The history of the March 8 holiday has already passed the century mark. Naturally, during such a period of time, history and traditions have developed that relate to both gifts and the celebration of International Women's Day.
Which March 8 traditions can be noted as the most common or the most interesting?
Women's Day traditions in Russia
Our people love this holiday and have been celebrating it with pleasure for decades. What customs have developed around Russian March 8th?
- On this day congratulations to all the better half, without division into age and status. Very little girls, young girls, older ladies, and older women receive their share of gifts.
- The traditional gift on this day is flowers.. They can be in bouquets and in flowerpots. It may be a luxurious designer bouquet, or a touching sprig of mimosa, but flowers on March 8 are practically a mandatory gift.
- On this women's day it is traditional free from all women's chores around the house. Previously, men took over the stove, they cleaned the apartment, baked cakes with their own hands and tried in every possible way to honestly perform that part of the housework, which is usually a woman’s prerogative. Nowadays, many men follow the path of least resistance, limiting themselves to going to a restaurant or ordering food at home, so as not to force their beloved to do housework on the holiday.
- March 8 traditions also include gifts. Once upon a time, they were certificates of honor for production and professional successes, then the holiday became less politicized, and gifts became more festive. Now on March 8, women are traditionally given jewelry, accessories, clothes, and beautiful lingerie. In bad taste is to give kitchen items on March 8th - pots, pans, teapots, potholders and aprons. It's better to give household appliances, if you definitely decide to make your loved one happy with something extremely useful.
- Another tradition of Russian March 8th is a day off on this day.. Since this holiday was declared a non-working day in 1965, it has been a legal holiday for the entire country. And not a single government in the era of change has encroached on this indestructible folk tradition– celebrate March 8 widely and on a grand scale.
- Can definitely be called a tradition congratulations to women in the workplace and in teams. Every company and office prepares for this day differently. Somewhere they throw a whole party filled with fun and surprises, somewhere they limit it to a day off for women. Somewhere they simply give small bouquets of flowers or cute souvenirs, but on March 8, in every institution and workplace, women receive attention, congratulations and compliments.
- It can also be noted culinary Russian traditions March 8. Traditional desserts - cakes or pastries, light fruit soufflés or low-calorie fruit salads - are an obligatory part of the treat. After all, women love sweets. Also, most families try to prepare salads or dishes with the first spring vegetables - after all, you really want to pamper yourself with what you have lost the habit of over the winter: fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, elastic salad greens.
March 8 traditions in other countries
March 8 is celebrated almost everywhere in the former USSR. Ukraine and Belarus, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan - all these countries celebrate March 8, and their traditions are not much different from Russian ones. Still, we have long been one country, with a common cultural space, and similar traditions of celebrating this day. How are things going abroad? After all, since 1977, March 8 received the status of International Women's Day from the UN. What traditions on March 8 are common in other countries?
- In Vietnam, this day is a day off and is celebrated everywhere.. Previously, this one was in memory of the brave Trung sisters who fought against the Chinese invasion of Vietnam and died bravely, preferring death to captivity. In the last century, this holiday gradually changed, and now Vietnam celebrates March 8 as the International Day of Women's Struggle for their Rights.
- March 8th is also celebrated in China. This day is a day off in this country, but only for women. The men continue to work. On this day, Chinese women meet with friends, go to cafes and shopping, in general, try to pamper themselves and their loved ones. And the men prepare the obligatory “Pumpkin of Loyalty” in the evening. The dish includes many different ingredients that are combined into a whole composition inside the pumpkin.
- France, as befits a liberal country, this holiday is not celebrated, but holds special events on this day, something like charity bazaars. The money collected is transferred to the heroine mothers' fund so that they can go on vacation.
- But temperamental Italy, although it did not declare this day a holiday, still did not stay away from the celebration. On this day, Italian women gather in groups of women, meet in bars, chat and treat themselves. And in the evening they go to a disco or club. Moreover, in Rome, men's strip clubs offer women free entry on this day.
March 8 is rich in traditions, but the most important of them is: special attention towards women from men. Take care of your women, congratulate them, give flowers and gifts, pamper them, and not only on March 8, but on all other days.
