 1 is often thought to mark the beginning of spring
in the ancient Celtic calendar system. Some cultures, especially those in South Asia
have calendars that divide the year into six seasons, instead of the four that most of us
are familiar with.

In Finland and Sweden, the dates of the seasons are not based on the calendar at all,
but on temperatures. This means that the seasons within each county start and end on
different dates, depending on the regions and their climate.

In Iceland, the first day of summer, a national holiday, falls on the first Thursday after
April 18.