Happy International Women's Day- March 8

Little bouquets like this are being sold on the sides of the street and in grocery stores and flower shops.   These are for "WOMAN'S DAY" which is celebrated apparently all over the world ... but, being an American... I was totally clueless about it.

It smells wonderful.   I bought a big branch and I'm going to divide it and give part of it to my friend's wife tonight.  She and I are going to that big restaurant that I found last weekend.  When we were there, last Saturday, we noticed that they had a special menu listed for Easter and for tonight- for "Woman's Day."   I wonder why this isn't really celebrated in the states?  I have decided that I am going to have a meal/brunch/lunch/or dinner with whatever group of friends or other ladies that I happen to know when I move to America and celebrate this day anyway.   I also love that it happens to be in MARCH... what always seems to me as the LONGEST MONTH in the year!  

Here's what it says on-line...

International Women's Day (IWD), originally called International Working Women's Day, is marked on March 8 every year.[2] In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political, and social achievements. Started as a Socialist political event, the holiday blended in the culture of many countries, primarily in Europe, including Russia. In some regions, the day lost its political flavor, 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 Valentine's Day. In other regions, however, the 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. This is a day which some people celebrate by wearing purple ribbons.  American Readers?  Do you celebrate this day?  Did you know about this day?  Readers from other countries-- do you celebrate the day?  If so, what do you do to make it a special day?  What do others do to honor women on this day?   It has been celebrated since the 1900's too.   International Women's Day has been observed since in the early 1900's, a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies.