Mother's Day in France. When is Mother's Day celebrated in different countries of the world? How is Mother's Day celebrated in Spain?

The last Sunday in May is Mother's Day (la fête des Mères) in France. It is on this day that the French congratulate their beloved mothers, and not on the Eighth of March, as is customary in Russia. However, this holiday also exists in a number of other European countries, although the dates for its celebration are different. As is often the case, the custom of honoring mothers has its roots in the distant past, in Ancient Greece and Rome. But as a holiday in the modern sense, it originated in the USA, when one American woman, her loving daughter Ann Jarvis, having lost her mother, turned to the official authorities with a request that all mothers in the country receive their own memorable day, on which their children and loved ones will honor them. Ann managed to find like-minded people, and in 1910 the American government approved the official Mother's Day.

During the First World War, being away from their families for a long time, American soldiers began actively writing postcards to their mothers. The custom of congratulating mothers and giving them gifts was adopted by the allies, including France. In 1918, a celebration was held in Lyon in honor of mothers and wives who lost their sons and husbands in the war. The French themselves believe that the tradition of congratulating mothers comes from Napoleon - it was he who first put forward this idea in 1806. But initially it was more about attention to large families than specifically about the holiday of mothers.

The first official celebration of "Mother's Day" took place on April 20, 1926; its popularization occurs during the Second World War under the government of Pétain, who was concerned about the decrease in the population of the country affected by the war. And only in 1950 the exact date is fixed in the calendar - the fourth Sunday in May, and if this holiday coincides with Trinity (la Pen tec ôte ), then it is moved to the first Sunday in June.

Today this is one of the favorite holidays of the French unofficial calendar, for which it takes a very long time to prepare, since gifts are most often made with one’s own hands. After all, the main thing is not the gift itself, but the attention that all mothers deserve!

Mother's Day in France is usually a family holiday. Children make cards, various crafts, or write poems as gifts for their mothers. Men buy flowers for their mothers and wives, which are in abundance in all flower shops in France.

One of Napoleon's famous quotes: "The future of a child is the work of his mother." Mother is always celebrated in various ways around the world. In France, this holiday symbolizes "Peace". According to some sources, the tradition of celebrating Mother's Day dates back to the women's mysteries of ancient Rome, intended to honor the Great Mother - the goddess, the mother of all gods. It is also known that in 15th-century England, the so-called “Mothering Sunday” was celebrated - the fourth Sunday of Lent, dedicated to honoring mothers throughout the country. Gradually, this holiday acquired a different meaning - they began to honor not mothers, but the “Mother Church,” so the holiday became partly a church holiday.

Many countries around the world celebrate Mother's Day, although at different times. Moreover, unlike International Women's Day on March 8, only mothers and pregnant women are honored on Mother's Day, and not all representatives of the fairer sex. Most of the world celebrates Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May, while France celebrates it on the last Sunday in May. However, in France, mothers can receive a second day of special attention - June 7th, celebrating the French holiday - Fete des Meres. This French tradition of honoring mothers was officially approved in 1950, and was opened by Napoleon.

Ask any little child about his mother, and they will all answer: “My mother is the best!” And this is the true truth. We should all always say this to our mothers. We owe everything we have become to her. In difficult times, her strength and wisdom always helps us. When we feel bad, her zest for life inspires you. She fills our lives with kindness and warmth. She is the only one for every child in his life!

Mothers accept gifts, cards, poems, flowers, cakes. Lunch and dinner are also held in their honor. Family dinner is the norm on Mother's Day in France.

Feasts are accompanied by games with children. Mother's Day is celebrated with a playful and festive spirit. People in France are food connoisseurs. They love cheese and chocolate very much. That’s why French mothers are treated to their favorite delicacies on this day.

Art and literature have always been at the forefront and an important part of French culture. Giving a painting and a book by your favorite authors is also one of the common Mother's Day gift ideas in France. Fashion and perfume are another important aspect of life in France. Giving shopping vouchers or ready-made kits is another great gift idea for French families. Gift baskets with a favorite brand of cosmetics or spa coupons make women feel special. Isn’t this the main feature of such a holiday? And every mother deserves to feel most needed and significant on this day!

