Moms do so much for their families. It seems like every single day should be her special day, but then it wouldn’t be unique.
Many world cultures celebrate and honor mothers in different ways. It’s interesting to look at how other cultures celebrate Mother’s Day.
Mexico
La Dia de la Madre is based on the ties of motherhood and traditional Mexican values, the first was celebrated on the 10th of May, 1922 and is celebrated on May 10th every year in Mexico. Traditionally everyone goes out for lunch or dinner and restaurants are full. Much like the U.S., children honor their mothers with with gifts flowers and candies.
Peru
Mother’s Day in Peru is celebrated for an entire week. Families organize dinners, lunches, parties, and excursions throughout the week. Artistic and musical shows are common in bigger cities. Mothers often visit museums, exhibitions, and festivals for free during this week.
Italy
In Italy, it’s all about spending time with “mamma” on her day. Mother’s day is known as La Festa della Mamma in Italy and this is a day where she is pampered and appreciated more than any other time of the year.
La Festa della Mamma is celebrated on the second Sunday of every May. Celebrations are simple with family members gathering and indulging their moms. If you can’t get home to visit and celebrate, you must call. Giving cards is not very common but small gifts and fresh flowers as well as handwritten poetry are common in Italy. Typically the day ends with a dessert which is usually a heart shaped cake. The tradition is more about spending time with and pampering Mom!
Japan
Mother’s Day in Japan can be traced back to as early as 1913 with a halt during the war. Kids gift flowers to their mothers which are traditionally fresh red or pink carnations.
The carnations symbolize love and endurance in the Japanese culture. Children also gift mom by helping with household chores and preparing meals. Some of the popular Japanese dishes associated with mother’s day are the Tamagoyaki (a type of popular omelet) and Chawanmushi (a rich egg custard). Younger children get creative with handmade gifts, draw portraits of their moms, or create calligraphic gifts for their mothers.