Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family or individual, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on different days in many parts of the world, most commonly in March or May. It complements similar celebrations honoring family members, such as Father's Day, Siblings Day, and Grandparents' Day.

Countries around the world have a multi-century history of a day to celebrate mothers.

In the 19th century in the British Isles, "Mothering Sunday" was celebrated on the fourth Sunday in Lent, a practice which continues in the present day. On this day, clerics and curates were encouraged to use the time at their disposal to visit their original mother churches.

In the United States, the modern version of the holiday began in the early 20th century at the initiative of Anna Jarvis. She organized the first Mother's Day service of worship and celebration at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, which serves as the International Mother's Day Shrine today.<ref name="O'Reilly2010">Template:Cite book</ref> It is not directly related to the many traditional celebrations of mothers and motherhood that have existed throughout the world over thousands of years, such as the Greek cult to Cybele, the mother deity Rhea, the Roman festival of Hilaria, or the other Christian ecclesiastical Mothering Sunday celebration (associated with the image of Mother Church).<ref name="grold">Template:Citation</ref><ref name="tuleja">Template:Citation</ref><ref name="myers">Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Harvnb "The American origin of the Day, however, was duly acknowledged. 'The idea is imported,. America led the way.'"</ref> However, in some countries, Mother's Day is still synonymous with these older traditions.<ref name="bbc a">Template:Citation</ref><ref name="bbc b">Template:Citation</ref><ref name="CoE">Template:Citation</ref>

Mother's Day

Mother's Day

The American version of Mother's Day has been criticized for having become too commercialized.<ref name=why/><ref>Mother's Day 2017, The Daily Telegraph</ref> Jarvis herself, who began the celebration as a liturgical observance, regretted this commercialism and expressed that this was never her intention.<ref name="O'Reilly2010"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In response, Constance Adelaide Smith successfully advocated for Mothering Sunday as a commemoration of a broader definition of motherhood in many other parts of the English-speaking world.<ref name="BL">Template:Cite web</ref>

Establishment of holiday

File:Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church, the International Mother's Day Shrine. Grafton, West Virginia LCCN2015631665.tif

Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church, the site of the first Mother's Day religious service in 1908, is the International Mother's Day Shrine.

Template:Main The modern holiday was first celebrated in 1907, when Anna Jarvis held the first Mother's Day service of worship at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia.<ref name="O'Reilly2010"/><ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> Andrew's Methodist Church now holds the International Mother's Day Shrine.<ref name="O'Reilly2010"/> Her campaign to make Mother's Day a recognized holiday in the United States began in 1905, the year her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, died. Ann Jarvis had been a peace activist who cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the American Civil War, and created Mother's Day Work Clubs to address public health issues. She and another peace activist and suffragist, Julia Ward Howe, had been urging for the creation of a "Mother's Day For Peace" where mothers would ask that their husbands and sons were no longer killed in wars. Forty years before it became an official holiday, Ward Howe had made her Mother's Day Proclamation in 1870, which called upon mothers of all nationalities to band together to promote the "amicable settlement of international questions, the great and general interests of peace."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Anna Jarvis wanted to honor this and to set aside a day to honor all mothers because she believed a mother is "the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1908, the U.S. Congress rejected a proposal to make Mother's Day an official holiday, joking that they would also have to proclaim a "Mother-in-law's Day".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> However, owing to the efforts of Anna Jarvis, by 1911 all U.S. states observed the holiday,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> with some of them officially recognizing Mother's Day as a local holiday<ref name="RiceTedesco2015">Template:Cite book</ref> (the first being West Virginia, Jarvis's home state, in 1910). In 1914, Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating Mother's Day, held on the second Sunday in May, as a national holiday to honor mothers.<ref name="deseret" />

Although Jarvis, who started Mother's Day as a liturgical service, was successful in founding the celebration, she became resentful of the commercialization of the holiday, and it became associated with the phrase "Hallmark holiday". By the early 1920s, Hallmark Cards and other companies had started selling Mother's Day cards. Jarvis believed that the companies had misinterpreted and exploited the idea of Mother's Day, and that the emphasis of the holiday was on sentiment, not profit. As a result, she organized boycotts of Mother's Day and threatened to issue lawsuits against the companies involved.<ref name="kansas2014">Template:Cite web</ref> Jarvis argued that people should appreciate and honor their mothers through handwritten letters expressing their love and gratitude, instead of buying gifts and pre-made cards.<ref name="deseret">Template:Cite web</ref> Jarvis protested at a candy makers' convention in Philadelphia in 1923, and at a meeting of American War Mothers in 1925. By this time, carnations had become associated with Mother's Day, and the selling of carnations by the American War Mothers to raise money angered Jarvis, who was arrested for disturbing the peace.<ref name="deseret" /><ref name="kansas2014" />

In Britain, Constance Adelaide Smith was inspired to advocate for Mothering Sunday, an already-existing Christian ecclesiastical celebration in which the faithful visit the church in which they received the sacrament of baptism, as an equivalent celebration.<ref name="Diller1990">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="PearsonSzoke2009">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Smith1921">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Smith1926">Template:Cite book</ref> She referred to medieval traditions of celebrating Mother Church, 'mothers of earthly homes', Mary, mother of Jesus, and Mother Nature.<ref name="Smith1921"/><ref name="BL"/> Her efforts were successful in the British Isles and other parts of the English-speaking world.<ref>Template:Cite ODNB</ref>

Spelling

In 1912, Anna Jarvis trademarked the phrase "Second Sunday in May, Mother's Day, Anna Jarvis, Founder", and created the Mother's Day International Association.<ref>Compare footnote 51 in Template:Cite book </ref> She specifically noted that "Mother's" should "be a singular possessive, for each family to honor its own mother, not a plural possessive commemorating all mothers in the world."<ref name="vancouversun">Template:Cite news</ref> This is also the spelling used by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in his 1914 presidential proclamation, by the U.S. Congress in relevant bills,<ref name="vote274">House Vote No. 274 (7 May 2008) Template:Webarchive H. Res. 1113: Celebrating the role of mothers in the United States and supporting the goals and ideals of Mother's Day (Vote On Passage)</ref><ref name="vote275">House Vote No. 275 (7 May 2008) Template:Webarchive Table Motion to Reconsider: H RES 1113 Celebrating the role of mothers in the United States and supporting the goals and ideals of Mother's Day</ref> and by various U.S. presidents in their proclamations concerning Mother's Day.<ref>Presidential proclamations from The American Presidency Project:

• 71 – Proclamation 2083 – Mother's Day Proclamation, Franklin D. Roosevelt, 3 May 1934.
• Proclamation 3535 Mother's Day, 1963 John F. Kennedy, 26 April 1963.
• Proclamation 3583 – Mother's Day, 1964 Lyndon B. Johnson, 23 April 1964
• Proclamation 4437 – Mother's Day, 1976, Gerald Ford, 5 May 1976.
• Proclamation 5801 – Mother's Day, 1988 Template:Webarchive, Ronald Reagan, 26 April 1988.
• Proclamation 6133 – Mother's Day, 1990, George Bush, 10 May 1990
• Proclamation 6559 – Mother's Day, 1993, Bill Clinton, 7 May 1993.
• Proclamation 8253 – Mother's Day, 2008, George W. Bush, 8 May 2008.</ref>

Dates around the world

While the United States holiday was adopted by some other countries, existing celebrations, held on different dates, honoring motherhood have become described as "Mother's Day", such as Mothering Sunday in the United Kingdom<ref name="bbc">Template:Citation</ref> or, in Greece, the Eastern Orthodox celebration of the presentation of Jesus Christ to the temple (2 February of Julian Calendar). Both the secular and religious Mother Day are present in Greece.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Mothering Sunday is often referred to as "Mother's Day" even though it is an unrelated celebration.<ref name="bbc" />

In some countries, the date adopted is one significant to the majority religion, such as Virgin Mary Day in Catholic countries. Other countries selected a date with historical significance. For example, Bolivia's Mother's Day is a fixed date, May 27, commemorating a battle in which women participated to defend their children.<ref name="bolivia" />

