How is mother’s day celebrated around the world? Mother’s day as you should know is not unique to one country or region of the world. This is one celebration that is observed in every nook and cranny of the earth and in this post I will be sharing with you some of the ways mother’s day is celebrated in regions and countries all over the world.
How Is Mother’s Day Celebrated around the World
Many households in the US kick off the second Sunday in May with breakfast in bed, a bouquet of flowers, homemade cards, and many other tokens of affection for their moms. The mother’s day version of the US officially has been an official holiday way back in 1914. And many other countries in the world, honoring moms is a rite that is rounded in local customs and traditions women cherish are ancient while some are surprisingly new.
Author of How Eskimos Keep Their Babies Warm: And Other Adventures in Parenting, Mei-Ling Hopgood says: “Most cultures celebrate mothers because they are traditionally the main caregiver, which comes with great responsibility.” And right now, we will take you on a fast one around the world to discover how moms are celebrated in five countries and to provide you with some inspiration for your very own day.
India – 10-Day Festival
Hindus honor Durga, the goddess of mothers, every October during the 10-day festival popularly known as Durga Puja. The celebration as you should know is thought to date back to the sixteenth century and it is considered both a religious ceremony and a time for family reunions. One popular story tells of Durga returning to her parent’s home just to show off her own kids. Families get to spend weeks preparing food, gathering gifts, and then decorating their homes in anticipation of the festival.
Japan: The Right Flowers
Following World War II, a whole new version of Mother’s Day grew very popular as a way of comforting mothers who had lost sons to the cold war. You will get to see carnations presented all over this March holiday, as they symbolize the sweetness and endurance of motherhood in the Japanese culture. Children initially gave a red carnation to a living mother and then displayed a white one in the event that their mother had died. And right now, white has become the traditional color.
Ethiopia: Sing-Along
The Antrosht festival which is observed at the end of the rainy season in early fall is dedicated especially to moms. And after the weather clears for good, family members from all over rush to their homes for a large meal and celebration. Daughters then bring vegetables and cheese according to the tradition, while sons on the other hand get to supply meat. And together, they prepare a meat hash and then sing and perform dances that tell stories of the heroes of the family.
United Kingdom: A Church Custom
Mothering Sunday as it is popularly known in the United Kingdom falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent. And way back in the 1700s, the day was marked by young house servants returning home to spend time with their own mothers. That very custom evolved from an earlier one in which families who had moved away would return to the church that they attended originally. And today, the holiday remains grounded in religion, with many churches all over handing out daffodils for children to give to Mom. Girls traditionally also bake a fruitcake, especially for their mothers.
France: Medals for Mom
The French government in 1920 started awarding medals to mothers of large families in gratitude for helping them rebuild the population after so many lives were lost in World War I. And after the Second World War, the government declared the last Sunday in the month of May to be the Day of Mothers. The traditional gift for the holiday is now a flower-shaped cake.
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