Somehow the fact that mothers either carried us in their wombs or cared for us as if they did makes just about everyone feel a loving sense of gratitude. It’s such a special bond for so many that there’s a holiday commemorating and celebrating moms in many countries.
Of course, Mother’s Day doesn’t just celebrate biological mothers: It also celebrates whoever acted as a mother figure in your life. No matter how your mom became your mother, you appreciate her dedication and want to show that on Mother’s Day and beyond.
Unique and thoughtful gifts reign supreme on this annual holiday. Perhaps she always wanted to learn her grandmother’s language, or maybe she always wanted to travel to India. No matter what her yearnings may be, Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion method emphasizes her innate ability to learn a new language. Mom can always find time for bite-sized lessons in her busy schedule, so she can show off her new skill to friends and family.
What is the history behind Mother’s Day?
The tradition of Mother’s Day goes back to medieval times in Britain when adult children who had moved away would return home to their parishes and mothers on the fourth Sunday of Lent—called Mothering Sunday.
In the United States, Anna Jarvis, a social activist from Philadelphia, was responsible for beginning the tradition of Mother’s Day. Her own mother had been active in organizing women around questions of hygiene due to the poor sanitation in Appalachia, and Anna continued in her footsteps. After her mother died, Anna requested a memorial service be held in her honor on May 12, 1907, and within 7 years, it became a national holiday.
Jarvis, head of the Mother’s Day International Association, promoted the idea of wearing a carnation to honor one’s mother on May 12 (red or pink if she was alive and white if she had passed away). Later in life, she regretted the commercialization of the holiday she had initiated.
When is Mother’s Day in 2024?
Although each country has its own dates for Mother’s Day, in the United States and many other countries, it’s celebrated on the second Sunday in May. For 2024, that means Mother’s Day will be on May 12.
Mother’s Day traditions around the world
How people celebrate Mother’s Day around the world is unique, and we’ve pulled together some of the most interesting traditions we could find.
United Kingdom, Guernsey, Jersey, Ireland, and Nigeria
The tradition of Mothering Sunday continues today in these countries where they celebrate mothers on the fourth Sunday of Lent. But, as we hinted earlier, it didn’t start like that.
More than anything, Mothering Sunday began as a day to return to one’s “mother church,” and servants, which included children, were given the day off to make the trek back to their parish and spend time with their families, especially their mothers. Lenten fasts were not as strict on this day, so it was common to take something sweet back home along with some flowers—a tradition that continues today.
In time, Mothering Sunday became more focused on mothers. Nowadays, giving cards is as popular as taking Mom out to eat, but the traditional Simnel cake, a fruitcake made with marzipan, is still eaten in Britain around this time of year.
Mexico
Día de la Madre (Mother’s Day) is always celebrated on May 10 in Mexico, no matter what day it falls on. As it’s strongly connected to children honoring their mothers in a school ceremony, if May 10 falls on a weekend, it’s usually celebrated in school on the nearest weekday. If it falls on a weekday, many people may take the rest of the day off after comida, the main meal that’s eaten around 2:00 p.m.
Children celebrate their moms in school ceremonies that often involve poetry recitation and some folkloric dancing. A light meal is generally served, and mothers receive a card or small gift.
Adult children come home for Mother’s Day no matter where they live, and they usually take their mom out to eat. It’s common for mothers to receive flowers, but they sometimes get bigger presents, which are usually practical.
France
There was a time when mothers got a medal for Fête des Mères (Mother’s Day) on the last Sunday in May. This was after World War II when they were busy repopulating the country after it had suffered terrible losses—mothers felt a patriotic duty to have children.
Mother’s Day is still celebrated on the last Sunday in May except when it competes with another holiday like Pentecost. In that case, it gets pushed to the following Sunday. Rather than medals, today’s mothers frequently get a special cake, which may be flower-shaped or adorned with fruits and flowers, real or created.
Children may treat their mother to gifts, a card, and a special meal. Given that France is known for its fine wines, Mom may get a special bottle on her day.
Italy
Like many other countries, Festa della Mamma (Mother’s Day) occurs on the second Sunday in May. Mother’s Day has only been celebrated in Italy since 1957, but mothers have always been a stronghold in the Italian family.
Since she’s not allowed to cook on this day, the children are in charge of food, which may start with a homemade breakfast, include a meal out, and end with some special cupcakes. Mothers often receive gifts, cards, or flowers—many of which may be homemade or, in the case of the flowers, handpicked. Children may even compose some poetry for their mamma. No matter what gifts are given, the emphasis in Italy is on spending the entire day with Mom and treating her like a regina (queen).