Some countries, such as Russia, celebrate International Women's Day instead of Mother's Day<ref name="saunders">Template:Citation</ref> or simply celebrate both holidays, which is the custom in Ukraine. Kyrgyzstan has recently introduced Mother's Day, but "year on year International Women's Day is certainly increasing in status".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Gregorian calendar
Occurrence	Dates	Country
Second Sunday of February	Template:Weekday in month February {{#expr:2025-1}} Template:Weekday in month February 2025 Template:Weekday in month February {{#expr:2025+1}}
3 March		Template:Flag<ref name="georgia" />
8 March (with International Women's Day)		Template:Div col
Fourth Sunday in Lent (Mothering Sunday)	{{#time:j F Y|Template:JULIANDAY.TIMESTAMP}} {{#time:j F Y|Template:JULIANDAY.TIMESTAMP}} {{#time:j F Y|Template:JULIANDAY.TIMESTAMP}}	Template:Div col
21 March (Spring equinox)		Template:Div col
25 March
7 April (Annunciation day)		Template:Flag (Motherhood and Beauty Day)
First Sunday of May	Template:Weekday in month May {{#expr:2025-1}} Template:Weekday in month May 2025 Template:Weekday in month May {{#expr:2025+1}}	Template:Div col
8 May		Template:Flag (Parents' Day)
10 May		Template:Div col
Second Sunday of May	Template:Weekday in month May {{#expr:2025-1}} Template:Weekday in month May 2025 Template:Weekday in month May {{#expr:2025+1}}	Template:Div col
14 May
15 May		Template:Flag (same day as Día de la Patria)<ref name="paraguay1">Template:Citation</ref>
19 May		Template:Flag (Template:Langx, Template:Langx)
26 May		Template:Flag (Template:Langx)
27 May		Template:Flag<ref name="bolivia" />
Last Sunday of May	Template:Weekday in month May {{#expr:2025-1}} Template:Weekday in month May {{#expr:2025}} Template:Weekday in month May {{#expr:2025+1}}	Template:Div col
Last Sunday of May, or first Sunday of June if the last Sunday of May is Pentecost	{{#ifeq:Template:Weekday in month May {{#expr:2025-1}}|Template:Moveable date|Template:Weekday in month June {{#expr:2025-1}}|Template:Weekday in month May {{#expr:2025-1}}}} {{#ifeq:Template:Weekday in month May {{#expr:2025}}|Template:Moveable date|Template:Weekday in month June {{#expr:2025}}|Template:Weekday in month May {{#expr:2025}}}} {{#ifeq:Template:Weekday in month May {{#expr:2025+1}}|Template:Moveable date|Template:Weekday in month June {{#expr:2025+1}}|Template:Weekday in month May {{#expr:2025+1}}}}	Template:Flag<ref name="telegraph1"/> French Antilles
30 May		Template:Flag<ref name="nicaragua" />
1 June		Template:Flag (together with Children's Day)
Second Sunday of June	Template:Weekday in month June {{#expr:2025-1}} Template:Weekday in month June 2025 Template:Weekday in month June {{#expr:2025+1}}
14 June
First Monday of July	Template:Weekday in month July {{#expr:2025-1}} Template:Weekday in month July {{#expr:2025}} Template:Weekday in month July {{#expr:2025+1}}
12 August		Template:Flag (birthday of Queen Sirikit)
15 August (Assumption of Mary)		Template:Flag (Belgium) Template:Flag
Third Sunday of September	Template:Weekday in month September {{#expr:2025-1}} Template:Weekday in month September {{#expr:2025}} Template:Weekday in month September {{#expr:2025+1}}	Template:Flag
14 October		Template:Flag (since 1996<ref name="belarusgov" />)
15 October, or following work day	{{#ifexpr:Template:Weekday in month > 17|15|Template:Weekday in month}} October {{#expr:2025-1}} {{#ifexpr:Template:Weekday in month > 17|15|Template:Weekday in month}} October 2025 {{#ifexpr:Template:Weekday in month > 17|15|Template:Weekday in month}} October {{#expr:2025+1}}
20 October		Template:Flag (Vietnamese Women's Day)
Third Sunday of October	Template:Weekday in month October {{#expr:2025-1}} Template:Weekday in month October 2025 Template:Weekday in month October {{#expr:2025+1}}	Template:Flag (Día de la Madre)<ref name="argentina" />
3 November
16 November		Template:Flag<ref name="LeeSangYong2014" />
Last Sunday of November	Template:Weekday in month November {{#expr:2025-1}} Template:Weekday in month November {{#expr:2025}} Template:Weekday in month November {{#expr:2025+1}}
8 December (Feast of the Immaculate Conception)		Template:Flag<ref name="panama" />
22 December		Template:Flag<ref name="indonesia" /> (Template:Lang)
Hebrew calendar
Occurrence	Equivalent Gregorian dates	Country
30 Shevat	Between 30 January and 1 March {{#switch: 2025	2022 = 12 February 2021 1 February 2022 21 February 2023	2023 = 1 February 2022 21 February 2023 9 February 2024	2024 = 21 February 2023 9 February 2024 28 February 2025	2025 = 9 February 2024 28 February 2025 17 February 2026	2026 = 28 February 2025 17 February 2026 7 February 2027	2027 = 17 February 2026 7 February 2027 27 February 2028	2028 = 7 February 2027 27 February 2028 15 February 2029	2029 = 27 February 2028 15 February 2029 3 February 2030	2030 = 15 February 2029 3 February 2030 23 February 2031	2031 = 3 February 2030 23 February 2031 12 February 2032	2032 = 23 February 2031 12 February 2032 30 January 2033	2033 = 12 February 2032 30 January 2033 19 February 2034	2034 = 30 January 2033 19 February 2034 9 February 2035	2035 = 19 February 2034 9 February 2035 28 February 2036 }}	Template:Flag<ref name="israel" /> (Family Day)
Hindu calendar
Occurrence	Equivalent Gregorian dates	Country
Vaisakha<ref name="nprmay2016">Template:Cite news</ref> Amavasya (Mata Tirtha Aunsi<ref name="nepalname">Template:Cite news</ref>)	Between 19 April and 19 May
Islamic calendar
Occurrence	Equivalent Gregorian dates	Country
20 Jumada al-Thani	{{#switch: 2025	2022 = 3 February 2021 22 January 2022 13 January 2023	2023 = 22 January 2022 13 January 2023 2 January 2024 22 December 2024	2024 = 13 January 2023 2 January 2024 22 December 2024 11 December 2025	2025 = 2 January 2024 22 December 2024 11 December 2025 30 November 2026	2026 = 11 December 2025 30 November 2026 19 November 2027	2027 = 30 November 2026 19 November 2027 7 November 2028	2028 = 19 November 2027 7 November 2028 28 October 2029	2029 = 7 November 2028 28 October 2029 18 October 2030	2030 = 28 October 2029 18 October 2030 7 October 2031	2031 = 18 October 2030 7 October 2031 25 September 2032	2032 = 7 October 2031 25 September 2032 14 September 2033	2033 = 25 September 2032 14 September 2033 3 September 2034	2034 = 14 September 2033 3 September 2034 24 August 2035	2035 = 3 September 2034 24 August 2035 13 August 2036 }}	Template:Flag<ref name="debano" />
Vietnamese calendar
Occurrence	Equivalent Gregorian dates	Country
15th day of seventh month	Between 6 August and 6 September {{#switch: 2025	2022 = 22 August 2021 12 August 2022 30 August 2023	2023 = 12 August 2022 30 August 2023 18 August 2024	2024 = 30 August 2023 18 August 2024 6 September 2025	2025 = 18 August 2024 6 September 2025 29 June 2026	2026 = 6 September 2025 29 June 2026 19 June 2027	2027 = 29 June 2026 19 June 2027 7 June 2028	2028 = 19 June 2027 7 June 2028 27 May 2029	2029 = 7 June 2028 27 May 2029 16 May 2030	2030 = 27 May 2029 16 May 2030 6 May 2031	2031 = 16 May 2030 6 May 2031 24 May 2032	2032 = 6 May 2031 24 May 2032 14 May 2033	2033 = 24 May 2032 14 May 2033 3 May 2034	2034 = 14 May 2033 3 May 2034 24 March 2035	2035 = 3 May 2034 24 March 2035 12 March 2036 }}	Template:Flag (Vu-lan Báo Hiếu)

International history and tradition

File:Moederdag (1925).ogv

Mother's Day in the Netherlands in 1925

File:Northern Pacific Railway Mother's Day postcard 1916.JPG

Northern Pacific Railway postcard for Mother's Day 1916.

