Mother's Day in France: origins and date
Mother's Day is a special and cherished celebration: it is a day to celebrate the women without whom we could not exist, who love us unconditionally and who will always be there for us. If you need inspiration, read our article about Gift Ideas for Mother's Day.
What are the origins of Mother's Day in France? When is Mother's Day? Find all these answers and more in this article.
When is Mother's Day in France?
Mother's Day is celebrated on the last Sunday in May. However, there is an exception: when this date coincides with Pentecost, Mother's Day is moved to the first Sunday in June. In this case, this is what is happening this year: Mother's Day will therefore be celebrated on Sunday 4 June 2023.
The origins of Mother's Day in France
Several events are at the origin of the celebration of Mother's Day in France.
It was a small village in Isère called Artas that first organised a ceremony in 1906 to pay tribute to mothers of large families. Artas still claims to have created Mother's Day in France.
It is also a tradition that was passed on during the First World War by English soldiers who had been celebrating Mothering Sunday since the 16th century. The many English soldiers present in France introduced this event which they insisted on celebrating even far from their families, by sending letters and small gifts to their mothers back home.
In 1950, on 24 May, a law was enacted to pay tribute to mothers each year and the date was set for the last Sunday in May.
Mother's Day around the world
- In Thailand, mothers are honoured on 12 August, Queen Sirikit's birthday. Reigning since 1956, she is considered the mother of all Thai people.
- In Spain, the "Dia de la madre" is celebrated every first Sunday in May to honour mothers and grandmothers. On this day, women do not have to cook and many families go to restaurants!
- In Panama, Mother's Day has a very strong Catholic origin. It is celebrated on 8 December, the day of the Virgin Mary, who is considered the most famous mother.
- In the UK, the tradition is to bake a "simnel cake", a fruit cake with 2 layers of marzipan.
- In Japan, mothers receive red carnations on the 2nd Sunday of May.
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