By Caryn Deloach

Mothers in the Republic of Panama consider themselves lucky. This is because for Panamanian mothers, Mother’s day or “El día de la madre” falls on December 8th. This is also the day of the Immaculate Conception and in Panama this is a national holiday.

The Immaculate Conception celebrates the day the Virgin Mary was conceived. Many people believe this day in fact honors the conception of Jesus. However, this is incorrect. It is the conception of his mother, the Virgin Mary, which is remembered on December 8th as she was the one born 9 months later on November 8th of the following year. It is fitting for Panamanian mothers to share their special day with the Virgin Mary as she is considered the most honored of mothers. The Roman Catholic population in Panama considers the Virgin Mary the ideal mother figure to whom they aspire and mothers feel honored to be celebrated alongside of her.

Many residents of this predominantly Roman Catholic nation have the day off work and banks and government facilities are closed. In fact, the only businesses that are open on this day are restaurants and retail establishments for mothers day gifts.

The Republic of Panama is the only country in the Americas to celebrate Mother’s Day on December 8th. However, in Spain, Mother’s Day also falls on the day of the Immaculate Conception. Panama most likely adopted this tradition during the time when the Spanish occupied the Central American nation, beginning in 1519. Over 300 years later, when Panama finally claimed its independence from Spain, Panamanians had already intermingled with the Spanish so much so that they had adopted many of their traditions and their language. The tradition of honoring mothers on December 8th along with the Virgin Mary prevailed in Panama as well.

December 8th also officially begins the Christmas season in Panama. So, on Mother’s Day, seasonal decorations go up and the entire country begins to feel the holiday spirit. Visitors describe the day as jubilant and festive and a much larger celebration than is seen in many western countries.

It is not only a bigger holiday but it differs also in the way families honor their mothers as well. While mothers in the United States are often treated to flowers, store bought gifts and lavish dinners, mothers in the Republic of Panama are not honored with monetary displays of affection. Individual communities hold organized events to celebrate their local mothers. The men cook a large dinner while the children decorate for the festivities. When the mothers arrive they are presented with homemade gifts, songs or poems. In Panama the entire community comes out to a feast that celebrates its mothers, the Virgin Mary and the coming holiday season.

¡Feliz día de la madre!

By Caryn Deloach

In Brazil where the national language is Portuguese, Feliz Dia das Mães means Happy Mother’s Day. The holiday is celebrated on the second Sunday in May, just as it is in the United States and mothers in this South American nation are celebrated in much the same manner as they are in the United States. Mothers are awakened with breakfast in bed and presented with cards, flowers and gifts. Some are treated to a dinner out or cooked at home. Children help around the home and encourage mom to relax. In addition many Brazilian schools prepare presentations for the mothers in the week leading up to Mother’s Day. At these gatherings children perform skits, dances and songs they prepared for their mothers and grandmothers.

However, this holiday’s beginnings came much later in Brazil than in some other nations. In some European nations the holiday can trace its beginnings back to the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries. Brazil however, did not celebrate its first Mother’s Day until 1918. The first celebration was only a small one taking place in the city of Porto Alegre and was organized by the YMCA there. However, it was slow to catch on throughout the nation and in the 1930s a movement finally began to make the date official.

In 1931 there was an international feminist conference at which a Mrs. Alice Tibiriçá urged officials in Brazil to officially adopt the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. She was encouraged by the success in doing the same in the United States in 1914. Following this, a Brazilian feminist group approached their government requesting an official designation of Mother’s Day. Prompted in part by these requests, on May 5th, 1932 the president of Brazil, Getúlio Vargas signed a decree officially naming the second Sunday in May, Dia das Mães. And finally in 1947, Dom Jaime de Barros Câmara, the Cardinal-Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro added Mother’s Day to the official calendar of the Catholic Church. This helped to increase celebrations on the holiday as Catholic groups began to hold events in honor of mothers on this day.

Today Mother’s Day or Dia das Mães is celebrated widely and enthusiastically throughout all of Brazil.

Feliz Dia das Mães!

By Caryn Deloach

Mother’s Day in Argentina falls on the second Sunday in October. It is still a spring celebration like the one we enjoy here in the United States, since because of Argentina’s location in the Southern hemisphere spring starts on September 21st.

As Mother’s Day and its festivities around the world are commonly associated with the spring season, some speculate that this may be why Argentina chose to celebrate Mother’s Day in October. Most other South American nations, however, celebrate Mother’s Day in May. In fact, one of the only other nations to celebrate Mother’s Day on this second Sunday in October is India.

Argentina is a very family oriented and matriarchal society as is much of South America, so Mother’s Day is an important event in this country. The entire community takes part in wishing all mothers and grandmothers “¡ Feliz día de las madres!” on this day and mothers here can expect to be treated to a relaxing day–the way in which mothers are celebrated for the most part is similar to many other countries. They are often awoken with breakfast in bed.

Often families attend church where sermons are focused on the Virgin Mary and the mother’s role in a Christian home. Then mothers are given flowers, cards, jewelry or other gifts and often treated to a special dinner. Even the fathers get involved, pitching in with the household chores on that day allowing the mother a break. Many Argentinean fathers will also buy gifts for their wives.

In schools, the week before Mother’s Day, children are busy making crafts and cards to present to their mothers. Argentineans also have one special tradition which is unique in their country. Children and mothers gather in a local hall, community center or school auditorium decorated for a Mother’s Day party. The children form a circle and dance around their mothers. They also sing songs to honor them. And just when the mothers think their celebration is coming to an end, the doors open and the grandmothers come in to celebrate and be honored as well. The festivities become a large party for the whole community.

“¡Feliz día de la madre!” or “¡Feliz día, Mamá!”