Interesting facts about Mothers’ Day (Día de las Madres)
Interesting facts about Mothers’ Day (Día de las Madres)
Mothers’ Day (Día de las Madres) is a very popular celebration for mothers and mother figures all across Mexico and it’s celebrated on May 10. It’s not a public holiday but many people and businesses deal with it as if it were while others have normal opening hours.
About this day in Mexico: Its roots…
The first official Mothers’ Day celebration in Mexico was held on May 10, 1922. Pretty soon did it take on religious undertones, with image of the Madonna and Child being displayed on Mother’s Day. The day has gained widespread popularity over the years. In pre-Columbian times, Mexican society was built around powerful matriarchs and the pantheon of deities was filled with strong goddesses. In Mayan civilization, the goddess lx Chel played an enormously important role as a symbol of fertility and motherhood. The ancient Sacred Mayan Journey was a 36-mile pilgrimage that brave souls made in handmade canoes in order to consult the oracle of lx Chel and gain her favor.
About this day in Mexico: Nowadays…
Mother’s Day in the USA was first officially celebrated in 1914 and it was declared a holiday by President Woodrow Wilson. The so-called “Mother of Mother’s Day” was Anna Jarvis, who had begun commemorating her own mother a few years earlier. The tradition made it to Mexico in 1922 when journalist Rafael Alducin kicked off a nationwide movement to pay tribute to Mexican mothers. It caught on in a big way, and soon, May 10 was Mexican Mother’s Day. Why May 10? Because back in the day, the 10th of the month was “pay day” in Mexico, meaning that everyone could afford a little extra to buy mom a gift or take her out for a fancy meal. The month of May in Mexico is also devoted to one of the most famous mothers in history: the Virgin Mary.
How do you celebrate It in your homeland?
