Mother’s Day traditions differ around the world – see how other families celebrate

It wouldn’t be Mother’s Day in the United States without the classic traditions that Americans know best: large bouquets of roses and carnations, homemade cards, special outings and shout-outs to mothers near and far.

When the holiday was started in 1907 by Anna Jarvis to honor mothers, the day’s event was at a Methodist church in West Virginia, where white carnations were reportedly distributed to those in attendance. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, declared the second Sunday in May a national holiday.

Jarvis strongly advocated for a day dedicated to mothers and then lamented how commercialized it had become. In the years since, the holiday has become even more commercialized, with consumers spending a record $33.5 billion.

Over the years, other countries have adopted Mother’s Day, each offering their own unique approach – some perhaps closer to the celebrations Jarvis envisioned. Some countries celebrate on different dates and others in May. Mexico celebrates on May 10, Thailand on August 12, Peru on the second Sunday in May and France normally on the last Sunday in May, while the United Kingdom celebrates on the last Sunday of Lent, which varies each year.

There’s everything from mariachi serenades to visits to the local church and traditional meals made in honor of the family matriarch. However the festivities may seem, the intention is the same: to share appreciation for the women who are at the center of the family.

Here’s a sampling of some of the Mother’s Day traditions in other places around the world.

Mexico

Día de Las Madres is celebrated every year on May 10th and the festivities do not disappoint. Mexicans often have the day off, so when the holiday falls on a weekday, they can stay home and spend the day with mom.

“The mother here is a very important figure,” Lola Barba, a mother of two who grew up in Mexico City, told CBS News. “The country stops when it’s Mother’s Day here.”

In the week before Mother’s Day, elementary schools organize festivals with dances, plays and songs. Moms are invited to watch and enjoy the treats, Barba said. Families typically come together on the day for large meals featuring traditional menu items including mole, pozole and enchiladas, while others choose to take their mothers to a local restaurant. But nothing beats the tradition of hiring mariachi bands or trios to serenade mothers – sometimes early enough to wake them up!

Mexican Mother’s Day emerged at the same time as the US holiday, just over a century ago. Later, Mexico erected a monument to mothers called Monumento a la Madre.

Although he now lives in Los Angeles, Barba still usually celebrates Mother’s Day on the 10th. “I usually celebrate it on the day, and sometimes I even celebrate it twice!” she said.

Peru

Peruvians celebrate Mother’s Day, known as “Happy Mama Day”, by bringing the whole family together, whether in a restaurant or at a relative’s house.

“In my family, we usually get together at lunchtime at someone’s house and spend the next few hours together, enjoying each other’s company and strengthening our family bonds,” Laura Gonzales, 77, a mother from Lima, Peru, told CBS News.

Families are also known to gather at cemeteries to pay respects to deceased mothers, aunts and grandmothers — especially those who live in provinces outside the capital Lima, Gonzales said. Many bring food, drinks and flowers to place at the graves. Vendors have become popular and now sell flowers, balloons and signs outside cemeteries. What may seem like a somber tradition is actually considered a joyful celebration among Peruvian families.

Gonzales said that in the past, children typically wore a red rose if their mother was alive, or a white rose if they had died. The tradition has faded over time, but red roses are still one of the most popular flower choices for mothers.

UK

In the United Kingdom, Mother’s Day has a different name: “Mothering Sunday”, which honors the connection with the church in addition to mothers. During the Middle Ages, people who moved away returned every year on the fourth Sunday of Lent to visit their “Mother” church – usually where they were baptized. This was an opportunity to reconnect after long periods apart. Today, Mothering Sunday is still celebrated on the last Sunday of Lent, the date of which varies each year.

The holiday’s connection to religion is less obvious these days, said Susan Morgan, a 65-year-old mother of three who lives in Suffolk, England. As a little girl, she remembers visiting her family for afternoon tea and bringing flowers and a homemade card.

“It felt like an important day to me, a little religious, and about going with my mom to show respect to her mom and her mom’s mom,” Morgan told CBS News.

Thailand

In Thailand, Mother’s Day is a holiday that the whole country participates in – it’s a public holiday and people have a day off. Originally celebrated on April 15, the holiday was moved to August 12, 1976 to coincide with the birthday of Queen Sirikit, a member of the Thai royal family.

With twice as many reasons to celebrate, there’s plenty of fanfare. Before the 12th, buildings across the country are adorned with images of the queen, along with colorful flags, flowers and lights. In Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, fireworks can be seen lighting up the sky during an annual ceremony in honor of the queen.

Children offer their mothers white jasmine flowers, which are in great demand during and around the holiday. “It’s not just a holiday; it’s the day we appreciate mothers and motherhood and reflect how grateful we are,” said Ploy Khunisorn, who has lived in Thailand for 22 years but currently lives in Boston.

Last year, the US Embassy in Thailand extended warm wishes to the Queen and all Thai mothers.

France

Celebrations are different depending on the family, but in France it is typical to offer mothers small gifts and bouquets of flowers, such as the famous Lily of the Valley.

Mother’s Day normally takes place on the last Sunday in May.

Spending quality time with loved ones is also an important part of how the French celebrate the day, Anne-Sophie Bellemin, a French mother of two who lives in the town of Novalaise, told CBS News.

Bellemin said her husband historically went to the market, the market, on the morning of Mother’s Day to buy a colorful bouquet filled with roses, daisies and other flowers. “It was a tradition for the children to give me the bouquet my husband bought,” she said.