Écoute ma chanson

tellement envie de

T"embrasser si longtemps

Toujours je serai

je suis seulement à toi

Je t"aime, comme autre fois

Children's songs about mom: http://allforchildren.ru/songs/mama.php

Songs about mom for adults: http://allforchildren.ru/songs/mama.php

Despite the fact that in our country Mother's Day has been officially celebrated for 18 years, there are not many traditions of honoring women - flowers, cards, etc. We invite you to get acquainted with how this wonderful holiday is celebrated in other countries of the world. You can take something interesting into note, or come up with your own scenario for congratulating the most important and beloved person in your life.

Finland

In 2015, this country was named the most favorable for motherhood according to the rating of the international organization Save the Children. In the land of a thousand lakes, white lilies and Moomins, heroine mothers and women raising orphans are awarded the highest state award. This tradition has existed since 1919, and the awarded order has the beautiful name “White Rose”.

By the way, about flowers. Residents of Finland prefer to give their mothers beautiful plants in pots. For the holiday, a special variety of roses was even bred, called “Mother’s Day.”

Finns also celebrate the second Sunday in May by raising the flag and holding ceremonies near the monuments and the Mother-Worker, which are located in Helsinki.

Germany

The history of the celebration of Muttertag (the name of the holiday in this country) dates back to medieval Thuringia. Spring Sunday became a national holiday in the 30s of the 20th century.

On this day, it is customary to visit mothers and present small gifts and bouquets with a dozen roses. If the mother is no longer around, then they commemorate the loved one symbolically with one white rose. In Germany, there are no noisy street events on Mother's Day; everyone spends the holiday weekend in the close circle of their closest relatives.

USA

It was in this country that the significant day was first celebrated in 1872 on the initiative of Julia Ward Howe, a public figure. Anna Jarvis proposed making the holiday national. The initiative was soon supported by many other countries, and the holiday became international.

Americans attach a red carnation to their clothes as a symbol that mother is nearby and prospering, or a white carnation to express their gratitude and respect to those who are no longer there.

Marketers in this country know how to benefit from any holiday. Mother's Day is no exception. In addition to traditional dinners, cards, and gifts, it has recently become a tradition to present a “mother’s ring.” Its peculiarity is that the number of stones should be equal to the number of children the mother raised. A very pleasant tradition for women with many children!

Cuba

1929 marks the beginning of Mother's Day celebrations on Liberty Island. Cubans celebrate this day on a grand scale. Street celebrations, floral fairs, presentation of gifts and special greeting cards.

Drawings for postcards are created by artists commissioned by grateful sons and daughters. There have been cases when the postal service issued a million paper tokens for Mother's Day.

Those who are outside their homeland also necessarily write letters to their relatives. Words written in your own handwriting are now so priceless in our time of electronic messages.

Australia

In the “Country of Opposite”, the holiday also falls on the second Sunday of May, and is celebrated here with great enthusiasm. Children bring their mothers breakfast in bed, make small gifts with their own hands and stock up on cute bouquets. Adult children and other relatives don’t get by with trinkets and souvenirs; they give their mothers a solid and expensive gift.

Residents of the Green Continent also attach red or white carnations to their clothes as a sign of respect or memory of those closest to them. By the way, in this country it is also customary to congratulate all representatives of the fair half who are involved in raising children.

India

In this amazing country, Ahoy-Ashtami (as the name of the holiday sounds) does not coincide calendar wise with other countries; here it is celebrated in October. There is a legend according to which a mother of seven sons accidentally killed a little bear cub. For her sin, she was deprived of all her children. Heartbroken, the mother tirelessly prayed to the goddess Ashtami Bhagavati, and she revived the children. On this day, all mothers are in prayer from morning until sunset, asking for happiness and prosperity for their children.

Japan

"Haha no hi" (Japanese Mother's Day) has been celebrated in the Land of the Rising Sun for a long time - since 1915. Mothers receive souvenirs, carnations (not white ones) from the hands of their offspring, and also listen to “mother’s song” about mother’s knitting mittens and the smell of the hearth. A very touching tradition.

Happy holiday, dear mothers!

All over the world, Mother's Day is celebrated as a sign of gratitude for mothers' care for children. Moreover, as is clear from the traditions of different countries, not necessarily about their own children.

