Writing for Time.com, Noah Rayman reports on the many ways mothers throughout the world celebrate Mothers Day. Lets check out a few:
China
While relatively new to the country, the imported holiday of Mother’s Day aligned with traditions of filial piety in China, as it has in countries the world-over. On the second Sunday of May, an increasing number of Chinese celebrate the day with gifts and festivities.
Mexico
Mexico takes very Mother’s Day very seriously. In fact, Manuel Gutierrez, president of the national association of restaurateurs, told the Washington Post in 2012 that May 10-whatever the day of the week-is the busiest day of the year for Mexican restaurants. Flowers are a must, but the day is also filled with music, food, celebrations, and often a morning serenade of the song “Las Mananitas” from mariachi singers:
“Awaken, my dear, awaken/ and see that the day has dawned/ now the little birds are singing/ and the moon has set.”
Russia
In the former Soviet Union, mothers were celebrated on International Women’s Day on March 8, a celebratory date that has since become an internationally-observed dayto honor women and reflect on the goal for gender equality. In 1998, post-Soviet Russia introduced Mother’s Day on the last Sunday in November, but most of the gift giving still happens in March.
Egypt
Mother’s Day in Egypt and several other Arab countries falls on March 21, the first day of spring. The widely observed unofficial national holiday is a day of gift-giving and celebration. There are so many gift ideas for your Mum, so there are no excuses for the people of Egypt to at least find one way to show some appreciation towards their mother on this special day.
South Africa
According to MothersDayCelebration.com, In South Africa, Mothers Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in the month of May. People of South Africa celebrate Mother’s Day in its true spirit by acknowledging the importance of mothers in their lives and thanking them profusely for all their love and care. People also gift flowers and cards to their mother as an expression of their heartfelt feeling of gratitude and affection, making use of services similar to Fiesta Flowers Plants & Gifts to do this.
The most commonly used flowers on Mothers Day is the traditional carnation. People wear red or pink carnation for mothers who are living while white carnation is used as a symbol of mothers who are dead. In South Africa, Mother’s Day is taken as an opportunity to thank not just mothers but also grandmothers and women who are like mothers.
Mothers are pampered by caring children on the day. Many children treat their mother with a delicious breakfast in bed but owing to the changing lifestyles, a large number of people take their mother out for dinners. Young children present their mothers with homemade gifts while the elder ones buy gifts for their mothers. Gifts that elder children buy include perfume, chocolates and jewellery, such as from Jacobs the jeweller, if this can be afforded.
Brazil
In Brazil, Mother’s day is called Dia das Mães. Retailers, shops owners, restaurants and families start preparing a few days before Mothers Day. The celebration in Brazil is similar to the Unites States. People go out with their families for brunch, buy for their mother some cute little remembrance like gifts or flowers. People utter words of appreciation for their mother and grandmother on Mothers Day in Brazil. An interesting tidbit is 40 percent of Brazilian mothers prefer electronics according to a study cited in the article.
Read more at Time or MothersDayCelebration.com.
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