International Women's Day March 8 - a holiday of spring. Traditions, history and features of the celebration of March 8

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Now the celebration of such a wonderful holiday as March 8 is, for the most part, familiar and does not bring any surprise. However, if you remember what the history of the emergence of International Women's Day is, then most modern women should rejoice in a special way. After all, few people remember how hard the struggle was for many of the rights that we now have. But once upon a time, women could not afford to think about something more for themselves. In those distant times, they had neither the right to vote nor work in government institutions. Let's remember everything and figure out what is the meaning of the holiday on March 8?

Gender differences

A woman is a fragile creature by nature, designed to support her man, continue the human race, keep the family hearth and raise children. Of course, since primitive times, the position of ladies in society has changed significantly. A modern woman works on a par with a man, moreover, in all areas: heavy andlight industry, science and business, politics and culture. And many of them are very prosperous in this field. However, to achieve the current situation, women had to go through a lot. So let's plunge into the past (when International Women's Day was not yet declared) from the very beginning to the present day and find out how the holiday arose and how it is celebrated in different countries.

The suffering of women in society

For many tens and even hundreds of years, the beautiful half of humanity was oppressed and humiliated both physically and morally. So, almost a third of women were subjected to violence by their partners or criminals: beatings, sexual harassment and other types of abuse. Also, more than 130 million girls have undergone such a disgusting procedure as female circumcision, during which their external genitalia were removed. And only recently have these unfortunates been given the opportunity to be freed from this. Countless women and girls were sold into slavery, including sexual slavery, and were given in marriage at an early age - up to 8 years. If we talk about the labor and political sphere, then the struggle for rights is still going on, since the average salary of women is still less than men, and they occupy less than a third of managerial posts. In Muslim countries, there are many prohibitions for ladies, explained by religious canons. Thus, gender differences have existed since ancient times and to this day, so it is not surprising that women are so actively fighting for rights on an equal basis with the stronger sex.

Origins

If you talk about how it appearedInternational Women's Day, then you need to start a conversation from the dawn of the human era. Since ancient times, it was believed that a man is a breadwinner, he is the head of the family, and therefore, he must make all decisions, be responsible for his wife and children.

However, over time, this state of affairs ceased to suit women, and they began to actively fight for their rights in all areas of activity. It is believed that International Women's Day began on March 8, 1957, when the so-called "march of empty pots" passed through the central streets of New York. It was held by textile workers, workers of local clothing factories, because of disagreement with their working conditions. With their performance, they wanted to draw attention to themselves, fight for their rights in the working area and achieve their demands: namely, better conditions and higher wages. In this, International Women's Day also had political overtones. After all, women were eager not only for production, they wanted to have the right to vote and their representatives in state institutions and the government. And they achieve this with hard work, albeit gradually. And they can already boast that thanks to their efforts, a bright and joyful International Women's Day has appeared (although the history of the holiday was not so happy).

Symbols of the holiday

Despite the fact that there were many other women's protests, the holiday was officially approved and registered by the UN only in 1975. However, for millions of beautifulcreatures, this March 8, International Women's Day, has become their huge victory, and therefore, even separated by oceans and thousands of kilometers of land, ethnic, cultural and political differences, they now have a legitimate opportunity to celebrate this delightful day. The holiday has become the personification of justice, equality and courage. And also all those qualities that every woman is endowed with - kindness, tenderness and love. Now this holiday is truly international, and in many countries it is also declared national. And all this is the merit of those brave women who were not afraid to fight for their rights.

Modern Celebration

In modern society, this holiday is perhaps one of the warmest. On this day, in many countries of the world, women dress up in their best dresses, invent amazing hairstyles, put on spectacular makeup. Husbands bring coffee to bed and organize dinner at a restaurant, suitors give fragrant flowers and delicious sweets, and sons visit their mothers and spend the day with them. It is worth recognizing that International Women's Day is, first of all, a day of attention to all women. Therefore, they simply glow with happiness, congratulate each other, boast of gifts. After all, this is also the small joys of women.