Why is International Women's Day celebrated on March 8? It turns out that there are no special reasons for this.
It all started in the early spring of 1857... when New York textile workers marched through Manhattan on a “march of empty pans.” They demanded higher wages, better working conditions and equal rights for women. The demonstration was naturally dispersed, but due to its unusual nature it caused quite a bit of noise. This event even began to be called Women's Day…
More than 50 years passed and on the last Sunday of February in 1908, thousands of women again took to the streets of New York. This demonstration, as you might guess, was timed to coincide with that very “ Women's Day» 1857. Women again began to demand suffrage and spoke out against terrible working conditions, and especially against the labor of children. The police received orders to disperse the demonstration. Hoses filled with dirty, ice-cold water were used.
The following year, 1909, Women's Day was again marked by women's marches and strikes. In 1910, socialists and feminists celebrated Women's Day throughout the country. Later that year, delegates traveled from the United States to Copenhagen for Second International Conference of Socialist Women, where we met Clara Zetkin...
Inspired by the actions of the “American Socialist Sisters,” Clara Zetkin proposed that the conference ask women around the world to choose a specific day when they would draw public attention to their demands. The conference, which was attended by more than 100 women from 17 countries, enthusiastically supported this proposal by roll call vote, which resulted in the emergence of International Day of Women's Solidarity in the Struggle for Economic, Social and Political Equality. It should be noted that the exact date of this day was never determined at this conference.
For the first time International Women's Day was held March 19, 1911 in Germany, Austria, Denmark and some other European countries. This date was chosen by the women of Germany because on this day in 1848, the King of Prussia, facing the threat of armed rebellion, promised reforms, including the unfulfilled introduction of women's suffrage.
In 1912, women celebrated this day not on March 19, but May 12. And only in 1914 this day began to be celebrated spontaneously for some reason. March 8.
Since Russia then lived, unlike all of Europe, according to the Julian calendar, International Women’s Day in our country was celebrated not on March 8, but February 23.
In Russia, women have celebrated this day every year since 1913. And so, February 23, 1917, this day has come again in Russia, the women of Petrograd took to the streets of the city to protest against the war. Some spontaneous rallies turned into mass strikes and demonstrations, clashes with Cossacks and police. On February 24-25, mass strikes developed into a general strike. On February 26, isolated clashes with the police resulted in battles with troops called to the capital. On February 27, the general strike developed into an armed uprising, and a massive transfer of troops began to side with the rebels, who occupied the most important points of the city and government buildings. The Council of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies was created, and at the same time the Provisional Committee of the State Duma was created, which formed the government. On March 2 (15), Nicholas II abdicated the throne. On March 1, a new government was established in Moscow, and throughout March throughout the country.
Thus, it was International Women's Day in 1917 that was the trigger that led to February Revolution, which in turn led to the October Revolution and the emergence of the USSR...
In the USSR, March 8 was a regular working day for a long time, but May 8, 1965, on the eve of the 20th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, International Women's Day March 8 was declared a holiday in the USSR.
By the way, since 2002, International Women’s Day has been celebrated in Russia as a “non-working holiday” no longer according to the 1965 Decree, but according to Article 112 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation in a list of other nine public holidays Russian Federation.
P.S. Many doubt that this holiday is truly “international”. However, back in 1977, the UN adopted resolution 32/142, calling on all countries to proclaim March 8 as a day of struggle for women's rights - International Women's Day. This day has been declared a national holiday in the republics of the former USSR, as well as in: Angola, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Cambodia, China, Congo (there is a holiday not for “international” women, but for Congolese women), Laos, Macedonia, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea and Uganda. In Syria, March 8 is celebrated as Revolution Day, and in Liberia - even as the Day of Remembrance of the Fallen.
About the history of the holiday March 8, why exactly March 8 became Women's Day, when and how it was first celebrated holiday March 8. This is a story about the holiday of March 8 for adults and children. Teachers can use materials from this article when developing holiday cool hours and scripts dedicated to March 8th.
Today, almost the entire planet celebrates March 8th as a day of worship a real woman, her beauty, wisdom and femininity that save the world.