All over the world, this tradition falls on different dates, from February to December. In some countries, Mother's Day, like many other holidays, has become commercial in nature: companies make money by selling holiday-related attributes, like the pioneers in this field - the United States.

The tradition of celebrating Mother's Day is rooted in religion, but not always. We offer you an overview of how this date is celebrated in different countries of the world, where the reasons may be religious, historical or mythical.

Russia

Despite the fact that Russia traditionally celebrates International Women's Day on March 8, Mother's Day also exists, and according to federal legislation, since the late 1990s it has been celebrated on the last Sunday of November (in 2018 - November 25). As noted in the State Duma at the time of the establishment of this holiday, its goal is to support the traditions of caring for women, consolidate family foundations and especially note the importance in the life of every main person - the Mother. In this regard, the holiday has a narrower focus in contrast to Women's Day on March 8, when men express gratitude not only to their mothers, but also to wives, sisters, grandmothers, girlfriends, and just passers-by on the street.

Belarus

In the Republic of Belarus, Mother's Day is celebrated on October 14. Like other former Soviet republics, Belarusians celebrate March 8th with traditional flowers and gifts. But at the state level, Mother's Day was officially established in 1996, although it has been celebrated since 1995. On the same day in October, believers celebrate the Feast of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Great Britain

Residents of Great Britain celebrate “Mothering Sunday” on the fourth Sunday of Lent (in 2018 it was March 11). The holiday was originally a church holiday: most historians believe that it arose from the Christian tradition of the 16th century, when it was customary to visit mothers on the fourth Sunday of Lent. The religious tradition gradually became a thing of the past, but thanks to the efforts of merchants who saw a great opportunity to make money from the holiday, it began to gain popularity again throughout the UK in the 1950s.

Spain

Until 1965, Día de la Madre was originally celebrated in Spain on Mary's Day - December 8th. Today, Mother's Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of May, a month that, according to the Catholic faith, is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Día de la Madre remains a popular and commercially promoted holiday.

Portugal

In Portugal, Dia da Mãe is an unofficial holiday held on the first Sunday in May. As in Spain, it was previously celebrated on December 8 - the day of the Catholic feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Hungary

In Hungary, Mother's Day also falls on the first Sunday in May. It was first celebrated in 1925 by the Hungarian Red Cross youth.

Germany

Muttertag was created by the Association of German Florists and usually falls on the second Sunday in May. Germans celebrate this holiday with some restraint, as negative associations link it with the period of National Socialism, when Nazi leaders used any excuse to stimulate the birth rate.

Austria

Marianne Heinisch, founder of the Austrian women's movement, is considered the initiator and activist of Mother's Day celebrations since 1924. She found support for her idea in the scouting movement, which also supported the celebration of this day. As in Germany, in Austria the holiday falls on the second Sunday of May.

Switzerland

Swiss chefs, pastry chefs and florists, using the example of Germany, realized the enormous commercial potential of Mother's Day, and then imported the holiday into their country. This partly German-speaking country celebrates Muttertag on the second Sunday in May.

Greece and Cyprus

Mother's Day is celebrated in Greece and Cyprus - also on the second Sunday of May. The ancient Greeks usually held an annual spring festival to honor the goddess Rhea, the wife of Kronos, who had a large offspring.

France

The French celebrate Fête des Mères on the last Sunday in May, according to a law passed in 1950 - except in years when the feast of Pentecost falls on that day. In this case, Mother's Day is moved to the first Sunday in June. The law requires official tribute to be paid to French mothers.

As for the origins of the holiday, some cities in France began to celebrate la Journée des mères back in 1918, when mothers of large families began to be honored for their contribution to increasing the population of the Republic. During the Second World War, the popularity of the holiday increased thanks to the efforts of the pro-fascist Vichy regime. Later, after the liberation of France in 1944, the authorities continued to support Mothers' Day as part of efforts to increase the country's population.

