Запорізький НВК №67 «MOTHER'S DAY» у 2-8 класах Вчителі англійської мови Костинський В.С. Лисенко Н.В. м. Запоріжжя, 2015 р.

The tradition of Mothers Day started with the ancient Greeks who celebrated their annual spring festival in honor of Rhea, the mother of many Gods and Goddesses in the Greek mythology. Ancient Romans too celebrated a spring festival by the name of Hillarie in honor of Cybele, a mother goddess, some 250 years before Christ was born.

In the old days many girls from poor families in the country worked in rich houses. They did all the house work and their working day was usually very long. They often worked on Sundays, too. Once a year, it was usually a Sunday in March, they could visit their mothers.

They went home on that day and brought presents for their mothers and for other members of their families. They could stay at home only one day and then they went back to their work. People called that day Mothering Day or Mothering Sunday. Later workers at the factories and girls who worked in the houses of rich families received one free day a week, and Mothering Day became Mother's Day.

Today Mothers Day is celebrated in several countries including USA, UK, Ukraine, India, Australia, Mexico, Canada, China, Russia and others.

It is a good tradition in our country to give presents and flowers to women on this day. Each family celebrates this spring holiday. In the morning men go to the shops or markets to buy some flowers. They try to clean flats and help women to cook a holiday dinner.

Sons and daughters help their mothers too: they make a cake, lay the table and wash dishes after holiday dinner. All the members of the families try to be well dressed on this day. Some families celebrate the 8th of March going to the theatres and concerts. Others prefer to invite guests and stay at home.