From the history of the holiday March 8
This beloved holiday, March 8, goes back to tradition. Ancient Rome 1st century BC. It was believed that the goddess Juno, the wife of the great Jupiter, was endowed with great power and had enormous capabilities. She had many names: Juno-Calendar, Juno-Coin. .. She gave to people good weather, harvest, good luck in business and opened every month of the year. But most of all, the Roman women worshiped Juno - Lucia (“the bright one”), who patronized women in general, and during childbirth in particular. She was revered in every home; gifts were brought to her upon marriage and at the birth of a child.
The most joyful holiday for the female half of Rome was March 1, dedicated to this goddess and called the Matrons. Then the whole city was transformed. Festively dressed women walked with wreaths of flowers in their hands to the temple of Juno Lucia. They prayed, brought gifts of flowers and asked their patroness for happiness in the family. It was a holiday not only for respectable Roman women, but also for slaves, whose work on this day was performed by male slaves. On March 1, men gave generous gifts to their wives, relatives and friends, and did not ignore maids and slaves...
IN modern world Women's Day is celebrated on March 8th. The history of this holiday began in the 19th century, and it was dedicated to the day of the struggle for women's rights. It was on March 8, 1857 that a demonstration of women workers in clothing and shoe factories took place in New York. Then they demanded that they be given a ten-hour working day, acceptable working conditions and equal wages with men. Before this, women worked 16 hours a day and received mere pennies for it. After March 8, 1857, women's trade unions began to emerge, and women were given the right to vote for the first time. But only in 1910, at the International Women's Conference of Socialists in Copenhagen, Clara Zetkin proposed celebrating World Women's Day on March 8th. It was a kind of call to women all over the world to join the fight for independence and equality; and they responded by joining the struggle for the right to work, respect for their dignity, and for peace on earth. This holiday was first celebrated in 1911, but only on March 19, in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. Then more than a million men and women took to the streets of these countries, and the demonstration took place under the slogan: “Suffrage for workers - to unite forces in the fight for socialism.” In Russia, International Women's Day was first celebrated in 1913 in St. Petersburg. Its organizers called for achieving economic and political equality for women. One of the most powerful performances by women took place in Petrograd on March 7, 1917. And in 1976, International Women's Day was officially recognized by the UN.
Today March 8 is a holiday of spring and light, a tribute to the traditional role of a woman as a wife, mother, and friend.
Who was the founder of the holidays on March 8: Clara Zetkin or Esther?
Many may have a question: was Clara Zetkin really the only ancestor of March 8? Historians also believe that the celebration of this holiday is associated with the legend of Esther. Many centuries ago, she saved her people from terrible death. Therefore, the most is dedicated to her happy holiday Jewish people - the holiday of Purim. It is celebrated almost at the same time as International Women's Day: at the end of winter - beginning of spring, on March 4.
Once upon a time, in 480 BC, all the Jews captured by the Babylonians gained freedom and could freely return back to Jerusalem. However, there were practically no people willing to leave Babylon, where the Jews spent almost their entire lives. Hundreds of thousands of Jews remained in the Persian Empire, and not at all as a labor force. Many of them managed to get a very good job and earn a good living.
Over time, the Jews became so accustomed to Babylon that even the indigenous inhabitants no longer understood who conquered whom: the Persians Jerusalem or the Jews Babylon. Then one of the ministers of the powerful ruler Xerxes, Haman, came to the king and told him that Jews had invaded their state. Xerxes decided to exterminate all the Jews.
His wife Esther, who hid her ethnic origin from her husband (she was Jewish), accidentally found out about Xerxes’ terrible plan. Clever Esther did not beg the king for mercy, but decided to use Xerxes’ love for herself. When the king was under the influence of her spell, she made him promise to destroy all the enemies of her people. Xerxes agreed to everything, and only some time later he discovered that he had promised his beloved wife to destroy all the enemies of the Jews, but it was no longer possible to retreat...
And on the 13th of Adar (a month in the Jewish calendar: approximately the end of February - the beginning of March), a royal decree regarding pogroms is spread throughout the Persian Empire. But it was radically different from what was originally intended to be created: this decree of Xerxes allowed Esther and her cousin and teacher Mordecai.
