Mothers Day Around The World
Mother’s Day is a day in which we celebrate our Mum, Mater, Mummy, Mam or other loving words, with affection, gifts and surprises.
Not unsurprisingly, celebrating the day occurs in more than 50 countries across the world and yet the date is varied.
In Thailand, it is celebrated specifically on the 12th August. Whilst the majority of the world’s countries such as Australia, Canada, Finland, Turkey and USA to name a few, celebrate on the second Sunday of May.
France who has a special law dedicated to the day although it is an observance and not an official public holiday celebrate on the last Sunday in May.
In Albania their celebration of the day is on International Women’s day which is the 8th March. Over in Ethiopia, Mothers Day is celebrated for three days after the rainy season whereas in Nepal it falls around April or May in line with the lunar calendar.
The UK, Ireland and Nigeria are the only countries to celebrate on the fourth Sunday in Lent which this year is 14th March.
So why is it different in the UK to other countries ?
Traditionally, the UK has observed the day as Mothering Sunday rather than Mother’s Day. The latter is often attributed as an initiative of Anna Jarvis from the United States in 1908 as a tribute to her own mother.
Mothering Sunday traditionally, was a day when domestic workers could return to see their mothers, as they would have few opportunities to see them through the year. It was also used in church services to celebrate motherhood and the birth of the young.
Either way, the treatment of the day is very similar for everyone these days. We always want to show our appreciation whether it is breakfast in bed, doing something on her ‘to do list’, cooking her favourite meal on the day and of course giving her that carefully selected and cherished gift.
What is certain is that across the globe, Mother’s Day is seen as a way to celebrate our love of our mum’s thanking them for everything they have done for us. Perhaps with what has happened over the past 12 month’s across the globe, now it is more important than ever before.