Flowers have been a popular way to celebrate Mother’s Day in the United States ever since its inception in the early 20th century. The U.S. made Mother’s Day an official holiday in 1914, but countries all around the world also have an official day to celebrate mothers, and many of them choose to celebrate it with the most classic gift of all – flowers. Today, we’re sharing how 10 countries around the world use flowers to celebrate motherhood.
- Canada – Our neighbors up north celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May, and men in Quebec traditionally give roses to their mothers as gifts.
- China – More flowers are sold on Mother’s Day than any other day in China, which has celebrated the holiday since 1997 as a way to help poor mothers. The Chinese have a long history of respecting the elderly and traditionally give carnations to their mothers as a way to honor the day.
- Indonesia – Mother’s Day is celebrated on December 22 in Indonesia and is a day for expressing love and gratitude for mothers. Indonesians celebrate by holding surprise parties and cooking competitions, and traditionally give flowers as gifts.
- Japan – Mother’s Day in Japan was originally a celebration of the Empress Kōjun’s birthday, but Japan now celebrates Mother’s Day on the second sunday in Japan. Japanese mothers traditionally receive gifts of red carnations and roses.
- Maldives – The Maldives celebrates Mother’s Day on May 13 and is celebrated differently depending on gender. Daughters often give their mothers homemade gifts and cards, while sons often give flowers.
- Netherlands – Mother’s Day has been celebrated in the Netherlands since 1910, but beginning in the mid 1930s, was often referred to as “Flower’s Day,” due to a campaign by Dutch florists to promote flowers as a traditional Mother’s Day gift.
- Norway – Mothers in Norway have the day off on February 9 and are often treated to breakfast in bed and gifts of flowers and special cakes.
- South Sudan – Mother’s Day is relatively new in South Sudan, which has been celebrating the holiday since July 2012. Children in South Sudan usually present their mothers with gifts and flowers on the first Monday in July.
- Sweden – Mother’s Day has been celebrated by the Swedes since 1919, and is observed on the last Sunday in May so everyone can pick flowers from outside to give to their mothers.
- United States – Mother’s Day is one of the biggest days for flower sales in the U.S., and interestingly, is also the day on which the most long-distance phone calls are made.
As you prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day this year, get inspired by the beautiful and unique Mother’s Day traditions of countries around the world – you might just discover a tradition that you’d like to adopt in your own family.
Order your Mother’s Day flowers today by visiting brownfloral.net or by calling us at (801) 278-4800.