Mother's Day in the United States is celebrated on the second Sunday in May. It's a time to honor mothers with cards, flowers, chocolate, and quality time.
This holiday became official in the U.S. in 1914. Anna Jarvis started it to honor her late mother. However, she later criticized how commercialized the holiday became.
Honoring mothers is a practice much older than the official holiday. Many countries and cultures worldwide have unique ways to celebrate moms.
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Start Your News DetoxUnique Ways to Celebrate Moms
Visiting Cemeteries in Peru
In Peru, Mother's Day is a popular time to honor mothers, grandmothers, and ancestors who have passed away. Peruvians give gifts like flowers and cards to living mothers. They also gather at cemeteries to honor deceased mothers and ancestors.
These cemetery visits are often festive. Families eat, drink, and celebrate among the graves. They also clean gravesites and decorate them with flowers and balloons.
Giving Red Carnations in Japan
Flowers are a big part of Mother's Day globally. Many countries use specific blooms to honor mothers. In Japan, moms often receive red carnations. These flowers show admiration, love, and respect for a mother.
Pink carnations are also popular, symbolizing gratitude and love. Sometimes, children include notes with the carnations for a more personal touch.
Wearing Color-Coded Flowers in Haiti
In Haiti, a Mother's Day custom involves wearing specific flower colors. These colors show if a person's mother is still alive. People with living mothers typically wear red and pink flowers. Those whose mothers recently passed wear white flowers. Purple flowers are sometimes worn by those who lost their mothers long ago. This tradition also exists in parts of the U.S. and other places. It's a way to respect all mothers and acknowledge feelings of loss on Mother's Day.
Serenading Moms With Mariachi Bands in Mexico
Many cultures celebrate Mother's Day with flowers and breakfast in bed. In Mexican culture, a traditional way to wake moms up is by hiring a mariachi band at dawn.
This practice started before Mother's Day became official in Mexico. It comes from "Las Mañanitas," traditional serenades played early in the morning. Mariachi bands would serenade loved ones to show love and appreciation. Moms were often the recipients of these wake-up calls. This tradition is now a popular way to honor Mother's Day in Mexican culture.
Three-Day Festivals in Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, mothers are celebrated with an elaborate three-day festival called Antrosht. It happens at the end of the rainy season in autumn. During this time, adult children usually return to their family homes.
Kids bring ingredients for a traditional meal that the whole family cooks. Daughters typically bring vegetables, cheese, and spices. Sons bring meat. The cooking itself is a ritual. The festival also includes sharing stories, dancing, and singing. It's a profound way to honor mothers as the center of the family and life.
Washing Mom’s Feet in Indonesia
Moms do a lot for their children, from birth to care. In Indonesia, Mother's Day is often celebrated by children washing their mom's feet.
This is often done together. Some schools invite mothers and set up feet-washing stations. This tradition also appears in other Asian countries. It symbolizes love, respect, and gratitude, performed with deep emotion.
One mother who participated told Reuters, "Hopefully this event becomes a symbol to remind children about all the good deeds and sacrifices of their mothers for the rest of their lives, until they become adults, maybe even until their mother leaves this world."