Japan
No matter what side their country was on during World War II, mothers lost adult sons. As a way of consoling mothers after the war, Japan created its own Mother’s Day to be celebrated on the second Sunday in May. Children give their mothers carnations symbolizing sweetness and strength. Usually, the carnations are white, but they may be red or pink.
But Mother’s Day likely began before the war, perhaps introduced by Christian missionaries before World War I or as a celebration of Empress Kojun in the Shōwa period (1926-1989). Either way, celebrations were suspended during WWII and then later revived.
Aside from carnations, children may get their mother a kimono, scarf, or purse, or they may make their mom special food like sushi. Young children often draw pictures for their mothers.
Brazil
The second biggest holiday in Brazil (Christmas being the first), Mother’s Day is a time when all mothers of the family get honored with flowers, baked goods, and small gifts, which may be handmade if they come from younger children.
Mother’s Day is an all-day affair in Brazil and generally starts with attending mass. Then the rest of the day is often spent outside. The whole family cooks for Mom, unless they decide to take her to a restaurant instead.
As in many other places, Dia das Mães (Mother’s Day) is celebrated on the second Sunday in May, but it’s not springtime in the southern hemisphere at that time: It’s fall. Still, that doesn’t mean it will be cold. Rather, temperatures will be pleasant, which still makes this Mother’s Day a holiday of mild temperatures great for outdoor activities.
How to say “Happy Mother’s Day” in 25 different languages
Perhaps you’d like to say “Happy Mother’s Day” in Spanish to your Mexican abuelita (grandmother). Or maybe you’d like to say “Happy Mother’s Day” in French to your maman (mom) who is from Quebec. Then again, you might want to say “Happy Mother’s Day” in Chinese because your mother-in-law is from Beijing.
If you’d like to wish your mother, grandmother, or even great-grandmother “Happy Mother’s Day” in their native tongue or the language they heard as a child, here are 25 different languages in which to say it.
| Language | Translation |
| Spanish (Latin America) | Feliz Día de las Madres |
| Spanish (Spain) | Feliz Día de las Madres |
| French | Joyeuse Fête des Mères |
| Italian | Buona Festa della Mamma |
| German | Alles Gute zum Muttertag |
| English (American) | Happy Mother’s Day |
| English (British) | Happy Mothering Day |
| Arabic | (Eid am saeid) عيد ام سعيد |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 母親節快樂 (Moo cheeng jee-eh kwhy luh) |
| Dutch | Gelukkige Moederdag |
| Farsi (Persian) | تولدت مبارک (Tavalodet Mobarak) |
| Greek | Χαρούμενη γιορτή της μητέρας(Charoúmeni giortí tis mitéras) |
| Hebrew | יום אם שמח (Yom em same’ach) |
| Hindi | मातृ दिवस की शुभकामना (maatr divas kee shubhakaamana) |
| Irish | Lá na Máithreacha sona duit |
| Japanese | 母の日おめでとう (Haha no hi omedetō) |
| Korean | 행복한 어머니의 날 (haengboghan eomeoniui nal) |
| Latin | Felix matres dies |
| Polish | szczęśliwego dnia Matki |
| Portuguese (Brazil) | Feliz Dia das Mães |
| Russian | С днем матери (S dnem materi) |
| Swedish | Glad mors dag |
| Tagalong (Filipino) | Maligayang Araw ng mga ina |
| Turkish | Anneler günün kutlu olsun |
| Vietnamese | Chúc mừng ngày của mẹ |
Some countries where these languages are spoken don’t celebrate Mother’s Day because, for instance, they celebrate Parents’ Day instead. Either way, these sayings can be used for mothers currently living where Mother’s Day is the official holiday.
Don’t just imagine how to say these words: Learn how to pronounce “Happy Mother’s Day” in 25 languages, and get immediate feedback thanks to TruAccent. This feature compares your voice to native speakers, so you always feel confident you’re saying it right.
Honor Mom with the gift of Rosetta Stone
Mothers of all kinds are universally honored in diverse ways across the globe because they are central figures of the family and society. Some countries, like South Korea, celebrate Parents’ Day, and others, like Russia, celebrate Mother’s Day toward the end of the year. But mid-May is a time when mothers are celebrated in most places.
While giving flowers is a lovely gesture for Mom, the gift of learning a language can last a lifetime and broaden horizons. Reignite her sense of adventure this Mother’s Day with the gift of learning any of the 25 languages Rosetta Stone offers.
Written by: Rowena Galavitz
Rowena Galavitz is a Spanish translator, bilingual copy editor, and language and literature instructor with three master’s degrees who loves Spanish and all things Mexico.
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