File:Mother's Day.jpg

Mother's Day gift in 2007

File:Mother's day card.jpg

Mother and daughter and Mother's Day card

In most countries, Mother's Day is an observance derived from the holiday as it has evolved in the United States, promoted by companies who saw benefit in making it popular.<ref name=why>Template:Cite web</ref> As adopted by other countries and cultures, the holiday has different meanings, is associated with different events (religious, historical or legendary), and is celebrated on different dates.

In some cases, countries already had existing celebrations honoring motherhood, and their celebrations then adopted several external characteristics from the US holiday, such as giving carnations and other presents to one's mother.Template:Cn

The extent of the celebrations varies greatly. In some countries, it is potentially offensive to one's mother not to mark Mother's Day. In others, it is a little-known festival celebrated mainly by immigrants, or covered by the media as a taste of foreign culture.Template:Citation needed

Religion

In certain traditional branches of Christianity, the holiday is strongly associated with revering the Virgin Mary.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In some Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican homes, families have a special shrine on their home altar devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In many Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, a special prayer service is held in honor of the Theotokos Virgin Mary.<ref>Template:Cite bookTemplate:Dead link</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In Islam, special attention is paid to mothers. The Prophet Muhammad said in this regard: ″The Paradise is beneath mother's feet″<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Also there is no concept of Mother's Day in Islam, but the Quran teaches that children should give priority to loving their mother over their father.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Quran the holy book of Muslims has mentioned the status and respect of Mother in many verses: Surah Al-Isra, verse 23, Al-Ahqaf, verse 15, Luqman, verse 14 and Al-Baqarah, verse 233, is one of them.

In Hindu tradition, Mother's Day is called "Mata Tirtha Aunshi" or "Mother Pilgrimage fortnight", and is celebrated in countries with a Hindu population, especially in Nepal, where mothers are honored with special foods. The holiday is observed on the new moon day in the month of Baisakh, i.e., April/May. This celebration is based on the Hindu religion and it pre-dates the creation of the US-inspired celebration by at least a few centuries.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In Buddhism, the festival of Ullambana is derived from the story of Maudgalyayana and his mother.<ref name="Teiser114">Template:Cite book</ref>

By country

Albania

In Albania, as in a number of Balkan and Eastern European countries, Mother's Day is celebrated on 8 March, in conjunction with International Women's Day.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Arab world

Mother's Day in most Arab countries is celebrated on 21 March. It was introduced in Egypt by journalist Mustafa Amin<ref name="jehl">Template:Cite news</ref> and was first celebrated in 1956.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="ElHamid">Template:Cite news</ref> The practice has since been adopted by other Arab countries.<ref name="ElHamid"/>

Argentina

In Argentina, Mother's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of October. The holiday was originally celebrated on 11 October, the old liturgical date for the celebration of the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary but after the Second Vatican Council, which moved the Virgin Mary festivity to 1 January, the Mother's Day started to be celebrated the third Sunday of October because of popular tradition.<ref name="argentina">Template:Cite news</ref> Argentina is the only country in the world that celebrates Mother's Day on this date.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Armenia

In Armenia, Mother's Day is celebrated on 8 March, and on 7 April as Maternity and Beauty Day.

Australia

In Australia, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May. Australia celebrated Mother’s Day for the first time in 1910 with special church services, however, it was not popularly observed until the 1920s.<ref>MOTHERS’ DAY. (1910, June 20). Leader (Orange, NSW : 1899–1945), p. 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article252410359</ref><ref>"MOTHERS' DAY." (1910, June 14). The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883–1930), p. 5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article239408160</ref> Because it is autumn in Australia for Mother’s Day, and carnations are a spring flower, white chrysanthemums are the traditional Mother’s Day flower in Australia.<ref>Traditional Mother's Day flower in Australia. April 2021. https://www.giftsaustralia.com.au/mothers-day</ref>

Bangladesh

There is no historical tradition of celebrating Mother's Day (Template:Langx) in Bangladesh, and it has become popular in the country due to western influences. It is celebrated on the second Sunday of May and is not a public holiday. Mother's Day was not very popular and in recent times it has been spread more widely by the Millennial and Generation Z communities across the country through social media. Although many religious families do not celebrate it, it is more widespread than ever before. There is a popular phrase used by many parents, including mothers, which is "Every day is Father's/Mother's Day so you will love your parents every day." Most people just wish or pray for their mother, but many from big cities like Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Sylhet, Barishal, Narayangonj, Bogura etc. go to restaurants to celebrate, many also cut cakes. Many others cut cakes at home or order meals online. Some children may give small gifts to their mothers.Template:Cn

Belarus

Belarus celebrates Mother's Day on 14 October. Like other ex-Communist republics, Belarus used to celebrate only International Women's Day on 8 March. Mother's Day in Belarus was officially established by the Belarusian government, and it was celebrated for the first time in 1996.<ref name="belarusgov">Template:Citation</ref> The celebration of the Virgin Mary (the holiday of Protection of the Holy Mother of God) is celebrated on the same day.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Bhutan

Mother's Day in Bhutan is celebrated on 8 May. It was introduced in Bhutan by the Tourism Council of Bhutan.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Belgium

In Belgium, Mother's Day (Moederdag or Moederkesdag in Dutch and Fête des Mères in French) is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. In the week before this holiday children make little presents at primary school, which they give to their mothers in the early morning of Mother's Day. Typically, the father will buy croissants and other sweet breads and pastries and bring these to the mother while she is still in bed – the beginning of a day of pampering for the mother. There are also many people who celebrate Mother's Day on 15 August instead; these are mostly people around Antwerp, who consider that day (Assumption) the classical Mother's Day and the observance in May an invention for commercial reasons. It was originally established on that day as the result of a campaign by Frans Van Kuyck, a painter and Alderman from Antwerp.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Bolivia

In Bolivia, Mother's Day is celebrated on 27 May. El Día de la Madre Boliviana was passed into law on 8 November 1927, during the presidency of Hernando Siles Reyes. The date commemorates the Battle of La Coronilla, which took place on 27 May 1812, during the Bolivian War of Independence, in what is now the city of Cochabamba. In this battle, women fighting for the country's independence were slaughtered by the Spanish army. It is not a public holiday, but all schools hold activities and festivities throughout the day.<ref name="bolivia">Sources for Bolivia:

• Template:Cite web
• Template:Citation</ref>

Brazil

In Brazil, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. The first Mother's Day in Brazil was promoted by Associação Cristã de Moços de Porto Alegre (Young Men's Christian Association of Porto Alegre) on 12 May 1918. In 1932, then President Getúlio Vargas made the second Sunday of May the official date for Mother's Day. In 1947, Archbishop Jaime de Barros Câmara, Cardinal-Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, decided that this holiday would also be included in the official calendar of the Catholic Church.Template:Citation needed

Mother's Day is not an official holiday (see Public holidays in Brazil), but it is widely observed and typically involves spending time with and giving gifts to one's mother. Because of this, it is considered one of the celebrations most related to consumerism in the country, second only to Christmas Day as the most commercially lucrative holiday.<ref name="brazil shopping">Template:Cite web</ref>

Canada

See also Other observances in Canada

File:Mother's Day cake.jpg

Mother's Day cookie cake

Mother's Day in Canada is celebrated on the second Sunday in May (it is not a public holiday or bank holiday), and typically involves small celebrations and gift-giving to one's mother, grandmother, or other important female figures in one's family.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Celebratory practices are very similar to those of other western nations. A Québécois tradition is for Québécois men to offer roses or other flowers to the women.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

China

Mother's Day is becoming more popular in China. Carnations are a very popular Mother's Day gift and the most sold flowers in relation to the day.<ref name="china_popular" /> In 1997 Mother's Day was set as the day to help poor mothers and to remind people of the poor mothers in rural areas such as China's western region.<ref name="china_popular">Template:Cite news</ref> In the People's Daily, the Chinese government's official newspaper, an article explained that "despite originating in the United States, people in China accept the holiday without hesitation because it is in line with the country's traditional ethics – respect for the elderly and filial piety towards parents."<ref name="china_popular" />

