Okay everyone I’ve been trying to think of various ways to celebrate International Women’s Day 2010. I had thought about giveaways etc but will be doing that next month as it’s my birthday then and it’s always more pleasurable to give than receive.
So to mark International Women’s Day 2010 I’ve decided to have a different type of giveaway a more spiritual and altruistic form of giving. I’m going to make all your wishes come true :-) All that you need to do is leave a comment, wish, dream, prayer or affirmation and choose a colour. I will then crochet a ribbon for your wish etc in the colour you have chosen. I will then add your ribbon to my clootie tree to blow in the wind I will be creating these ribbons throughout March.
You can find out about the history and meanings of a clootie tree
here.
The day is an official holiday in
Afghanistan,
[5] Armenia,
[6] Azerbaijan,
[7] Belarus,
[8] Burkina Faso,
[9] Cambodia,
[10] China (for women only),
[11] Croatia,
[citation needed] Cuba,
[citation needed] Georgia,
Guinea-Bissau,
[5] Eritrea,
[5] Kazakhstan,
[12] Kyrgyzstan,
Laos,
[13] Madagascar (for women only),
[14] Moldova,
[15] Mongolia,
[16] Montenegro,
[citation needed],
Nepal (for women only),
[5],
Russia,
[5] Serbia,
[citation needed] Tajikistan,
[5] Turkmenistan,
[5] Uganda,
[5] Ukraine,
[5] Uzbekistan,
[5] Vietnam,
[citation needed] and
Zambia.
[17]
In some countries, such as
Cameroon[18] or
Romania,
[citation needed] the day is not a public holiday, but is widely observed nonetheless.
On this day it is customary for men to give the women in their lives - mothers, wives, girlfriends, daughters, colleagues, etc - flowers and small gifts. In some countries (such as Romania) it is also observed as an equivalent of Mother's Day, where children also give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union celebrations of IWD were abandoned in Armenia. Instead April 7 was introduced as state holiday of ‘Beauty and Motherhood.’ The new holiday immediately got popular among
Armenians, as it commemorates one of the main holidays of
Armenian Church,
Annunciation. However, people still kept celebrating IWD on March 8 as well. Public discussion held on the topic of two ‘Women’s Days’ in Armenia resulted in the recognition of the so called ‘Women’s Month’ which is the period between March 8 and April 7.
In Italy, to celebrate the day, men give
yellow mimosas to women.
[19][20] Yellow mimosas and chocolate are also one of the most common March 8 presents in Russia and Albania.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil,
Croatia,
Slovakia,
Hungary, Romania, Estonia, Lithuania, Moldova,
Macedonia,
Montenegro,
Poland,
Bulgaria,
Slovenia and Serbia the custom of giving women flowers still prevails. Women sometimes get gifts from their employers too. Schoolchildren often bring gifts for their teachers as well.
In countries like
Portugal it is usual, at the night of 8 March, for groups of women celebrate in "women-only" dinners and parties.
[citation needed]
In
India, IWD holds a lot of significance. Many celebrations are held during the day.
In
Pakistan working women in formal and informal sectors celebrate International Women's Day every year to commemorate their ongoing struggle for due rights, despite facing many cultural and religious restrictions. Some women working for change in society use IWM to help the movement for women's rights. In
Poland, for instance, every International Women's Day includes large feminist demonstrations in major cities.
[21]
In 1975, which had been designated as International Women’s Year, the United Nations gave official sanction to and began sponsoring International Women's Day.
The 2005 Congress (conference) of the British
Trades Union Congress overwhelmingly approved a resolution calling for IWD to be designated a public holiday in the
United Kingdom.
Since 2005 International Women's Day has been celebrated in
Montevideo, either on the principal street, 18 de Julio, or alternatively through one of its neighbourhoods. The event has attracted much publicity due to a group of female drummers,
La Melaza, who have performed each year.
[22]
Today many events are held by women's groups around the world. The UK based Marketing company,
Aurora hosts a free worldwide register of IWD local events
[23] so that women and the media can locate local activity. Many governments and organizations around the world support IWD.
There is a map of IWD events available at this location, for women's groups around the world.
[24]
My Himalayan blue poppies in bloom, the colour is just spectacular.
It’s all very nice and manicured but the white’ish tree/shrub to the right of the huge conifer is getting straggly. It’s actually heather gone completely mad and it’s trying to take over on the crochet clootie tree so action needs to be taken.
I don’t know the correct name for these maybe Amanda from Eight By Six Gardening blog will pop along and tell me. Something in the daisy family I think. If anyone else knows please feel free to let me know. 
