Next: 8 Mar 2027
International Women's Day
Sprigs of yellow mimosa in Italy, tulips across eastern Europe and central Asia.
What happens
In Italy 8 March is the Festa della Donna, and its flower is the mimosa. Italian women's groups chose it in 1946 because it was in bloom in early March and cheap enough for anyone to buy. Small sprigs are still sold on street corners and given to mothers, colleagues and friends. In Russia and many countries of eastern Europe and central Asia the day is a public holiday, and men give women tulips, the first spring flower in the shops. Flower markets there do their biggest trade of the year.
The flowers
Also part of it, and being written: Acacia dealbata (Mimosa, the flower of the day in Italy since 1946.).
Original text by the Phool desk, written with AI assistance. Background: "International Women's Day" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from family to family and place to place. If we have something wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Rose: User:Tigerente, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Tulip: John O'Neill, CC BY-SA 3.0, source