“And the king’s scribes were called, and everything was written as Mordecai had ordered to the rulers of one hundred and twenty-seven regions in the name of the king - that the king allows the Jews who are in every city to gather and stand up for their lives, to destroy, to kill and destroy all the mighty in the people and in the region who are at enmity with them, children and wives, and plunder their goods” (Esther 8:8-11). And for two days “all the princes in the regions, and the satraps, and the executors of the king’s affairs supported the Jews. And the Jews slew all their enemies, and destroyed them, and dealt with their enemies according to their own will” (Esther 9:3-5).
Minister Haman, who gave Xerxes the idea of exterminating the Jews, was executed by hanging along with his entire family. During this struggle, about 75 thousand Persians were destroyed. The Persian Empire was practically destroyed. The day of this significant victory for the Jews is still honored and celebrated.
Among the greatest sages, “there is even an opinion that when all the books of the prophets and hagiographers are forgotten, the book of Esther will still not be forgotten, and the holiday of Purim will not cease to be observed.”
Perhaps this legend was true, and Esther actually saved her people. And in gratitude for such a feat, Jews still honor the savior today, celebrating Purim. And everyone understands what the legend about the celebration is world day women also have the right to exist.
At the beginning of spring, March 8th celebrates the beautiful spring holiday International Women's Day or World Women's Day. This day also marks the Ukrainian holiday - Land Surveyor's Day.
International holiday - Women's Day
This holiday is celebrated by all women, during this holiday the achievements of women in the economic, political and social fields are remembered.
In our time, the celebration of Women's Day does not have the goal of promoting equality, this day is simply considered a beautiful day of spring and female beauty, spiritual wisdom and tenderness.
Women's Day on March 8 is celebrated by the entire United Nations, and in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Azerbaijan and Armenia this day is also national holiday.
The leader of the women's group from the Social Democratic Party of Germany, Clara Zetkin, in 1910, at the 2nd International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, put forward the idea of celebrating International Women's Day.
Clara Zetkin proposed, in order to fight for women's rights, to celebrate Women's Day in every country on the same day every year.
International Women's Day became an official holiday in 1975 by decision of the UN.
Today, International Women's Day is, first of all, a celebration of spring and attention to women. On this day, representatives of the strong half of humanity delight their relatives and beloved women with gifts and care.
Ukrainian holiday - Land Surveyor's Day
Land Surveyor's Day or Land Surveyor's Day is Ukrainian professional holiday, which has been celebrated annually since 2000 every second Saturday in March. The time for celebrating this day was established by the Decree of the President of Ukraine on December 11, 1999 “On Land Surveyor’s Day.” This year, the celebration of Land Surveyor's Day fell on March 8th. Land management in Ukraine ensures the protection of land resources, creates a favorable ecological environment and forms a rational system of land use.
Unusual holidays
Spring Wings Day
Today unusual holiday- Day of the wings of spring. Spring comes to us on the wings of a warm wind.
How to celebrate this holiday? Yes, very simple.
Spring has come, just enjoy the first warmth and clear sun. You can at festive table On March 8, prepare a spring dish - larks or “wings of spring.”
Ingredients for larks:
500 g flour, 1/2 cup milk, 1 packet (7 g) dry yeast (or 40 g yeast), 80 g butter, 2 yolks, 1 egg, 2 tbsp. sugar, salt, beaten egg with a teaspoon of sugar (for greasing baked goods), a handful of raisins for decoration
Cooking method:
Prepare the dough, add softened butter, hard, egg and the remaining flour, knead the dough, let the dough rise in a warm place for an hour, then knead the risen dough with your hands and let it stand for another half hour to an hour.
Divide the finished dough into 10 equal balls, roll each ball into a rope 15 cm long and tie each rope in a knot, give one end the shape of a bird's head by sculpting a beak with your fingers, flatten the other end of the rope and place the lark bird on a baking sheet. Let the dough sit for another 25-30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Brush the surface of the dough with beaten egg and sugar. Bake the larks until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
Holiday according to the folk calendar
Polikarpov day
On this day, the people honored the memory of Saint Polycarp, who was a disciple of the Apostle John and who later became the Bishop of Smyrna. Polycarp was often called "the leader of Asia in Christianity."
