This Sunday, March 30th is Mothering Day in Ireland and the UK and it’s celebrated much like Mother’s Day is in the United States with gifts, brunch and flowers. While American Mother’s Day started as a political statement, Mothering Day’s origins are based on religion and the holiday coincides with the last Sunday in Lent. Nigeria also celebrates Mother’s Day this Sunday with special church services, meals, gifts and expressions of appreciation for mothers.
In Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, Mother’s day falls on the first day of spring – March 21 and it’s history is based on efforts made in the 1950s by an Egyptian journalist to designate a day in appreciation of mothers.
In Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Belize, Mother's Day is celebrated on May 10th. If it falls on a weekday, moms stay home from work and children stay home from school.
Many countries celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May (May 11th this year) including the U.S., Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Ecuador, most of Europe, Grenada, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Jamaica, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zimbabwe and many others. Some of these countries also honor mothers on International Women’s Day or originally celebrated mothers on a different day of the year, but then merged their celebration to coincide with the US date.
In Algeria, the Dominican Republic, France, Haiti, Mauritius, Morocco, Sweden, and Tunisia, Mother’s Day falls on the last Sunday in May. In Kenya it falls on June 29th.
In Spain and Portugal, Mother's Day is celebrated on December 8, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and mothers are honored along with the Virgin Mary.
In Indonesia, it’s a December holiday (the 22nd) that began as a celebration of the anniversary of the first Women’s Congress in 1928. In addition to celebrating mothers, it’s also a popular day for rallies and political demonstrations in support of women.
Regardless of the date, Mother’s Day is celebrated around the world as a way to honor the women who gave us life and the universal traditions and ancestry of motherhood. While we think flowers, gifts and dinner reservations are excellent ways to honor mothers, we think creating the conditions to empower all mothers might make a stronger statement. Wherever you’re celebrating this year, take a moment to consider what life is like for the mothers in your country and make a commitment to make Every Mother Count.
