Текст на английском про 8 Марта

The eighth of March is International Women's Day. It is a holiday in spring. In Russia it is a day off.

On this day people say thank you to women. They give flowers and presents to mothers, grandmothers and sisters.

Tulips and mimosa are popular flowers. They are bright and beautiful.

My name is Artem. I have got a mum and a little sister. On the eighth of March I get up early. I make breakfast for them.

I give my mum a card and some tulips. She is very happy!

This year my dad and I decided to make the eighth of March special for my mum and my grandma. We started planning a week before the holiday, because we wanted everything to be a surprise.

On the morning of the seventh, I bought a bunch of yellow tulips with my pocket money. Then I hid them on the balcony. Dad bought a new book for Mum, because she loves reading detective stories.

On the eighth of March we got up at seven. Dad was making pancakes while I was laying the table. When Mum came into the kitchen, she was really surprised. She said it was the best breakfast of the year!

In the afternoon we visited Grandma. I gave her a card that I made myself, and she laughed when she read my funny poem.

Next year I am going to cook the whole dinner without Dad's help.

Many people think of the eighth of March simply as a day of flowers and compliments. However, the holiday has a longer and more serious history than most of us realise.

The idea of a special day for women appeared at the beginning of the twentieth century, when women in many countries were fighting for the right to vote and for better working conditions. The first Women's Day events were held in several European countries in 1911. In Russia, women who went on strike in Petrograd on the eighth of March 1917 helped to start the February Revolution.

In the Soviet Union the day became an official holiday, and in 1965 it was made a day off. Gradually it lost much of its political meaning and turned into a celebration of mothers, wives, daughters and friends. In 1977 the United Nations invited all countries to mark the day, which is why it is now known around the world.

The way people celebrate depends on the country. In Russia and some other countries, women receive flowers and gifts, while in many Western countries the day is used to discuss equality and to honour women who have achieved something important.

I have always celebrated the eighth of March with my family. If I study abroad one day, I will find out how people there celebrate it.

Every year, as the eighth of March approaches, flower shops are overwhelmed with customers and offices fill with the smell of mimosa. For a few days, the whole country seems to be busy choosing gifts. Yet behind the festive atmosphere lies a question that is rarely asked: what exactly are we celebrating?

Originally, International Women's Day was a day of protest. It emerged from the struggle for women's suffrage and fair pay, and its early supporters would hardly have imagined that it would one day be associated with chocolates and greetings cards. Over time, particularly in the Soviet Union, the political message faded, giving way to a gentler celebration of femininity, spring and family.

Some people regret this change, arguing that a day intended to fight for equality has been reduced to a commercial ritual. Others see nothing wrong with it: in their opinion, showing appreciation to the women in our lives is valuable in itself, and a holiday does not have to be political to be meaningful.

Both views contain some truth. Flowers are a pleasant gesture, but they can hardly replace everyday respect, shared housework or equal opportunities at school and at work. Had the holiday's founders seen how it is celebrated today, they might have been pleased by the warmth but disappointed by how quickly its original purpose was forgotten.

Personally, I think the eighth of March is most meaningful when it combines both traditions. Giving my mother tulips is a lovely ritual, but I would rather show her gratitude every day of the year than only on one morning in March.