Mother’s Day School № 22 The teacher: Solovyova N.I.

Every nation and every country has its own traditions and customs. Traditions make a nation special. Some of them are old-fashioned and many people remember them, others are part of people’s life. There's something tender, sacred and very special about family traditions. Some are inherited from past generations, and some are born within your own family. Either way, traditions create closeness and seal the ties that bind families together. Mother's Day is here, the day devoted to the most important person in your life, the person who has brought you into this world, Your Mom! A mother occupies the most important place in the life of a child. She is the one who brings a child into this world, teaches him how to live in this world and is there with him in every happiness as well as sorrow. The place of a mother can never be taken by anyone else in this world, even the father. It is the responsibility of a child to make his/her mother feel special.

Mother's Day Mothers’ Day is traditionally observed on the fourth Sunday in Lent (the Church season of penitence beginning on Ash Wednesday, the day of which varies from year to year). This is usually in March. The day used to be known as Mothering Sunday and dates from the time when many girls worked away from home as domestic servants in big households, where their hours of work were often very long Mothering Sunday was established as a holyday for these girls and gave them an opportunity of going home to see their parents, especially their mother. They used to take presents with them, often given to them by the lady of the house.

When the labour situation changed and everyone was entitled to regular time off, this custom remained, although the day is now often called “Mothers’ Day”. People visit their mothers if possible and give them flowers and small presents. If they cannot go they send a “Mothers’ Day card”, or they may send one in any case. The family try to see that the mother has as little work to do as possible, sometimes the husband or children take her breakfast in bed and they often help with the meals and the washing up. It is considered to be mother’s day off.

Mother's Day celebrations can be traced back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, wife of Cronus and the Mother of the Gods and goddesses. In Rome Mother's Day-like festival was dedicated to the worship of Cybele, another mother goddess. Ceremonies in her honor began some 250 years before Christ was born. This Roman religious celebration was known as Hilaria and it lasted for three days. Some say the ceremonies in honor of Cybele were adopted by the early church to venerate the Mother of Christ, Mary. Others believe the Mother Church was substituted for mother goddess and custom began to dictate that a person visit the church of his/her baptism on this day. People attended the mother church of their parish, laden with offerings.

History of Mother's Day: Julia Ward Howe Julia Ward Howe in 1872 and Anna Jarvis in 1907 were the best known pioneers who took up the cause of Mother's Day and it was first observed in Philadelphia in However America only picked it up as the day to honor motherhood at the national level in 1914, setting its date on the second Sunday of May every year. President of America proclaimed it to be a holiday. There are celebrations in the families and the churches in the honor of mothers and grandmothers on this day. Following America 23 countries declared the second May Sunday as the holiday. More than 30 countries celebrate this holiday. The only things that differ from country to country are the dates of celebration and the ways of celebration.

Mother's Day Celebrations in UK In UK or Britain, Mother's Day falls on a different date than US. It falls on the fourth Sunday of the fasting period of Lent. The excitement, the feelings, the celebrations behind the day are the same, the only thing that differs is the date. History of Mother's Day: Present Day Celebrations Mother's Day Celebrations in RUSSIA According to the dated decree of the President of Russian Federation on “Mothers’ Day” the last Sunday of November is held as “Mothers’ Day” in the country. This initiative on celebrating the holiday was put forward by the Commite on Family,woman and child problems of the State Duma of the Russian Federation.

United Kingdom and Ireland During the 1600's, England celebrated a day called "Mothering Sunday". It is was celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent."Mothering Sunday" honored the mothers of England. As Christianity spread throughout Europe the celebration changed to honor the "Mother Church" -- the spiritual power that gave them life and protected them from harm. Over time the church festival blended with the Mothering Sunday celebration. People began honoring their mothers as well as the church. During this time many of the England's poor worked as servants for the wealthy. As most jobs were located far from their homes, the servants would live at the houses of their employers. On Mothering Sunday the servants would have the day off and were encouraged to return home and spend the day with their mothers. A special cake, called the mothering cake, was often brought along to provide a festive touch. Sometimes furmety was served - wheat grains boiled in sweet milk, sugared and spiced. In northern England and in Scotland, the preferred refreshments were carlings - pancakes made of steeped pease fried in butter, with pepper and salt. In fact, in some locations this day was called Carling Sunday.

Mother's Day around the World Mother's Celebrations in India India also follows the concept of US and celebrates Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May. Though there is not a national holiday on Mother's Day, the feelings and emotions of the children are the same. Mother's Day Celebrations in Australia Australian Mother's Day falls on the same day as US, the second Sunday of May. This day is celebrated with much enthusiasm, gaiety and zeal throughout the country. Mother's Day Celebrations in New Zealand In New Zealand also, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in the month of May. Mothers Day in South Africa South Africans celebrate Mother's Day on the first Sunday in the month of May. Just like other countries, in South Africa also kids try to make this day special for their mom.

"M" is for the million things she gave me, "O" means only that she's growing old, "T" is for the tears she shed to save me, "H" is for her heart of purest gold, "E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining, "R" means right, and right she'll always be.

“Mother” in different languages: "Mother is the first teacher of the child." At the same time, the first word that a child learns to speak is mother, irrespective of the language he speaks. English - Mother, Mama, Mom French - Mère, Maman German - Mutter Italian - Madre, Mamma Latin - Mater Maori - Ewe, Haakui Spanish Madre, Mamá, Mami Russian - Мама

Mother's Love There is no love, like a mother's love, no stronger bond on earth... like the precious bond that comes from God, to a mother, when she gives birth. A mother's love is forever strong, never changing for all time... and when her children need her most, a mother's love will shine.

A Mother's Love There is no love, like a mother's love, No stronger bond on earth... Like the precious bond that comes from God, To a mother, when she gives birth. A mother's love is forever strong, Never changing for all time... And when her children need her most, A mother's love will shine. A Mother's Love There is no love, like a mother's love, No stronger bond on earth... Like the precious bond that comes from God, To a mother, when she gives birth. A mother's love is forever strong, Never changing for all time... And when her children need her most, A mother's love will shine.

Happy Mother's Day "Happy Mother's Day" means more Than have a happy day. Within those words lie lots of things We never get to say. It means I love you first of all, Then thanks for all you do. It means you mean a lot to me, And that I honor you. But most of all, I guess it means That I am thinking of Your happiness on this, your day, With pleasure and with love

Happy Mothers Day "Happy Mother's Day" means more Than have a happy day. Within those words lie lots of things We never get to say. It means I love you first of all, Then thanks for all you do. It means you mean a lot to me, And that I honor you. But most of all, I guess it means That I am thinking of Your happiness on this, your day, With pleasure and with love

My Mom My mom is very special, My mom is very kind, My mom always tells me I'm special, She's always on my mind. My mom watches me grow, My mom watches me cry, Of course she'll always know, She'll never have to tell me goodbye.