Happy 💐International Women's Day! March 8th is an annual holiday dedicated to celebrating all women: young and old, mothers and single ones, working and SAHM! I am so blessed to be who I am and where I am, and I hope you are too!
This holiday was originated in Russia, in 1917, as International Working Women's Day when in the capital of the Russian Empire, Petrograd, a demonstration of women textile workers had lead to women getting the right to vote. In many countries, the custom is to give women 💐flowers. Working women might receive gifts from their employers; schoolchildren often bring gifts for their female teachers.
In 1975, which was designated as International Women's Year, the United Nations gave official sanction to and began sponsoring International Women's Day, commemorating the movement for women's rights.
We love celebrating holidays with our continent 📦 boxes, and since IWD is mainly celebrated in Europe, today we are exploring our Western-European Continent Box.
To learn about Europe, we began by reading the National Geographic Kids Beginner's World Atlas (buy here). We looked at the political map and saw that there are 46 countries in Europe, including five island countries: Iceland, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus. We also noticed that most cities in Europe are within few miles of the sea. London is Europe's largest city. There are many different ethnic groups in Europe – usually one main group for each country. More people live in cities rather than on farms. About 50 languages are spoken in Europe, and many Europeans speak more than one language.
Adrian is showing where the Eiffel Tower is in Paris, France.
The globe Adrian is exploring displays a political map as well as different animals residing in their natural habitat. The globe also lights up, emerging images otherwise inconspicuous. (Buy a similar globe here, and this globe is a sensor-activated globe with a built-in LED lights displaying a beautiful constellations map.)
Matching Europe continent to its silhouettes with a World Board Puzzle (buy here).
This was a gift from my sister for Adrian's first birthday.
We have been collecting turtles during our multiple trips to Europe.
Adrian has his favorites!
Blue Gzhel Tea Set by A. Rogov (middle) & Imperial Porcelain teacup St.Petersburg 1744 (right).
Gzhel is a Russian style of ceramics which takes its name from the village of Gzhel, where it has been produced since 1802.
"Cow" cup by Cofter Swiss collection (Switzerland) & Gzhel in Delft Blue Holland heart box.
For more on Montessori Continent boxes, read a post here where we have explored our Eastern-European Continent 📦 Box on March 1st, Martisor Day. Also, you might want to read here an introduction to Montessori Cultural & Science Lesson on Continent Boxes which includes our 🇨🇳China Continent 📦 Box.
More about International Women's Day (IWD):
Besides Russia, IWD is also an official holiday in Afghanistan, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China (for women only), Cuba, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macedonia (for women only), Madagascar (for women only), Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Zambia.
In some countries, such as Cameroon, Croatia, Romania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Bulgaria and Chile, the day is not a public holiday, but is widely observed nonetheless. On this day it is customary for men to give the women – friends, mothers, wives, girlfriends, daughters, colleagues, etc. – flowers and small gifts. In some countries (such as Bulgaria and Romania) it is also observed as an equivalent of Mother's Day, where children also give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers. In Italy, to celebrate the day, men give yellow mimosas to women as a symbol of IWD. Yellow mimosas and chocolate are also one of the most common March 8th presents in Russia and Albania.
Happy International Women's Day 💐 to ALL the women! I hope your hearts are full of love and happiness, while arms are full of flowers!
2 Comments
Beatufil post!
Beautiful!