March 8 on Polikarpov Day unmarried girls in Rus' they tidied up their dresses and were sad, because if the girl did not have time to get married before Shrovetide, then they were already waiting for the end of spring. The people had this saying: “Get your chests away, girl, close your outfits.”
The girls, of course, didn’t waste any time anyway and after this holiday they tried to attract suitors. For this they used different rituals.
On Polikarpov's day, the girls waited until the young moon rose in the sky, and then, seeing it, they spun on the heel of their right foot and said: “Young moon, hover around me with suitors, as I hover around you.” Unnoticed by everyone, the girls swept rubbish from the street into the house, while saying: “I’m not driving thieves into my hut, but good fellows. Come to me, suitors from other people’s yards.”
They said about magpies on Polycarp: “A magpie in the forest has taken to its nest,” “It’s time for the magpies to go into the forest, and for the black grouse to start singing.”
Name day March 8 from Alexander, Alexei, Ivan, Clement, Kuzma, Mikhail, Moses, Nikolai, Polycarp, Sergei, Fedor.
March 7 in history
1965 - International Women's Day March 8 became a non-working day.
1968 - The Soviet diesel submarine K-129 sank in the Pacific Ocean during a combat patrol. According to various sources, from 98 to 105 sailors died.
1969 - Egypt breaks the truce with Israel.
1975 - The Soviet submarine PL-574 with nuclear missiles sank in the Pacific Ocean.
1976 - The largest known stone meteorite weighing 1774 kg fell into China.
1982 - P. Todorovsky’s film “The Beloved Woman of Mechanic Gavrilov” with L. Gurchenko in the title role was released.
1983 - Reagan, at a national convention of evangelicals, called the Soviet Union the center of evil in the modern world, a true “evil empire,” arguing that peace can only be achieved through force.
1984 - P.L. died. Kapitsa, Soviet physicist, academician, twice Hero of Socialist Labor.
1988 - The Ovechkin family from Irkutsk hijacks a plane and tries to escape from the USSR; the attack on the plane leads to casualties.
1992 - Sergei Vladimirovich Obraztsov (b. 1901), Russian Soviet director, actor, writer, artist, director of the Central Puppet Theater, died.
Hundreds of thousands of women are celebrated annually in Ukraine on March 8th. However, explaining why we celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8 and what the history of this holiday is like in general is not so easy. How “prostitutes” were replaced in history with “workers” and about women’s protests - read the material.
And if those women to whom we owe the holiday of March 8th - the suffragettes - were told that in a hundred years women would begin to prepare for this day in beauty salons, and then accept flowers, perfumes and compliments as gifts from men - these ladies would definitely come out from myself. And the reaction of the revolutionary Clara Zetkin, who gave Women’s Day the status of an annual and international event, is difficult to imagine.
History of March 8– version one, official: Day of Solidarity of Working Women
Although this version of the creation of the March 8 holiday during the USSR was recognized as official (and no other versions were considered), it has several “errors”.
So, according to the official version, the holiday is associated with the “March of Empty Pots,” which took place on March 8, 1857 in New York.Then women who worked in textile dyeing plants protested against bad conditions labor and low wages.During the march, they beat these same pots, demanding that they be given a 10-hour working day instead of a 16-hour day, equal wages with men and the right to vote.
The same version also speaks about the famous German communist Clara Zetkin. She is often called the woman who founded the holiday on March 8th. In 1910, at a women's forum in Copenhagen, Zetkin called on the world to establish International Women's Day on March 8. She meant that on this day women would organize rallies and demonstrations, and thereby draw public attention to their problems.
Here it is also worth recalling Zetkin’s controversial call. She was an avid communist, which means she was ready to do anything for the sake of her own beliefs. In 1920, during the war between Poland and Soviet Russia, Zetkin stated the following from the Reichstag rostrum.
