Every year on the second Sunday in May, we celebrate Mother’s Day in the United States. We traditionally give flowers and gifts, and share a meal together, often giving Mom the choice of how to spend the day. This custom began when the holiday was created in the early twentieth century. When Anna Jarvis set out to nationalize the day, in remembrance of her own mother’s legacy, she envisioned families gathering and children presenting their mothers with flowers to show their love and appreciation.
Not surprisingly, though, festivals and celebrations honoring motherhood date back to ancient Greece and Rome. Mothers and symbols of motherhood have always held a special place of honor in families and communities. Today, mothers are celebrated around the world on different days and in unique cultural ways. Many predate our Mother’s Day in history, and are rich in tradition and symbolism.
Mother’s Day Traditions in Thailand
Mother’s Day in Thailand isn’t just dedicated to celebrating the mothers in our families; it’s also a birthday celebration of the queen mother of Thailand herself, Queen Sirikit. Every year on August 12th, you’ll see lights adorning the cities of Thailand, portraits of Sirikit hung up in homes and storefronts, and parades marching through the streets. You could probably say that this is the biggest birthday bash of the year!
This day also gives children an opportunity to formally thank their mothers for everything. Schools invite family members to a ceremony where students kneel at their moms’ feet, paying their respects and showing their overall appreciation. Gift giving tends to be simple and meaningful. Handmade cards and jasmine flowers are customary and appropriate, since Jasmine flowers symbolize love.
United Kingdom’s Mother’s Day Traditions
In the United Kingdom, the holiday began as a christian one, held on the fourth Sunday of Lent. On this day, those who had moved away returned to visit their “mother church,” the church in their childhood home, and their mothers. Significantly, this is the day when Lenten food restrictions are relaxed, making it ideal for a family feast.
Over time, the holiday became more secular, including the more commercial elements of gift giving. Though it’s still observed on a different Sunday, Mothering Sunday celebrations now resemble Mother’s Day in the U.S. with mothers being pampered and showered with gifts.
Mother’s Day in Europe and Mothering Sunday
Mothering Sunday dates back to Christianity in the Middle Ages, and was observed throughout much of Europe on the fourth Sunday of Lent. In later years, the celebration took a more secular shift, becoming universally popular, with the practice of giving gifts and flowers. As this happened, some countries began celebrating Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May along with the U.S. Thus there was a merging of Mothering Sunday and Mother’s Day in Europe, with some celebrating the commercial elements and some sticking with the traditions of the church.
Mexican Mother’s Day: Dia de la Madre
Mexico also celebrates mothers in May. Mother’s Day – or Dia de la Madre – falls on May 10th every year. When this falls on a weekday, The schools hold Mother’s Day pageants. Mothers are viewed as “queens of the home,” which is why it’s one of Mexico’s most meaningful holidays. Traditionally children make it a priority to be at home on Mother’s Day Eve.
The day itself typically starts out with a traditional breakfast of tamales and atole, and mothers serenaded by a mariachi band with the song “Las Mananitas.” Families gather in churches to attend a special mass before returning home for the rest of their colorful festivities. Traditional food and drink, mariachi bands, dancing, singing, and other performances are just a few of the things you’ll see at one of these exciting parties. Of course, the festivities include gifts. Younger children like to give their mothers handmade presents while the older ones give flowers and take them out to meals.
Mother’s Day Traditions in Panama
Unlike all the celebrations in spring, Mother’s Day in Panama actually occurs during the winter season. December 8th is considered a Panamanian national holiday, honoring two different occasions: Mother’s Day and the Feast of Immaculate Conception. Because it is a national holiday, banks, government offices, and other establishments tend to be closed. Families all over the country also start their day by heading to church to celebrate the Virgin Mary.
But most importantly, Mother’s Day celebrates all women, including the wonderful mothers of the country. If you were to step outside, you’d see small impromptu bands go from house to house to serenade mothers. Gifts of choice tend to be chocolates, handwritten letters, traditional meals, and flowers.
Peru’s Traditional Mother’s Day
Peru celebrates Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May, just as we do, and like us, they traditionally give flowers, gifts, and cards. But the day itself is spent in a much different fashion – families gather at cemeteries to celebrate by the graves of their mothers, aunts, and grandmothers who have passed away.
This is far from a somber occasion for Peruvians. It’s a time to socialize and share food and drink together. Afterward, family members clean up the gravesites and decorate them with flowers, heart-shape signs, and balloons.
Mother’s Day in Haiti
In Haiti, Mother’s Day is observed simply and beautifully on the last Sunday in May. Along with the customary gift giving, Mother’s Day in Haiti is a day to honor living mothers and mourn those who have passed away. It’s celebrated with special church services featuring prayers and songs devoted to honoring the sacrifices of motherhood.
Everyone wears a flower on Mother’s Day to honor their own mother. A red flower means your mother is still alive. A white flower is worn in remembrance of a mother who’s recently passed, and a lavender one for a mother who died years ago.
Russia’s Traditional Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day wasn’t celebrated in Russia until the 1940s, and it was Boris Yeltsin who declared it a national holiday to be observed on the last Sunday in November. The day now holds tremendous importance for Russians and is celebrated with passion.
Mother’s Day becomes more popular every year in Russia, with children making gifts and cards, and performing. There are exhibitions, concerts, and other cultural events throughout the day. The day often includes a lavish meal, either in a restaurant or cooked at home for the guest of honor.
Mother’s Day in the Philippines
Officially, Mother’s Day in the Philippines has been something of a political game piece. President Ferdinand Marcos declared the first day of December both Mother’s and Father’s Day in 1980. But when President Corazon Aquino took office, she split the holidays, declaring the second Sunday of May Mother’s Day and the third Sunday in June Father’s Day. In 1988, President Joseph Estrada changed the holiday back to the combined observation in December.
Many Filipinos continue to celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May like we do. On this day, mothers, regarded as ilaw ng tahanan (the light of the home), are presented with flowers, chocolates, and small gifts.
Mother’s Day Blooms from The Bouqs
No matter where you are in the world, giving flowers has always been the universal way to let someone know you love them. The joy they bring to the receiver is unmatched. But they play a particular role in the long and diverse history of Mother’s Day. All over the world, flowers are intertwined with our celebrations of the ones who give us life. This Mother’s Day, when you’re ordering flowers for Mother’s Day, consider these traditions or make your own with the longest lasting blooms from The Bouqs, fresh from the farm to your door.
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