Bring in spring

A tradition in my home since I was young was to cut some branches, often from a birch-tree, where the buds are just about visible and then put them in fresh water and bring them indoors in a vase. After a day or two, the leaves start appearing in the warmth and the light of the room. 
This might be a little bit early yet, I brought the twigs in because I have guests on Sunday and want to try my luck. The arrangement is usually called "Påsk-ris", easter-twigs, and are normally brought in a bit later, sometime in March. Around easter, the twigs are usually decorated with multicoloured feathers or chicken-dune and sometimes also with small eggs, easter eggs, in plastic, wood or chocolate.  
We are quite obsessed with spring in Sweden.