7 ways Mother’s Day is celebrated around the world

Breakfast in bed, a bunch of flowers, zoom calls and a little bit of pampering. Most mothers would agree it’s lovely to be celebrated on a special day each year. Have a look at the different ways Mothers’ Day is celebrated around the world:

1. Ethiopia – the Antrosht festival is a three-day celebration at the end of autumn. Family members will bring different ingredients for a traditional feast of cheese, butter, lamb, vegetables and spices. After the feast the family will sing, dance and tell stories together.

2. France – Fete des meres falls on the last Sunday in May. Napoleon decided to establish a special day dedicated to the mothers of large families. The celebration was revived after World War I in honour the widows who lost their husbands during the war. Across France mayors honour mothers of large families by giving them a special medal. One traditional gift is a flower-shaped cake.

3. Japan – Following World War II, a version of Mother’s Day grew popular as a way of comforting mothers who had lost sons to the war. You’ll see carnations presented around this March holiday, as they symbolize the sweetness and endurance of motherhood in Japanese culture. Originally, children gave a red carnation to a living mother and displayed a white one if their mother had died. Now, white has become the traditional colour.

4. Mexico – Churches in Mexico hold a special mass in honour of Mother’s Day, which is often followed by a community breakfast. Some families hire mariachi bands to wake their mothers with a song on the special day.

5. Nepal – Mother’s Day is celebrated on Baishak Krishna Ausi, according to Lunar calendar. On this day of honour, people pay homage to their mothers by giving her gifts and foods including sweets and fruits. Those who have lost their mother visit Matatirtha Temple.

6. Poland – Mother’s Day or Dzień Matki, is always celebrated on the 26th of May every year, not changing date like many other countries. However, it isn’t treated as a public holiday. Traditional celebrations also include gift and card making and giving. Children will make, decorate and write laurki, which are hand-made cards with paper flowers.

7. Thailand – Mother’s Day is always celebrated on the 12th of August as this is the birthday of their queen, Queen Sirikit, and is a national holiday. The day celebrates her work to support the people of her country who are in need but also honours mothers all over the country. Because of this, charity is a big part of celebrations. Children will be involved in donating to monks and various charitable deeds to help show their gratitude. It’s also traditional for children to gift their mother with jasmine flowers, which are a symbol of the purity of a mother’s love.

Need to treat someone special this Mother’s Day? Try one of our gift packs

The Local Side