City agencies

It should be noted that in most cases, states actively encourage such a wonderful holiday. Therefore, congratulations on International Women's Day also come from theirside, manifesting itself in large-scale street decorations, beautiful illumination, many concerts and performances. In addition, discounts are announced in theaters and cinemas, and various promotions are offered in clothing stores and even household appliances, and therefore there is a certain shopping boom. But in the field of restaurant business and flower sales, the trend is reversed, it’s no secret that the prices for fragrant buds for beloved ladies and a romantic dinner in a wonderful place on this day are extremely expensive for men, but what you can’t do to smile on the faces of beautiful ladies …

Folk festivals

Events for International Women's Day actively delight the population, especially the young. Since the main number of concerts are held on the main streets of cities, a large mass of people accumulate there. People walk, listen to songs and sing along, eat different goodies in local cafes, take pictures, go to parks and entertainment venues. And in educational institutions and various organizations, congratulations to ladies of any age are also held on the last working day before the holiday. So, schools and universities are decorated inside and out, arrange concerts with musical and dance numbers. And men, guys and boys collectively give gifts to their companions, read poems and prose congratulations and pay attention all day long. However, this happens in most European countries and in the post-Soviet space, but how is International Women's Day celebrated in individual countries?

In Armenia

As we know, in countries such as Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, March 8 is marked with a red number on the calendar, which means that the entire population has a guaranteed day off on this day, and in reality it turns out, on average, about three. Only Armenia can brag before them, where the celebration of International Women's Day has turned into a “month”, which lasts from March 8 to April 7. However, they got it after a difficult struggle with gender differences. Here's how it was. The fact is that when Armenia was still part of the USSR, the holiday lasted one day and was a state holiday, but after the collapse of the Union, the new government of the country canceled March 8 and instead announced April 7 as Beauty and Motherhood Day. Women resisted the changes and achieved the restoration of the previous date, and now Caucasian machos honor Armenian women for a whole month! And this is the best manifestation of justice.

In Turkmenistan, Lithuania, Poland and France

This wonderful holiday was canceled in many other countries after the collapse of the Union. So, in Turkmenistan, it was combined with Navruz, turning it into a general concept of spring and joy, but women still managed to return it, and even hold it again in the year. In Lithuania, it was also excluded and then restored in the list of public holidays, but now it is still celebrated with demonstrations, concerts and other events. In Poland, the celebration of International Women's Day was declared a relic of the socialist system and banned. However, the traditions, fortunately, have been preserved, and the ladies still get theirlong-awaited special attention from the male sex. But in France, on the contrary, although the holiday is present on the calendar, it is celebrated only in communist families, no matter how sad it may be.

In Italy and elsewhere

In countries located closest to the border with Asia, March 8, International Women's Day, is still not so loud and bright, on the contrary, it is treated with restraint. And now they only have Mother's Day, and therefore, alas, congratulations go only to parents and pregnant women. But in Italy, March 8 is radically different. So, if in Russia men give attention and flowers to their women and spend time with them, then in this country the ladies are isolated and celebrate inside the circle exclusively without partners. Their symbol of the holiday is a sprig of mimosa as the first gift of spring.

Asian

In Vietnam, the history of the emergence of International Women's Day is also not simple, but later it was combined with another important day for the state - the memory of the Trung sisters, who bravely led the fight against the Chinese invaders more than 2 thousand years ago. Therefore, in this country, in addition to congratulations from men, the presentation of the state is also held. awards from ruling organizations. But in China, this day is rather belittled, since it is believed that this is a holiday of exclusively married women. However, male students still honor the traditions of celebrating March 8 and from the very morninggather under the windows of their girlfriends' dorms with posters and colorful balloons, publicly shout declarations of love, gather together at the sites for folk festivals.

Home celebration

Of course, on this wonderful day, all men try to surprise and please their women as much as possible. This is manifested, first of all, in the search for interesting ideas for this event. Most, of course, are limited to albeit standard, but still extremely pleasant things, namely, waking up loved ones with a kiss, bringing breakfast and fragrant beautiful flowers to bed. Then a home celebration is held, guests are invited, a wonderful table with sweets is laid. And in the late afternoon, while the ladies are putting on a marathon, the men put on ironed suits with a shirt and even a tie, take their only ones to a restaurant for dinner, and give long-awaited gifts there.

Holiday Ideas

Those men whose we alth allows them to pay special attention to their lady, of course, arrange real demonstration performances. So, they give their loved ones jewelry, furs, cars and expensive cell phones, place congratulations on city billboards, prepare corporate parties. If the we alth is small, then men act more creatively. So, for example, young guys can put together a real flash mob for their girlfriends or independently set up a romantic dinner at home, as expected, with flowers, candles, where they can boast of their culinary skills andgive your only rest. But men can safely give their partners various gift certificates, coupons or discount cards to beauty salons, shoe and clothing stores, perfumes, spas, massages and other feminine amenities. Fortunately, commercial organizations are actively trying to facilitate the ideas of men by issuing such shares.