In recent years, the Communist Party member Li Hanqiu began to advocate for the official adoption of Mother's Day in memory of Meng Mu, the mother of Mèng Zǐ. He formed a non-governmental organization called Chinese Mothers' Festival Promotion Society, with the support of 100 Confucian scholars and lecturers of ethics.<ref name="allchina">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="china">Template:Cite news</ref> Li and the Society want to replace the Western-style gift of carnations with lilies, which, in ancient times, were planted by Chinese mothers when children left home.<ref name="china" /> Mother's Day remains an unofficial festival, except in a small number of cities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Costa Rica

In Costa Rica, Mother's Day is celebrated on 15 August. In 1927, at the Nicolás Ulloa School in Heredia, Evangelina Solís founded an annual event that would celebrate the mothers of the students. It was held around the time of the distribution of midterm notes, in July. Evangelina's reasoning was that mothers should be congratulated for their children's successes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The event gained national traction and was enacted into law in 1932. The final date of 15 August was chosen as it coincided with the celebration of Assumption of Mary, mother of Jesus.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic, Mother's Day is celebrated every second Sunday in May. It started in former Czechoslovakia in 1923.<ref name="eastern" /> The promoter of this celebration was Alice Masaryková.<ref name="eastern" /> After World War II communists replaced Mother's Day with International Woman's Day, celebrated on 8 March.<ref name="eastern" /> The former Czechoslovakia celebrated Women's Day until the Velvet Revolution in 1989.<ref name="eastern" /> After the split of the country in 1993, the Czech Republic started celebrating Mother's Day again.<ref name="eastern" />

Egypt

Mother's Day in Egypt is celebrated on 21 March, the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. It was introduced in Egypt by journalist Mustafa Amin<ref name="jehl" /> in his book Smiling America (1943). The idea was overlooked at the time. Later Amin heard the story of a widowed mother who devoted her whole life to raising her son until he became a doctor. The son then married and left without showing any gratitude to his mother. Hearing this, Amin became motivated to promote "Mother's Day". The idea was first ridiculed by president Gamal Abdel Nasser but he eventually accepted it and Mother's Day was first celebrated on 21 March 1956. The practice has since been copied by other Arab countries.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

When Mustafa Amin was arrested and imprisoned, the government changed the name of the holiday from "Mother's Day" to "Family Day", but they reverted the name after Egyptian mothers wrote to complain. Celebrations continued to be held on the same date<ref name="Al Arabiya English 2018 d908">Template:Cite news</ref> and classic songs celebrating mothers remain famous to this day.<ref name="Dailynewsegypt 2021 p979">Template:Cite news</ref>

Ethiopia

Mother's Day is celebrated for three days in Ethiopia, after the end of the rainy season. It comes in mid-fall where people enjoy a three-day feast called "Antrosht".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

For the feast, ingredients will be brought by the children for a traditional hash recipe. The ingredients are divided along genders, with girls bringing spices, vegetables, cheese and butter, while the boys bring a lamb or bull. The mother hands out the hash to the family.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

A celebration takes place after the meal. The mothers and daughters anoint themselves using butter on their faces and chests. While honoring their family and heroes, men sing songs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Estonia

In Estonia, Mother's Day (emadepäev in Estonian) is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. It is recognized nationally, but is not a public holiday.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Finland

In Finland, Mother's Day (äitienpäivä in Finnish) is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. It is recognized nationally and is a public holiday. It is usually celebrated at homes where children or grandchildren bring Mother's day cards that they have drawn to their mothers and grandmothers. Usually, some food, coffee and cakes are served for guests. Grown up children visit their parents' homes and bring traditionally Mother's day roses or other flowers accompanied by a Mother's day card. The president of Finland honors with medals every year some mothers who have done something exceptional and positive during the year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

France

In France, amidst alarm at the low birth rate, there were attempts in 1896 and 1904 to create a national celebration honoring the mothers of large families.<ref name="UFE">Template:Citation</ref> In 1906 ten mothers who had nine children each were given an award recognising "High Maternal Merit" ("Haut mérite maternel").<ref name="Artas">Template:Citation</ref> American World War I soldiers fighting in France popularized the US Mother's Day holiday created by Anna Jarvis. They sent so much mail back to their country for Mother's Day that the Union Franco-Américaine created a postal card for that purpose.<ref name="UFE" /> In 1918, also inspired by Jarvis, the town of Lyon wanted to celebrate a "journée des Mères", but instead decided to celebrate a "Journée Nationale des Mères de familles nombreuses." The holiday was more inspired by anti-depopulation efforts than by the US holiday, with medals awarded to the mothers of large families.<ref name="UFE" /> The French government made the day official in 1920 as a day for mothers of large families.<ref name="capdevila">Luc Capdevila (CRHISCO – University of Rennes 2), Fabrice Virgili (IHTP – CNRS), "Guerre, femmes et nation en France (1939–1945) Template:Webarchive", in IRICE.</ref> Since then the French government awards the Médaille de l'enfance et des familles to mothers of large families.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1941, by an initiative of Philippe Pétain, the wartime Vichy government used the celebration in support of their policy to encourage larger families, but all mothers were now honored, even mothers with smaller families.<ref name="capdevila" />

In 1950, after the war, the celebration was reinstated. The law of 24 May 1950 required (in Article 1) that the Republic pay official homage to French Mothers. Article 2 stated it should be celebrated on the last Sunday in May as the "Fête des Mères" (except when Pentecost fell on that day, in which case it was moved to the first Sunday in June). Article 3 stated that all expenditure shall be covered from the budget of the Ministry of Public Health and Population.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

During the 1950s, the celebration lost all its patriotic and natalist ideologies, and became heavily commercialized.<ref name="UFE" />

In 1956, the celebration was given a budget and integrated into the new Code de l'action Sociale et des familles. In 2004 responsibility for the holiday was transferred to the Minister responsible for families.Template:Citation needed

Georgia

Georgia celebrates Mother's Day on 3 March. It was declared by the first President of Georgia Zviad Gamsakhurdia in order to replace the International Women Day, and it was officially approved by the Supreme Council in 1991. Nowadays Georgia celebrates both Mother's Day on 3 March and International Women's Day on 8 March.<ref name="georgia">Template:Cite web</ref>

Germany

File:Herztorte zum Muttertag.jpg

Mother's Day cake in Germany

Germany celebrates Mother's Day on the 2nd Sunday in May.

In the 1920s, Germany had the lowest birthrate in Europe, and the declining trend was continuing. This was attributed to women's participation in the labor market. At the same time, influential groups in society (politicians of left and right, churchwomen, and feminists) believed that mothers should be honored but could not agree on how to do so. However, all groups strongly agreed on the promotion of the values of motherhood. In 1923, this resulted in the unanimous adoption of Muttertag, the Mother's Day holiday as imported from America.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The head of the Association of German Florists cited "the inner conflict of our Volk and the loosening of the family" as his reason for introducing the holiday. He expected that the holiday would unite the divided country. In 1925, the Mother's Day Committee joined the task force for the recovery of the volk, and the holiday stopped depending on commercial interests and began emphasizing the need to increase the population in Germany by promoting motherhood.<ref name="mouton" />

The holiday was then seen as a means to encourage women to bear more children, which nationalists saw as a way to rejuvenate the nation. The holiday did not celebrate individual women, but an idealized standard of motherhood. The progressive forces resisted the implementation of the holiday because it was backed by so many conservatives and because they saw it as a way to eliminate the rights of working women. Die Frau, the newspaper of the Federation of German Women's Associations, refused to recognize the holiday. Many local authorities adopted their own interpretation of the holiday: it would be a day to support economically larger families or single-mother families. The guidelines for the subsidies had eugenics criteria, but there is no indication that social workers ever implemented them in practice, and subsidies were given preferentially to families in economic need rather than to families with more children or "healthier" children.<ref name="mouton" />

