In many U.S. households, the second Sunday in May begins with breakfast in bed, a bouquet of flowers, homemade cards, and other tokens of affection for mom. Mother’s Day — our country’s version, at least — has been an official holiday since 1914. In other corners of the globe, honoring Mom is a rite grounded in local traditions and customs — some ancient, some surprisingly new.
"Most cultures celebrate mothers because they are traditionally the main caregiver, which comes with great responsibility," says Mei-Ling Hopgood, author of How Eskimos Keep Their Babies Warm: And Other Adventures in Parenting. Here, we take you on a quick trip around the world to discover how moms in five different countries are celebrated and to provide some inspiration for your own day. Share our "bring it home" ideas with your family or use them to celebrate your own mom.
Each October, Hindus honor Durga, the goddess of mothers, during the 10-day festival known as Durga Puja. The celebration is thought to date back to the sixteenth century and is considered both a religious ceremony and a time for family reunions. One story tells of Durga returning to her parents’ home to show off her own children. Families spend weeks preparing food, gathering gifts, and decorating their homes for the festival. Bring it home: Visit other moms you know, among both friends and family, and bring home-cooked goods to share.
following World War II, a version of Mother’s Day grew popular as a way of comforting mothers who had lost sons to the war. You’ll see carnations presented around this March holiday, as they symbolize the sweetness and endurance of motherhood in Japanese culture. Originally, children gave a red carnation to a living mother and displayed a white one if their mother had died. Now, white has become the traditional color.
The Antrosht festival, observed at the end of the rainy season in early fall, is dedicated to moms. After the weather clears for good, family members from all over flock to their homes for a large meal and celebration. Daughters traditionally bring vegetables and cheese, while sons supply meat. Together, they prepare a meat hash and sing and perform dances that tell stories of family heroes.
Mothering Sunday" falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent. Back in the 1700s, the day was marked by young house servants returning home to spend time with their mothers. That custom evolved from an earlier one in which families who had moved away would return to the original church they attended. Today, the holiday remains grounded in religion, with many churches handing out daffodils for children to give to Mom. Traditionally, girls also bake a fruitcake for their mothers.
In 1920, the government of France began awarding medals to mothers of large families in gratitude for helping rebuild the population after so many lives were lost in World War I. After the second World War, the government declared the last Sunday in May to be the Day of Mothers. The traditional gift is now a flower-shaped cake. Bring it home: Awarding medals for bringing children into the world is obviously outdated, but expressing gratitude never goes out of style — especially when you’re demonstrating ways to express it to your children. Share your thankfulness for each family member at dinner and ask them each to do the same.
La Dia de la Madre or Mother’s Day in Mexico has an interesting history behind it. A Mexican magazine, El Hogar, got together with the Association of Catholic Ladies and published an article on the ties of motherhood and traditional Mexican values. Right when Mexican women were venturing out into the professional world and choosing to have fewer children. Mexico’s first Mother’s Day was celebrated on the 10th of May, 1922 in support of the motherhood campaign. Soon, the festival assumed sacred connotations and gained widespread acceptance. Especially among women. Ever since La Dia de la Madre has been celebrated on May 10th every year in Mexico.
May 10th is a busy day for Mexico every year. Almost everyone goes out for lunch/dinner and restaurants are packed. You will have to make reservation weeks ahead. The family gets together and eats a traditional Mexican lunch while listening to Mexican music. Everyone expresses love and gratitude to their moms and grandmoms. Children present their mothers with flowers, candies, or other gifts. They often stage a small play to show their love.
Mother’s Day in Peru is quite a tradition. Instead of just one day, it is celebrated for a week here. Families organize dinners, lunches, parties, and trips throughout the week. Art and musical performances are common around the city. Plus, mothers can visit museums, exhibitions, and festivals for free during this week. Children shower their mothers with flowers and gifts. And recite poems and stories for them!
One very unique aspect of mother’s day celebrations in Peru is that they honor their dead mothers too. People visit the graves of their deceased mothers, grandmothers, and wives and offer flowers and balloons. Out of all the countries that I have seen, Peru is probably the most enthusiastic one about mother’s day celebrations. 7 days! Wow, that is long and fun!
Mother’s day is known as La Festa della Mamma in Italy. Italian mamma is the most important person in the house. She is kind of celebrated throughout the year. But on Mother’s Day, she is definitely pampered and appreciated more.
La Festa della Mamma is celebrated on the second Sunday of every May. Celebrations are simple. Family members try to get together and indulge their moms. If you cannot get home, you have to call. Small gifts, fresh flowers (often roses), and handwritten poetry are common. Cards are not that common in Italy.
The day starts with a simple breakfast. Then, the family heads out for lunch to give mamma a day off from cooking. Mother’s day ends with a dessert, mostly a cake in the heart shape! Cute, isn’t it? In Italy, it is more about spending quality time with your mom than anything else. And making her feel like the queen, of course!
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