Not a single carriage with weapons for the Polish troops, with machine tools for the military factories built in Poland by the Entente capitalists, should cross the German border.
To do this, Zetkin called on all “conscious proletarian women” to mobilize, who should offer their love to any “conscious” worker who refuses to participate in the fulfillment of military orders.
At that time Russian Empire This holiday came about through Zetkin’s friend, the fiery revolutionary Alexandra Kollontai. The same one that conquered the Soviet Union with a “big phrase”.
You should give yourself to the first man you meet as easily as drinking a glass of water.
On March 8, 1917, a women's demonstration took place in Petrograd. While two million soldiers died during the war, women came out demanding "bread and peace." This historical Sunday falls on February 23rd according to the Julian calendar, or March 8th according to the Gregorian calendar - the beginning of the Russian revolution.
Four days later, the Tsar abdicated and the provisional government granted voting rights to women. March 8th became official holiday in the USSR in 1921.
History of March 8– version two: protests of prostitutes, not factory workers
This version of the origin of the holiday is perhaps the most scandalous and unpleasant for everyone representatives of beauty genders who await International Women's Day with trepidation.
Detention of suffragettes in Britain
In 1857, women did protest in New York (as we wrote above), but they were not textile workers, but prostitutes. They demanded to pay wages to the sailors, because they used their services and did not have the money to pay.
Even later - March 8, 1894 - Another demonstration of prostitutes took place in Paris. This time they demanded recognition of their rights on an equal basis with those service sector workers who sew clothes or bake bread, and establish special trade unions
Detention of suffragettes
Similar actions took place in 1895 in Chicago, and in 1896 in New York.These protests became the prerequisite for the memorable suffragette convention (from English word suffrage - “suffrage”) in 1910, where it was decided to declare March 8th Women’s Day and international, as suggested by Zetkin.
By the way, Clara Zetkin herself also took part in such actions.In 1910, together with her friend Rosa Luxemburg, she brought prostitutes onto the streets of German cities demanding an end to police brutality.But in the Soviet version, “prostitutes” were replaced with “working women.”
History of March 8 – version three: honoring the Queen of the Jews
There is a version that Zetkin was born into the family of a Jewish shoemaker, and therefore she associated March 8 with the Jewish holiday of Purim.
According to legend, the beloved of the Persian king Xerxes, Esther, saved the Jewish people from extermination by using her charms.Xerxes wanted to exterminate all the Jews, but Esther convinced him not only not to kill the Jews, but, on the contrary, to destroy all Jewish enemies, including the Persians themselves.This happened on the 13th day of Ardah according to the Jewish calendar (this month falls at the end of February– beginning of March). Honoring Esther, Jews began to celebrate Purim.The date of the celebration was “floating”, but in 1910 it fell on March 8th.
Detention of suffragettes in Germany
Other versions
Some are convinced that March 8 is Mrs. Zetkin’s birthday.Others, either jokingly or seriously, claim that on this day Clara Zetkin (Eisner) became a woman, and then decided to include this intimate date in world history, veiling it under the day of “international solidarity of the female proletariat.”
The version about Zetkin’s birthday can be easily refuted, because, according to historical documents, she was born on July 5th. But the other one - about the loss of virginity - remains just a strange assumption. Over the years, the holiday of March 8 itself has become increasingly overgrown with similar and unlikely legends.
Caricature of suffragettes in the press
What do we celebrate on March 8?
To put it bluntly, March 8– an ordinary political “PR campaign” of the Social Democrats.At the beginning of the 20th century, women protested throughout Europe.And to attract attention, they didn’t even need to show their breasts, as modern activists doIt was enough to simply walk through the streets with posters on which socialist slogans were written.
March 8 was an ordinary working day for a long time, only on May 8, 1965, on the eve of the 20th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, International Women's Day on March 8 was declared a holiday in the USSR.
Detention of suffragettes
If you say that March 8– this is a communist relic, you can’t go wrong.However, one cannot ignore the fact that on the other hand– this is a manifestation of the women's movement.It doesn’t really matter what professions representatives took to the streets to protest.After decades, we are only interested in the fact itself.
Detention of suffragettes