With the Nazi party in power during 1933–1945, the situation changed radically. The promotion of Mother's Day increased in many European countries, including the UK and France. From the position of the German Nazi government, the role of mothers was to give healthy children to the German nation. The Nazi party's intention was to create a pure "Aryan race" according to nazi eugenics. Among other Mother's Day ideas, the government promoted the death of a mother's sons in battle as the highest embodiment of patriotic motherhood.<ref name="mouton" /><ref name="taylor" />

The Nazis quickly declared Mother's Day an official holiday and put it under the control of the NSV (National Socialist People's Welfare) and the NSF (National Socialist Women's League). This created conflicts with other organizations that resented Nazi control of the holiday, including Catholic and Protestant churches and local women's organizations. Local authorities resisted the guidelines from the Nazi government and continued assigning resources to families who were in economic need, much to the dismay of the Nazi officials.<ref name="mouton">Template:Citation</ref>

In 1938, the government began issuing an award called Mother's Cross (Mutterkreuz), according to categories that depended on the number of children a mother had. The medal was awarded on Mother's Day and also on other holidays due to a large number of recipients. The Cross was an effort to encourage women to have more children, and recipients were required to have at least four.<ref name="mouton" /><ref name="taylor">Template:Citation</ref>

Hungary

In Hungary, Mother's Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of May.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was first celebrated in 1925<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> by the Hungarian Red Cross Youth.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

India

The modern Mother's Day has been assimilated into Indian culture<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and is celebrated every year on the second Sunday of May.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Indians do not celebrate the occasion as a religious event; its celebration is mostly restricted to urban areas where the occasion has been largely commercialized.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Indonesia

Indonesian Mother's Day (Template:Langx) is celebrated nationally on 22 December. The date was made an official holiday by President Sukarno under Presidential Decree No. 316/1953, on the 25th anniversary of the 1928 Indonesian Women Congress. The day originally sought to celebrate the spirit of Indonesian women and to improve the condition of the nation. Today, the meaning of Mother's Day has changed, and it is celebrated by expressing love and gratitude to mothers. People present gifts to mothers (such as flowers) and hold surprise parties and competitions, which include cooking and kebaya wearing. People also allow mothers a day off from domestic chores.<ref name="wardhani">Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref>

The holiday is celebrated on the anniversary of the opening day of the first Indonesian Women Congress (Kongres Perempuan Indonesia), which was held from 22 to 25 December 1928.<ref name="indonesia" /><ref name="bulbeck" /> The Congress took place in a building called Dalem Jayadipuran, which now serves as the office of the Center of History and Traditional Values Preservation (Balai Pelestarian Sejarah dan Nilai Tradisional) in Brigjen Katamso Street, Yogyakarta. The Congress was attended by 30 feminist organizations from 12 cities in Java and Sumatra. In Indonesia, feminist organizations have existed since 1912, inspired by Indonesian heroines of the 19th century, e.g., Kartini, Martha Christina Tiahahu, Cut Nyak Meutia, Maria Walanda Maramis, Dewi Sartika, Nyai Ahmad Dahlan, Rasuna Said, etc.<ref name="indonesia">Template:Citation</ref> The Congress intended to improve women's rights in education and marriage.<ref name="robinson" />

Indonesia also celebrates the Kartini Day (Hari Kartini) on 21 April, in memory of activist Raden Ajeng Kartini. This is a celebration of the emancipation of women.<ref name="bulbeck">Template:Cite book Preview.</ref> The observance was instituted at the 1938 Indonesian Women Congress.<ref name="robinson">Template:Citation</ref>

During President Suharto's New Order (1965–1998), government propaganda used Mother's Day and Kartini Day to inculcate into women the idea that they should be docile and stay at home.<ref name="robinson" />

Iran

File:Commemorative gold medal issued in the Pahlavi era on the occasion of Mother's Day.jpg

Commemorative gold medal issued in the Pahlavi era on the occasion of Mother's Day, dated 1975. Obv: Bust of Empress Farah Pahlavi. Rev: Mother and children standing around a seated Farah Pahlavi, holding open book

File:Birthday of Fatimah (3).jpg

Celebration of the Mother's Day

In Iran, Mother's Day is celebrated on 20 Jumada al-thani. This is the sixth month in the Islamic calendar (a lunar calendar) and every year the holiday falls on a different day of the Gregorian calendar. This is the birthday anniversary of Fatimah, the Islamic prophet Muhammad's only daughter according to Shia Islam.<ref name="debano">Template:Citation</ref><ref name="iranpresident">Template:Cite web</ref> On this day, banners reading "Ya Fatemeah (O! Fatemeh)" are displayed on "government buildings, private buildings, public streets and car windows."<ref name="debano"/> Mother's Day was originally observed on 16 December but the date was changed after the Iranian Revolution in 1979. The celebration is both Women's Day (replacing International Women's Day) and Mother's Day.<ref name="debano" /><ref name="haeri1">Template:Cite book</ref>

In 1960, the Institute for Women Protection adopted the Western holiday and established it on 25 Azar (16 December), the date the Institute was founded. The Institute's action had the support of Empress Farah Pahlavi, the wife of the last Shah of Persia, who promoted the construction of maternity clinics in remote parts of the country to commemorate the day.<ref name="Sabet">Template:Citation</ref> Pahlavi regime used the holiday to promote "gender ideologies" of the regime.<ref name="debano"/> The Shah's government honored and gave awards to women who represented the idealized view of the regime, including mothers who had many healthy children.<ref name="Sabet"/>

According to Shahla Haeri, the Islamic Republic government has used the holiday to "control and channel women's movements" and to promote role models for the traditional concept of family.<ref name="haeri2">Template:Citation</ref> Fatimah is seen by these critics as the chosen model of a woman completely dedicated to certain traditionally sanctioned feminine roles.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> However, supporters of the choice contend that there is much more to her life story than simply such "traditional" roles.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Ireland

In Ireland, Mother's Day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent, as in the United Kingdom, and has the same roots in Mothering Sunday. The practice died out in Ireland around the late 18th century but was revived around the 1950s due to Americanisation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Israel

The Jewish population of Israel used to celebrate Mother's Day on Shevat 30 of the Jewish calendar, which falls between 30 January and 1 March. The celebration was set as the same date that Henrietta Szold died (13 February 1945). Henrietta had no biological children, but her organization Youth Aliyah rescued many Jewish children from Nazi Germany and provided for them. She also championed children's rights. Szold is considered the "mother" of all those children, and that is why her annual remembrance day (יום השנה) was set as Mother's Day (יוֹם הָאֵם, yom ha'em). The holiday has evolved over time, becoming a celebration of mutual love inside the family, called Family Day (יוֹם הַמִשְּפָּחָה, yom hamishpacha). This holiday is mainly celebrated in preschools with an activity to which parents are invited. Mother's Day is mainly celebrated by children at kindergartens. There are no longer mutual gifts among members of the family, and there is no longer any commercialization of the celebration. It is not an official holiday.<ref name="israel">Sources for Israel :http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4801172,00.html</ref>

Italy

Mother's Day in Italy was celebrated for the first time on 24 December 1933 as the "Day of the mother and the child" (Giornata della madre e del fanciullo). It was instituted by the Opera nazionale maternità e infanzia in order to publicly reward the most prolific Italian women every year.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

After World War II, Mother's Day was first celebrated on 12 May 1957 in Assisi, at the initiative of Reverend Otello Migliosi, the parish priest of the Tordibetto church.<ref>Template:Citation (registration required)</ref> This celebration was so popular that in the following year Mother's Day was adopted throughout Italy. On 18 December 1958, a proposal was presented to the Italian Senate to make the holiday official.<ref>Raul Zaccari – together with Senators Bellisario, Baldini, Restagno, Piasenti, Benedetti and Zannini. Senato della Repubblica, 78ª Seduta Pubblica, 18 dicembre 1958. "Istituzione de la festa della Mamma." (Annunzio di presentazione di disegni di legge)</ref>

Japan

In Japan, Template:Nihongo was initially commemorated during the Shōwa period as the birthday of Empress Kōjun (mother of Emperor Akihito) on 6 March. This was established in 1931 when the Imperial Women's Union was organized. In 1937, the first meeting of "Praise Mothers" was held on 8 May, and in 1949 Japanese society adopted the second Sunday of May as the official date for Mother's Day in Japan. Today, people typically give their mothers gifts of flowers such as red carnations<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and roses. Giving carnations on Mother's Day is the most common in Japan.Template:Citation needed

Kyrgyzstan

In Kyrgyzstan, Mother's Day is celebrated on 19 May every year. The holiday was first celebrated in 2012.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Mothers are also honored on International Women's Day<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Latvia

Mother's Day in Latvia was celebrated for the first time in 1922. Since 1934, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After the end of the Soviet occupation of Baltic states celebration was resumed in 1992.<ref>Latvijā atzīmē Mātes dienu Template:Webarchive TVNET</ref> Mothers are also honored on International Women's Day.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Lithuania

Mother's Day in Lithuania was celebrated for the first time in 1928. In Lithuania, Mother's Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of May.

