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Mother's Day
by Frann LeachThe origins of Mother’s Day are obscure, with some claiming it goes back to Ancient Greece and Mother worship in the festival of Cybele and Rhea. However, it appears that in modern times, the event originated in the US as a means of developing a women's anti-war movement during the American Civil War. Mother’s Day was conceived by Julia Ward Howe, a social activist, as a call to unite women against the fighting. Although it was unsuccessful at the time, it was taken up by others later.
Dates vary, with heavy emphasis on Mothering Sunday (as per UK), or the second Sunday in May (as per US). National calendars and diaries usually include the date of the local Mother’s Day. See calendar below.
In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson announced the first Official Mothers' Day in the US, after which commercialisation became rampant, leading to the day being called a "Hallmark Day" (referring to the largest greetings cards manufacturer).
The American concept of Mother’s Day was adopted in the UK and attached to the day which was referred to as Mothering Sunday – the fourth Sunday in Lent. Many people in the UK now refer to the day just as Mother’s Day.
In Britain and its former colonies, the day is used as an occasion to thank mothers for their devotion and love. In many Eastern and Oriental countries the day is heavily commercialised by card and gift manufacturers. Elsewhere there are religious and traditional cultural overtones. However, the concept of celebrating mothers is almost universal, but the traditions and practices vary greatly and the dates are diverse.
Children usually make or buy cards and gifts for their mothers on this day, and adult children will usually send a card or letter. In 1973 the volume of mail in the US was so large that there was an eight day delay in sorting and delivering mail!
International Mother's Day calendar
With Mother’s Day being a "variable feast" as far as international recognition and celebration is concerned, the following is a guideline to its observance:
- 2nd Sunday in February
- Norway
- 4th Sunday in Lent
- UK » Ireland
- 1st Sunday in May
- Hungary » Lithuania » Portugal » Spain
- 2nd Sunday in May
- Anguilla » Aruba » Australia » Austria » Bahamas » Barbados » Bangladesh » Belgium » Belize » Bermuda » Bonaire » Brazil » Canada » Chile » China » Colombia » Cuba » Croatia » Curacao » Czech Republic » Denmark » Ecuador » Estonia » Finland » Germany » Greece » Grenada » Honduras » Hong Kong » Iceland » Italy » Jamaica » Japan » Latvia » Malta » Malaysia » Netherlands » New Zealand » Peru » Philippines » Puerto Rico » Singapore » Slovakia » South Africa » Suriname » Switzerland » Taiwan » Trinidad and Tobago » Turkey » US » Uruguay » Venezuela » Zimbabwe
- Last Sunday in May
- Dominican Republic » Haiti » Sweden;
France (unless that is Pentecost, when it moves to the First Sunday in June) - 2nd Sunday in October
- Argentina
- Last Sunday in November
- Russia
- 3rd March
- Georgia
- 8th March
- Albania » Belarus » Bosnia and Hertzegovina » Bulgaria » Montenegro » Romania » Russia » Serbia » Slovenia » Vietnam
- 21st March
- Bahrain » Egypt » Jordan » Kuwait » Lebanon » Palestine Territories » Syria » UAE » Yemen
- 7th April
- Armenia
- 8th May
- Albania » Korea
- 10th May
- Bahrain » El Salvador » Guatamala » India » Mexico » Oman » Pakistan » Qatar » Saudi Arabia » Singapore
- 26th May
- Poland
- 27th May
- Bolivia
- 30th May
- Nicaragua
- 12th August
- Thailand
- 15th August
- Antwerp (Belgium) » Costa Rica
- 8th December
- Panama
- 22nd December
- Indonesia
- 30th Shevat (Hebrew)
- Israel
- 20th Jumada al-thani (Islam)
- Iran » Iraq
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