Festa della Donna

Not only does March 8th signify the day that Maurizio and I were married at the St. James Church here in Florence, it is also the Festa della Donna (party of the women, literally). The international women’s day in Italy is celebrated every year on the 8th of March. Festa della Donna signifies 1908 when a few days before this date in New York when the cotton textile workers went on strike against the terrible working conditions. On the 8th the owner Mr. Johnson blocked all the doors of the factory so no one could exit. A fire started and 129 women died in the fire.
Author Unknown, “8 MARZO, FESTA DELLA DONNA ?” Italia Donna February 18, 2010 http://www.italiadonna.it/societa/soc12.htm
After looking this history up over several websites, the start of International Women’s Day is subject to controversy. On a separate website, the date signifies the day that 15,000 women paraded the streets of New York City meeting in Union Square demanding equal rights. They say that this first march inspired the second, which resulted in the killing of all those women workers.
Kathy Durkin “A rich tradition: International Women’s Day” March 7, 2008 http://www.workers.org/2008/us/iwd_0313/
Regardless of the controversy, International Women’s Day is recognized worldwide and here in Italy they definitely celebrate. During the day there are women’s rally’s and at night many women gather together and organize large dinners and I have seen this celebration to also include cakes in the shape of women’s body parts as well as other items that signify femininity. Besides the more, um… well inappropriate items, Italians use a special flower to also signify the date. The flower is the yellow mimosa. Throughout the city yesterday there were mimosa’s everywhere. The street vendors changed from selling their usual tissue packets, and lighters to decorated packets of these yellow flowers. My husband came home with a few mixed in with our wedding flower to signify our anniversary. After dinner we went to a bar and saw that the women’s drinks were filled with the mimosa as a garnish. I spoke to three Italian girls and took their picture for them. They were all decked out in their best attire. On the way home we saw many different large groups of women on their way out for some post dining entertainment. There was definitely an abundance of women out and I couldn’t help wondering where all the men were. I told my husband, if I were a man, this would be the night I would go out.

See the pictures below of the Mimosa.