Malawi

In Malawi, Mother's Day is a public holiday. The day is observed on 15 October or the following workday. It is celebrated on the UN's World Rural Women's Day.

Maldives

In the Maldives, Mother's Day is celebrated on 13 May. The day is celebrated in different ways. Children give gifts and spend time with their mothers. Daughters give their mothers cards and handmade gifts and sons give their mothers gifts and flowers. Maldivians love to celebrate Mother's day, and they have it specially written on their calendar.Template:Citation needed

Malta

The first mention of Mother's Day in Malta occurred during the Radio Children's Programmes run by Frans H. Said in May 1961. Within a few years, Mother's Day became one of the most popular dates in the Maltese calendar. In Malta, this day is commemorated on the second Sunday in May. Mothers are invariably given gifts and invited for lunch, usually at a good quality restaurant.Template:Citation needed

Mexico

Template:See also In Mexico, the government of Álvaro Obregón imported the Mother's Day holiday from the US in 1922, and the newspaper Excélsior held a massive promotional campaign for the holiday that year.<ref name="newcomer 133">Newcomer, p. 133</ref> The conservative government tried to use the holiday to promote a more conservative role for mothers in families, but that perspective was criticized by the socialists as promoting an unrealistic image of a woman who was not good for much more than breeding.<ref name="newcomer 133"/>

In the mid-1930s, the leftist government of Lázaro Cárdenas promoted the holiday as a "patriotic festival". The Cárdenas government tried to use the holiday as a vehicle for various efforts: to stress the importance of families as the basis for national development; to benefit from the loyalty that Mexicans felt towards their mothers; to introduce new morals to Mexican women; and to reduce the influence that the church and the Catholic right exerted over women.<ref name="sherman"/> The government sponsored the holiday in the schools.<ref name="sherman"/> However, ignoring the strict guidelines from the government, theatre plays were filled with religious icons and themes. Consequently, the "national celebrations" became "religious fiestas" despite the efforts of the government.<ref name="sherman">Sherman, p. 44</ref>

Soledad Orozco García, the wife of President Manuel Ávila Camacho, promoted the holiday during the 1940s, resulting in an important state-sponsored celebration.<ref name="newcomer 133–134"/> The 1942 celebration lasted a full week and included an announcement that all women could reclaim their pawned sewing machines from the Monte de Piedad at no cost.<ref name="newcomer 133–134">Newcomer, pp. 133–134</ref>

Due to Orozco's promotion, the Catholic National Synarchist Union (UNS) took heed of the holiday around 1941.<ref name="newcomer 134">Newcomer, p. 134</ref> Shop-owner members of the Party of the Mexican Revolution (now the Institutional Revolutionary Party) observed a custom allowing women from humble classes to pick a free Mother's Day gift from a shop to bring home to their families. The Synarchists worried that this promoted both materialism and the idleness of lower classes, and in turn, reinforced the systemic social problems of the country.<ref name="newcomer 134–135">Newcomer, 134–135</ref> Currently this holiday practice is viewed as very conservative, but the 1940s' UNS saw Mother's Day as part of the larger debate on the modernization that was happening at the time.<ref name="newcomer 135–136"/> This economic modernization was inspired by US models and was sponsored by the state. The fact that the holiday was originally imported from the US was seen as evidence of an attempt at imposing capitalism and materialism in Mexican society.<ref name="newcomer 135–136">Newcomer, 135–136</ref>

The UNS and the clergy of the city of León interpreted the government's actions as an effort to secularize the holiday and to promote a more active role for women in society. They concluded that the government's long-term goal was to cause women to abandon their traditional roles at home in order to spiritually weaken men.<ref name="newcomer 135–136"/> They also saw the holiday as an attempt to secularize the cult to the Virgin Mary, inside a larger effort to dechristianize several holidays. The government sought to counter these claims by organizing widespread masses and asking religious women to assist with the state-sponsored events in order to "depaganize" them.<ref name="newcomer 136–139"/> The clergy preferred to promote 2 July celebration of the Santísima Virgen de la Luz, the patron of León, Guanajuato, in replacement of Mother's Day.<ref name="newcomer 134"/> In 1942, at the same time as Soledad's greatest celebration of Mother's Day, the clergy organized the 210th celebration of the Virgin Mary with a large parade in León.<ref name="newcomer 136–139">Newcomer, 136–139</ref>

There is a consensus among scholars that the Mexican government abandoned its revolutionary initiatives during the 1940s, including its efforts to influence Mother's Day.<ref name="newcomer 134"/>

Today the "Día de las Madres" is an unofficial holiday in Mexico held each year on 10 May,<ref name="legacy">The History of Mother's Day from The Legacy Project, a Legacy Center (Canada) website</ref> the day on which it was first celebrated in Mexico.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In Mexico, to show affection and appreciation to the mother, it is traditional to start the celebration with the famous song "Las Mañanitas", either a cappella, with the help of a mariachi or a contracted trio. Families usually gather to celebrate, trying to spend as much time as possible with mothers to honor them. They bring some dishes and eat together or visit a restaurant.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Myanmar

In Myanmar, Mothers' Day (the plural form of mother is used as an official title<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>) is celebrated on the full moon day of Pyatho, the tenth month of the Myanmar calendar, which usually falls in January.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the proposal and initiative of U Thukha, who put a lot of effort into founding this day, it was first celebrated in Mandalay on the full moon day of Pyatho in 1995, but it was officially added to the Myanmar calendar in 1997, two years after its first celebration.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

People who are away from home, send postcards or phone their mothers to express love and gratitude and those who live with their mother, give her personal service, like bathing or shampooing, and usually take her to pagodas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Nepal

In Nepal, there is a festival equivalent to Mother's Day, called Mata Tirtha Aunsi ("Mother Pilgrimage New Moon"), or Mata Tirtha Puja ("Mother Pilgrimage Worship"). It is celebrated according to the lunar calendar. It falls on the last day of the dark fortnight in the month of Baishakh which falls in April–May (in 2015, it will occur on 18 April). The dark fortnight lasts for 15 days from the full moon to the new moon. This festival is observed to commemorate and honor mothers, and it is celebrated by giving gifts to mothers and remembering mothers who are no more.Template:Citation needed

To honor mothers who have died, it is the tradition to go on a pilgrimage to the Mata Tirtha ponds, located 6 km to the southwest of downtown Kathmandu. The nearby Mata Tirtha village is named after these ponds. Previously, the tradition was observed primarily by the Newar community and other people living in the Kathmandu Valley. Now this festival is widely celebrated across the country.Template:Citation needed

Many tragic folklore legends have been created, suggesting different reasons why this pond became a pilgrimage site. The most popular version says that, in ancient times, the mother of a shepherd died, and he made offerings to a nearby pond. There he saw the face of his mother in the water, with her hand taking the offerings. Since then, many people have visited the pond, hoping to see their deceased mother's face. Pilgrims believe that they will bring peace to their mothers' souls by visiting the sacred place. There are two ponds. The larger one is for ritual bathing. The smaller one is used to "look upon mother's face", and is fenced by iron bars to prevent people from bathing in it.Template:Citation needed

Traditionally, in the Kathmandu valley the South-Western corner is reserved for women and women-related rituals, and the North-Eastern is for men and men-related rituals. The worship place for Mata Tirtha Aunsi is located in Mata Tirtha in the South-Western half of the valley, while the worship place for Gokarna Aunsi, the equivalent celebration for deceased fathers is located in Gokarna, Nepal, in the North-Eastern half. This division is reflected in many aspects of the life in Kathmandu valley.<ref name="HeestermanHoek1992">Template:Cite book</ref>

