Happy Women's day!

 

Today is 8th of march and that means, today is International Women's day. Day for all women in the world. There are 2 times, when women have small celebration - on women's day and mothers day. The first one is where all women can celebrate it, no matter of age, the mothers day is meant more for mothers, grandmothers and to all women, who has became a mother.

This year Women's day celebration is held for 100 years. First time celebration for women was in 1911. Originally called International Working Women’s Day is marked on the 8th of March every year.  Started as a Socialist political event, the holiday blended in the culture of many countries, primarily Eastern Europe, Russia, and the former Soviet bloc. In many regions, the day lost its political flavour, and became simply an occasion for men to express their love for women in a way somewhat similar to a mixture of Mother's Day and St Valentine's Day. In other regions, however, the original political and human rights theme designated by the United Nations runs strong, and political and social awareness of the struggles of women worldwide are brought out and examined in a hopeful manner. Demonstrations marking International Women's Day in Russia proved to be the first stage of the Russian Revolution of 1917. Following the October Revolution, the Bolshevik Alexandra Kollontai persuaded Lenin to make it an official holiday in the Soviet Union, and it was established, but was a working day until 1965. On May 8, 1965 by the decree of the USSR Presidium of the Supreme Soviet International Women's Day was declared a non working day in the USSR "in commemoration of the outstanding merits of Soviet women in communistic construction, in the defense of their Fatherland during the Great Patriotic War, in their heroism and selflessness at the front and in the rear, and also marking the great contribution of women to strengthening friendship between peoples, and the struggle for peace. But still, women's day must be celebrated as are other holidays."

From my childhood I remember, that we got sometimes flowers when we walked at street, we got flowers at home and since Estonia was under Russian occupation, we had free day from school and kindergarten. There was also held different celebrations and concerts. After Estonia regain it's Independence, we started to be work again on that day. That did not mean end of getting flowers or celebrations in different ways. One of the biggest celebration in Estonia is, that today will be announced Women of a Year. That is something new, what was started after we got independent again and I think that is very nice way to celebrate women's day. Of course where will be held also different concerts and  parties or families just sit together.