El Mother's Day in Canada It is a very popular and beloved holiday, only surpassed in importance and follow-up by Christmas. Every year, many Canadians dedicate this day to showing their love and recognizing the figure of mothers, never sufficiently valued.
As in the United States, it is celebrated in the second Sunday of the month of May. In fact, the Canadian celebration comes from its neighbor to the south, which began to be celebrated in 1913 at the initiative of then-president Woodrow Wilson.
However, it is not a holiday. Shops and businesses remain open in all towns and cities. For many of them, such as gift shops or florists, it is also an important day in which they have to attend to many customers and orders. This is also an outstanding day for restaurants, as many families decide to entertain their mothers with a lunch or dinner away from home.
A special day
As is the case in almost every country in the world, also in Canada the figure of a mother is revered. Mother's Day is a special day dedicated to expressing appreciation and gratitude. And when we speak of "mothers" we include in this category stepmothers, mothers-in-law and even mothers from other families. The celebration is a tribute in general to all mothers, and by extension to all women.
Also in Canada the Father's Day (always the third Sunday in June). However, this holiday is not as emotional or celebrated as Mother's Day. And also as it happens in almost all over the world, the original celebration has become a strong commercial claim. This is reflected in the advertising of the media and the marketing campaigns of large companies.
Despite this, there are many sons and daughters who still prefer to celebrate this day in a more intimate and less consumerist way. At the end of the day, what matters is the meaning of this day, not its outer wrapping.
Mother's Day Gift Card in Canada
Typical Mother's Day gifts in Canada
There are no big differences between Mother's Day gifts in Canada and those of any other western country. Among the most common we must mention the greeting cards, which in Canada we can find written in the two official languages: in English (Happy mother's Day!) and in French (Joyeuse fete des meres!). There are millions of designs to choose from, you could almost say that there is one for every type of mother. To keep the card from being too cold, almost everyone adds a little personalized handwritten message.
Another very typical gift, and always successful, is the traditional box of chocolates or swiss chocolates. Canadians love chocolate. And Canadian mothers too. Without abandoning the gastronomic section, there are many families who celebrate Mother's Day in Canada eating in a restaurant or preparing a delicious delicacy at home, where you cannot miss a cake.
They are also usually given as gifts all kinds of details and giftsFrom apparel and gift vouchers to overpriced jewelry. It all depends on the tastes of each mother and the economic possibilities of her children. It is also true that very little is enough to make a mother happy. In the schools children often make crafts or drawings for their moms. And they receive them as the most valuable gifts in the world.
Often the gift consists of a simple visit. Canada is a huge country where there are great distances. It is not unusual for children to live hundreds of miles from their birth home to study or work. In these cases, returning home on this special day is experienced as a real party.
In Québec, mothers receive bouquets of roses on their special day
In Québec: roses for mothers
All the flowers They are also a very popular gift for Mother's Day in Canada, especially in the Québec region. As everyone knows, French-speaking Canada proudly preserves many different traditions and ways of life than the rest of the country. And this is one of them.
In the cities and towns of Québec, on this day there is the custom of giving bouquets of roses to mothers. Every second Sunday in May, the flower shops of Montreal and other towns make their August. There are no fixed rules, all flowers are good to give, but if you have to stick to tradition, you have to give a bunch of roses. Or, as they call it there, a bouquet of roses.