What March 8 stands for, ideas for a partner, a mother, a friend or coworkers, and what rings false

What gift to give for International Women's Day?

In short

March 8 is International Women's Day. It did not start as a commercial holiday but as a day of activism, born in the early 20th century. A gift has its place, as long as it expresses recognition rather than a cliché.

Flowers, a book, time or a concrete gesture: here are ideas for each person, and a few missteps to avoid.

Where March 8 comes from, and where Switzerland fits in

In 1910, in Copenhagen, the German activist Clara Zetkin proposed an international women's day. The first one took place on March 19, 1911, in Germany, Austria, Denmark and Switzerland: more than a million people called for the right to vote and equality at work.

The March 8 date comes from 1917, when women workers marched in Petrograd, Russia. The United Nations made the day official in 1977.

In Switzerland, women only got the right to vote at the federal level in 1971. June 14 has also become a landmark date, with the women's strikes of 1991 and 2019. So March 8 has a very concrete meaning here.

See our Women's Day flowers

Gift ideas for each person

Your partner: time just for her, entirely organized by you: an evening, an outing, a day off from chores. Add a bouquet and a card saying what you admire about her.

Your mother or grandmother: a book by a woman author she likes, a visit, a meal together. Or a flower subscription, so she keeps receiving flowers long after March 8.

A friend or a sister: a ticket to a concert or an exhibition to share, or flowers with a box of Swiss chocolates.

Coworkers: a seasonal bouquet for the team on a shared table, or a small token for each person. What is often appreciated most can't be bought: public recognition of good work.

Our Mother's Day bouquets

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Sienna BouquetSienna Bouquet

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Gifts with meaning

To stay true to the spirit of the day, some gifts say more than others.

A book written by a woman: a novel, a biography, an essay on a subject she loves.

A donation in her name to an organization that supports women, with a note explaining it.

A course, a class or a workshop she has wanted to take for a long time.

Freed-up time: taking over for a day what she usually handles, without her having to ask.

What rings false

A household gift, like a food processor or a vacuum cleaner: it points to exactly what the day calls into question.

A Valentine's Day copy: March 8 is not about couples, it is about women and their rights.

Flowers handed only to the women in the office without a word about what the day means: the gesture can feel off. One sentence on the card is enough to give it meaning.

A message about women's "beauty" or "gentleness": focus instead on what you admire in this person, her courage, her humor, her talent.

Flowers, simple and always right

A bouquet remains one of the easiest gifts to have delivered on March 8, even from far away. Choose seasonal flowers, tulips, mimosa, ranunculus, and a card with a few words. For the choice of flowers and colors, read which flowers to give on March 8.

You can add a scented candle, Swiss chocolates or a bottle of champagne, delivered with the bouquet. The card is free with CHF 55 of flowers or more.

In 2027, March 8 falls on a Monday: outside Geneva, have the flowers delivered on Saturday, March 6 or Tuesday, March 9. In the canton of Geneva, an order placed before 2 p.m. can be delivered the same day. All our bouquets for the day are on our Women's Day flowers page.