Israel

In Israel, Mother's Day is celebrated on the 30th day of the month of Shevat according to the Jewish calendar, and the holiday falls on the dates from January 30 to March 1. The holiday was established in honor of the public figure of the first half of the twentieth century, Henrietta Szold, who passed away on February 13, 1945. Henrietta did not have her own children, but she herself saved many Jewish children from Nazi Germany during the war. In Israel, Szold is called the “mother” of all saved children, and therefore the annual day of remembrance has also become Mother’s Day. Today, the holiday is mainly celebrated in preschool institutions (kindergartens), where parents are also invited. The commercial content of the holiday is not cultivated in Israel.

Many countries around the world celebrate Mother's Day, although at different times. Moreover, unlike International Women's Day on March 8, only mothers and pregnant women are honored on Mother's Day, and not all representatives of the fairer sex.

Mother's Day is celebrated in accordance with Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated January 30, 1998 No. 120 “On Mother's Day” on the last Sunday in November. The initiative to establish this holiday belongs to the State Duma Committee on Women, Family and Youth Affairs.

According to some sources, the tradition of celebrating Mother's Day dates back to the women's mysteries of ancient Rome, intended to honor the Great Mother - the goddess, the mother of all gods. It is also known that in 15th-century England, the so-called “Mothering Sunday” was celebrated - the fourth Sunday of Lent, dedicated to honoring mothers throughout the country. Gradually, this holiday acquired a different meaning - they began to honor not mothers, but the “Mother Church,” so the holiday became partly a church holiday. On December 12, 1912, the International Mother's Day Association was formed to promote conscious celebration of this day.

Mother's Day is celebrated in different countries:
in Russia - on the last Sunday of November;
in Belarus - October 14;
in Ukraine - on the second Sunday of May;
in Estonia - on the second Sunday in May;
in the USA - on the second Sunday in May;
in Malta - on the second Sunday in May;
in Denmark - on the second Sunday in May;
in Finland - on the second Sunday in May;
in Italy - on the second Sunday in May;
in Turkey - on the second Sunday of May;
in Australia - on the second Sunday in May;
in Japan - on the second Sunday of May;
in Belgium - on the second Sunday in May;
in Greece - May 9;
in Norway on the second Sunday of February;
in Sweden - on the last Sunday in May;
in France - on the last Sunday in May;
in Lebanon - on the first day of spring;
in South Africa - on the first Sunday in May;
in Argentina - in October;
in India - in October;
in Spain - December 8th;
in Portugal - December 8th;
in Serbia - in December;
in Uzbekistan, March 8 is celebrated as Mother's Day;
In Armenia, Motherhood and Beauty Day is celebrated on April 7.

In the USA, Mother's Day was celebrated for the first time in 1872 on the initiative of Julia Ward Howe, but in meaning it was more like Peace Day. Mother's Day itself has been celebrated in the United States since 1907 annually on the second Sunday in May, and in 1914 President Woodrow Wilson made this holiday official.

Many countries celebrate their own Mother's Day at different times of the year. In Bahrain, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates, Mother's Day is celebrated on May 10th.
Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May in Malta, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Japan, Belgium, Ukraine, Estonia.

The Maltese have been celebrating Mother's Day since time immemorial. Historians believe that the tradition itself originates in the female mysteries of ancient Rome, intended to honor the Great Mother - the goddess, the mother of all gods.
In Greece, Mother's Day is celebrated on May 9th. The history of the holiday dates back to the times of ancient Greece, when the Greeks celebrated the day of the mother of all gods, Gaia, in the spring.

In Finland, Mother's Day has been officially celebrated since 1927 on the second Sunday of May. On this day, flags are hung, children prepare gifts for mothers, and fathers try their best in the kitchen on this day, each to the best of their abilities and capabilities. Grandmothers are also congratulated.

In Estonia, Mother's Day has been celebrated since 1992 on the second Sunday of May. On this day flags are hung. The day before, matinees are held in kindergartens, and concerts for mothers are held in schools; children give their mothers homemade cards and gifts.

In Ukraine, Mother's Day began to be celebrated back in 1929, in Galicia, but over time it was forgotten. Today this day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May, modestly, without celebrations.
In Russia, Mother's Day has been celebrated on the last Sunday of November since 1998 on the basis of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin.

On this day, traditionally, women who have achieved success in raising children, mothers of many children and single mothers are congratulated.

In Belarus, Mother's Day has been celebrated on October 14 since 1996 in accordance with the order of the President of the Republic.