Mother's Day is known as Aama ko Mukh Herne Din in Nepali, which literally means "day to see mother's face". In Nepal Bhasa, the festival is known as Mām yā Khwā Swayegu, which can be translated as "to look upon mother's face".Template:Citation needed

Netherlands

In the Netherlands, Mother's Day was introduced as early as 1910 by the Dutch branch of the Salvation Army.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> The Royal Dutch Society for Horticulture and Botany, a group protecting the interest of Dutch florists, worked to promote the holiday; they hoped to emulate the commercial success achieved by American florists.<ref name="helsloot 208">Template:Harvnb</ref> They were imitating the campaign already underway by florists in Germany and Austria, but they were aware that the traditions had originated in the US.<ref name="helsloot 208"/>

Florists launched a major promotional effort in 1925. This included the publication of a book of articles written by famous intellectuals, radio broadcasts, newspapers ads, and the collaboration of priests and teachers who wanted to promote the celebration for their own reasons.<ref name="helsloot 208"/> In 1931 the second Sunday of May was adopted as the official celebration date. In the mid-1930s the slogan Moederdag – Bloemendag (Mother's Day – Flowers' Day) was coined, and the phrase was popular for many years.<ref name="helsloot 209">Template:Harvnb</ref> In the 1930s and 1940s "Mother's Day cakes" were given as gifts in hospitals and to the Dutch Queen, who is known as the "mother of the country".<ref name="helsloot 209"/> Other trade groups tried to cash in on the holiday and to give new meaning to the holiday in order to promote their own wares as gifts.<ref name="helsloot 209"/>

Roman Catholic priests complained that the holiday interfered with the honoring of the Virgin Mary, the divine mother, which took place during the whole month of May. In 1926 Mother's Day was celebrated on 7 July in order to address these complaints.<ref name="helsloot 210">Template:Harvnb</ref> Catholic organizations and priests tried to Christianize the holiday, but those attempts were rendered futile around the 1960s when the church lost influence and the holiday was completely secularized.<ref name="helsloot 210"/>

In later years, the initial resistance disappeared, and even leftist newspapers stopped their criticism and endorsed Mother's Day.<ref name="helsloot 213">Template:Harvnb</ref>

In the 1980s, the American origin of the holiday was still not widely known, so feminist groups who opposed the perpetuation of gender roles sometimes claimed that Mother's Day was invented by Nazis and celebrated on the birthday of Klara Hitler, Hitler's mother.<ref name="helsloot 211">Template:Harvnb</ref>

New Zealand

In New Zealand, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May. Mother's Day is not a public holiday. The New Zealand tradition is to send or give cards and gifts and at-home youngsters to attempt to serve mothers a variation on breakfast in bed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Nicaragua

In Nicaragua, the Día de la Madre has been celebrated on 30 May since the early 1940s. The date was chosen by President Anastasio Somoza García because it was the birthday of Casimira Sacasa, his wife's mother.<ref name=nicaragua>Template:Citation</ref>

North Korea

Mother's Day is celebrated on 16 November as a public holiday in North Korea. The date takes its significance from the First National Meeting of Mothers held in 1961, for which Kim Il Sung, the leader of the country, published a work called The Duty of Mothers in the Education of Children. The date was designated as Mother's Day in May 2012 by the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly but only became a public holiday and appeared on the North Korean calendar starting in 2015.<ref name="LeeSangYong2014">Template:Cite web</ref>

Norway

Mother's Day was first celebrated on 9 February 1919 and was initially organized by religious institutions. Later it has become a family day, and the mother is often treated to breakfast in bed, flowers and cake.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Better source needed

It has gradually become a major commercial event, with special pastries, flowers and other presents offered by retailers. Day-cares and primary schools often encourage children to make cards and other gifts.Template:Citation needed

Pakistan

In Pakistan, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. Media channels celebrate with special shows. Individuals honor their mothers by giving gifts and commemorative articles. Individuals who have lost their mothers pray and pay their respects to their loved ones lost. Schools hold special programs in order to acknowledge the efforts of their mothers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Panama

In Panama, Mother's Day is celebrated on 8 December, the same day as the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This date was suggested in 1930 by the wife of Panama's President Florencio Harmodio Arosemena. 8 December was adopted as Mother's Day under Law 69, which was passed the same year.<ref name=panama>Template:Citation</ref>

According to another account, in 1924 the Rotary Club of Panama asked that Mother's Day be celebrated on 11 May. Politician Aníbal D. Ríos changed the proposal so that the celebration would be held on 8 December. He then established Mother's Day as a national holiday on that date.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Paraguay

In Paraguay, Mother's Day is celebrated on 15 May, the same day as the Dia de la Patria, which celebrates the independence of Paraguay.<ref name=paraguay1/> This date was chosen to honor the role played by Juana María de Lara in the events of 14 May 1811 that led to Paraguay's independence.<ref>Template:CitationTemplate:Dead link</ref>

In 2008, the Paraguayan Minister of Culture, Bruno Barrios, lamented this coincidence because, in Paraguay, Mother's Day is much more popular than independence day and the independence celebration goes unnoticed. As a result, Barrios asked that the celebration be moved to the end of the month.<ref name=paraguay2/> A group of young people attempted to gather 20,000 signatures to ask the Parliament to move Mother's Day.<ref name=paraguay2>Template:CitationTemplate:Dead link</ref> In 2008, the Comisión de festejos (Celebration Committee) of the city of Asunción asked that Mother's Day be moved to the second Sunday of May.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Philippines

In the Philippines, Mother's Day is officially celebrated on the second Sunday of May, but it is not a public holiday.<ref name=proclamation1998>Template:Cite news</ref> Although not a traditional Filipino holiday, the occasion owes its popularity to American Colonial Period influence.

According to a 2008 article by the Philippine News Agency, in 1921 the Ilocos Norte Federation of Women's Clubs asked to declare the first Monday of December as Mother's Day "to honor these fabulous women who brought forth God's children into this world." In response, Governor-General Charles Yeater issued Circular No. 33 declaring the celebration. In 1937 President Manuel L. Quezon issued Presidential Proclamation No. 213, changing the name of the occasion from "Mother's Day" to "Parent's Day" to address the complaints that there wasn't a "Father's Day". In 1980 President Ferdinand Marcos issued Presidential Proclamation No. 2037 proclaiming the date as both Mother's Day and Father's Day. In 1988 President Corazon Aquino issued Presidential Proclamation No. 266, changing Mother's Day to the second Sunday of May, and Father's Day to the third Sunday of June, discontinuing the traditional date.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1998 President Joseph Estrada returned both celebrations to the first Monday of December.<ref name=proclamation1998/>

Portugal

In Portugal, the "Dia da Mãe" ("Mother's Day") is an unofficial holiday held each year on the first Sunday of May (sometimes coinciding with Labour Day). In the weeks leading up to this Sunday, school children spend a few hours a day preparing a gift for their mothers, aided by their school teachers. In general, mothers receive gifts from their family members and this day is meant to be celebrated with the whole family. It used to be celebrated on 8 December, the same date as the Conception of the Virgin celebration.Template:Citation needed

Romania

In Romania, Mother's Day has been celebrated on the first Sunday of May since 2010. Law 319/2009 made both Mother's Day and Father's Day official holidays in Romania. The measure was passed thanks to campaign efforts from the Alliance Fighting Discrimination Against Fathers (TATA).<ref name="romania">Template:Cite news</ref> Previously, Mother's Day was celebrated on 8 March, as part of International Women's Day (a tradition dating back to when Romania was part of the Eastern bloc). Today, Mother's Day and International Women's Day are two separate holidays, with International Women's Day being held on its original date of 8 March.Template:Citation needed

Russia

Template:Main Traditionally Russia had celebrated International Women's Day and Mother's Day on 8 March, an inheritance from the Soviet Union, and a public holiday.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Women's Day was first celebrated on the last Sunday in February in 1913 in Russia.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1917, demonstrations marking International Women's Day in Saint Petersburg on the last Sunday in February (which fell on 8 March on the Gregorian calendar) initiated the February Revolution. Following the October Revolution later that year, the Bolshevik Alexandra Kollontai persuaded Vladimir Lenin to make it an official holiday in the Soviet Union, and it was established, but was a working day until 1965.Template:Citation needed

On 8 May 1965, by the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, International Women's Day was declared a non-working day in the Soviet Union "in commemoration of the outstanding merits of Soviet women in communistic construction, in the defense of their Fatherland during the Great Patriotic War, in their heroism and selflessness at the front and in the rear, and also marking the great contribution of women to strengthening friendship between peoples, and the struggle for peace. But still, women's day must be celebrated as are other holidays."<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>

Samoa

In Samoa, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May, and as a recognised national holiday on the Monday following.

