Every year in Ukraine, on the second Sunday of May, in accordance with the Decree of the President of Ukraine dated May 10, 1999 № 489/99celebrate Mother’s Day.
In Ukraine, as well as in most countries of Europe, Africa, America, Australia, China and Japan, the date of the holiday falls on the second Sunday of the last spring month, so this year it is May 12.
For the first time, Mother’s Day was proposed by the peace activist Julia Ward Howe in 1872. Later, her initiative was continued to be promoted by a young American woman, Hanna Jervis, from West Virginia in 1907 in memory of her deceased mother. She wrote letters to state and legislative institutions with a request to dedicate one a year to the closest people. After her letters to government agencies and public figures in 1910, the state of Virginia was the first to recognize Mother’s Day as an official holiday. In 1914, the holiday date was given official status in the United States.
In Ukraine, Mother’s Day was celebrated for the first time in 1929 in Lviv. After that, the celebration tradition spread in Ternopil Oblast and Eastern Galicia. But during the Soviet period, the celebration was banned.
Officially celebrating Mother’s Day in Ukraine began already after gaining independence – on May 10, 1999, the relevant presidential decree was signed.
Interesting facts about Mother’s Day
The word “mother” sounds the same or very similar in almost all languages. Ukrainian, Spanish, and Chinese children call their mother the same – mom. English-speaking children say “мом”. The fact is that one of the first syllables uttered by a child is the syllable “ma”. That is why in almost all languages of the world this syllable is used in the word that means “mother”.
The European public organization MaMa conducted a study and found out that a woman who “sits at home with a child” actually does not just sit, but “winds” an average of 40 km per day, performing up to 200 tasks. For comparison: the half-marathon distance is 21 km.
Each country has its own characteristics of celebrating Mother’s Day. Yes, in the United States and in European countries, it is customary to attach carnations to clothes on this day. A colored carnation means that a person’s mother is alive, and a white carnation means that she has already died.
In Germany, on Mother’s Day, children give their mothers 12 roses, which must be colored. It is customary to carry a bouquet of white roses to the grave of a deceased mother.
On this day, we especially thank mothers for every moment of life, for prayers and tender hugs, for support and love!
Happy Mother’s Day!
