by Serenata Flowers

In case you missed it, March 8 was International Womens Day - created to celebrate womens accomplishments and promote gender equality around the world.

Hardworking mums, caring sisters, loving partners: International Womens Day (IWD) provides a great excuse to say thanks to the ladies in your life. In fact, getting a gift at any time of the year is cause for celebration.

The more politically-minded amongst may prefer to see IWD as a springboard for more change: with women still hitting the glass pay ceiling in employment in civilised Western states.

Whatever your outlook, heres a quick look at different ways International Womens Day is celebrated around the globe - from sending flowers to serious protests - which might inspire your plans for next year:

Give flowers

Flowers are a symbol of International Womens Day, and many countries celebrate by giving flowers as a gift. And now its not just traditional for boyfriends and husbands to send flowers to the women in their lives - but also bosses and colleagues too.

So next International Womens Day show your appreciation for the extraordinary women in your life by sending them flowers.

Take the day off

In some countries, such as Armenia and Kazakhstan, International Womens Day is officially recognised as a public holiday.� But in the UK, we still have to work on International Womens Day. No fair? Maybe next year, we should all book the day off.

Stand on a bridge

Rwandan and Congolese women started a campaign for gender equality called Join Me on the Bridge. The women were demonstrating that peace between the two countries was possible: by standing on the bridge which links Rwanda and the Congo together.

Today, women march on bridges in London, Boston, San Francisco, Toronto and New York on International Womens Day. If youre feeling politically active, get yourself down to a bridge on March 8 next year.

Protest

While in lots of countries, the holiday has introduced with a sentimental status, rather like Mothers Day or Valentines Day, it was originally born out of activism.

IWD was initially founded by Clara Zetkin, a German woman, in 1910.

Lots of women around the world still use March 8 as an opportunity to fight for many different causes, including political freedom, equal pay and working rights. If theres a cause youre passionate about, IWD provides a great opportunity to take part in a peaceful protest with like-minded ladies.

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