Singapore

In Singapore, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. It is not recognized as a holiday by the government.

Slovakia

Czechoslovakia celebrated only Women's Day until the Velvet Revolution in 1989. After the country split in 1993, Slovakia started celebrating both Women's Day and Mother's Day. The politicization of Women's Day has affected the official status of Mother's Day. Center-right parties want Mother's Day to replace Women's Day, and social-democrats want to make Women's Day an official holiday. Currently, both days are festive, but they are not "state holidays". In the Slovak Republic, Mother's Day is celebrated every second Sunday in May.<ref name="eastern"/>

South Africa

In South Africa, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. It is not recognized as a holiday by the government. The tradition is to give cards and gifts and to serve mothers breakfast in bed or to go out to lunch together as a family.

South Sudan

In South Sudan, Mother's Day is celebrated on the first Monday in July. The president Salva Kiir Mayardit proclaimed Mother's Day as the first Monday in July after handing over from Sudan. Children in South Sudan are presenting mothers with gifts and flowers. The first Mother's Day was held in that country on 2 July 2012.Template:Citation needed

Spain

In Spain, Mother's Day or Día de la Madre is celebrated on the first Sunday of May. The weeks leading up to this Sunday, school children spend a few hours a day preparing a gift for their mothers, aided by their school teachers. In general, mothers receive gifts from their family members & this day is meant to be celebrated with the whole family. It is also said to be celebrated in May, as May is the month dedicated to the Virgin Mary (mother of Jesus) according to Catholicism. The idea of a month dedicated specifically to Mary can be traced back to baroque times. Although it wasn't always held during May, Mary Month included thirty daily spiritual exercises honoring Mary.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1925 the Valencian poet Julio Menéndez García published a Hymn to Mother in a pamphlet in which he proposed the celebration of Mother's Day in all Spanish-speaking countries.<ref>Diario de Valencia, 25 September 1925</ref> The official declaration was never produced, but at that time the initiative was adopted at a local level on different dates; thus, for example, in Madrid, Mother's Day was celebrated on 4 October 1926.<ref>La Opinión: diario independiente de la mañana, 4 October 1926.</ref>

In 1939 the Youth Front of FET y de las JONS party, promoted the celebration of Mother's Day coinciding with the feast of the Immaculate Conception, on 8 December.

In the early 1960s, on the initiative of a chain of department stores (Galerías Preciados), which copied the custom established in Cuba, Mother's Day was also celebrated on the first Sunday of May (El Corte Inglés, the great competitor of Galerías Preciados, celebrated the holiday in December). The two dates, May and December, coexisted until 1965 when the ecclesiastical authorities chose to celebrate the festival in May, within the month consecrated to the Virgin, to recover the authentic character of the Day of the Immaculate Conception.<ref>Nueva Alcarria, 5 December 1964.</ref>

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sweden

In Sweden, Mother's Day was first celebrated in 1919, by an initiative of the author Cecilia Bååth-Holmberg. It took several decades for the day to be widely recognized. Swedes born in the early nineteen hundreds typically did not celebrate the day because of the common belief that the holiday was invented strictly for commercial purposes. This was in contrast to Father's Day, which has been widely celebrated in Sweden since the late 1970s. Mother's Day in Sweden is celebrated on the last Sunday in May. A later date was chosen to allow everyone to go outside and pick flowers.<ref name="nordstjernan.com z291">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="VÄRLDENS HISTORIA 2023 w007">Template:Cite web</ref>

Switzerland

In Switzerland, the "règle de Pentecôte" law allows Mother's Day to be celebrated a week late if the holiday falls on the same day as Pentecost. In 2008, merchants declined to move the date.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Taiwan

In Taiwan, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of the month of May, coinciding with Buddha's birthday and the traditional ceremony of "washing the Buddha". In 1999 the Taiwanese government established the second Sunday of May as Buddha's birthday, so they would be celebrated in the same day.<ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Since 2006,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the Tzu Chi, the largest charity organization in Taiwan, celebrates the Tzu Chi Day, Mother's Day and Buddha's birthday all together, as part of a unified celebration and religious observance.<ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Thailand

Mother's day in Thailand is celebrated on the birthday of the Queen Mother of Thailand, Sirikit (12 August).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The holiday was first celebrated around the 1980s as part of the campaign by the Prime Minister of Thailand Prem Tinsulanonda to promote Thailand's Royal family.<ref name=handley /> Father's Day is celebrated on the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej's birthday.<ref name=handley>Template:Cite book (online version)</ref>

Ukraine

Ukraine celebrates Mother's Day (Template:Langx) on the second Sunday of May. In Ukraine, Mother's Day officially became a holiday in 1999<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and has been celebrated since 2000. Ukrainian society also celebrates International Women's Day, a holiday adopted under the Soviet Union that remained a tradition in Ukraine after its collapse.Template:Citation needed

United Kingdom

File:Happy Mother's Day - geograph.org.uk - 709934.jpg

Balloons outside, in the week before Mother's Day 2008

The United Kingdom celebrates Mother's Day on the Fourth Sunday in Lent (Template:Moveable date).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the United Kingdom, the holiday has its roots in the religious Mothering Sunday celebration and was originally unrelated to the international Mother's Day holiday.<ref name="bbc"/> Most historians believe that Mothering Sunday evolved from a medieval practice of visiting one's mother church annually on Laetare Sunday.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

United States

File:Michelle Obama, Jill Biden and Prince Henry.jpg

Prince Harry, Michelle Obama and Jill Biden helping children create Mother's Day cards at the White House, 9 May 2013

File:Mother's day gifts.jpg

Handmade Mother's Day gifts

The United States celebrates Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May. In 1872 Julia Ward Howe called for women to join in support of disarmament and asked for 2 June 1872, to be established as a "Mother's Day for Peace". Her 1870 "Appeal to womanhood throughout the world" is sometimes referred to as Mother's Day Proclamation. But Howe's day was not for honouring mothers but for organizing pacifist mothers against war. In the 1880s and 1890s there were several further attempts to establish an American "Mother's Day", but these did not succeed beyond the local level.<ref name=virginia>Template:Cite book</ref>

In the United States, Mother's Day remains one of the biggest days for sales of flowers, greeting cards, and the like; Mother's Day is also the biggest holiday for dining out and for long-distance telephone calls.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Barbara Mikkelson, "We love you – call collect". Snopes.com. Retrieved 2010.03.08.</ref> Moreover, churchgoing is also popular on Mother's Day, yielding the highest church attendance after Christmas Eve and Easter. Many worshippers celebrate the day with carnations, coloured if the mother is living and white if she is dead.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="Churchgoing">Template:Cite book</ref>

It is possible that the holiday would have withered over time without the support and continuous promotion of the florist industry. Other holidays from the same time, such as Children's Day and Temperance Sunday, do not have the same level of popularity.<ref>Leigh, p. 256</ref>

See also

• International Mother's Day Shrine
• International Women's Day
• Father's Day
• List of films set around Mother's Day
• May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary
• Why Mom Deserves a Diamond contest

Notes

Citations

Enstam, Elizabeth York. "The Dallas equal suffrage association, political style, and popular culture: grassroots strategies of the Woman Suffrage Movement, 1913–1919." Journal of Southern History 68.4 (2002):817+. Student Resources in Context. Web. 14 November 2014.

References

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External links

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• Anna Jarvis: The woman who regretted creating Mother's Day, By Vibeke Venema BBC Stories, 10 May 2020.