Lesser-known facts about Mother’s Day that might surprise you—tidbits you’ll want to share with someone

The Finnish Mother’s Day greeting is “Hyvää äitienpäivää.”NEW!

The second Sunday of May is celebrated as Mother’s Day in Finland as well.

In Japan, it’s customary to give carnations, but in Finland, it’s traditional to give wood anemones, called “valkovuokko,” picked in the morning.

On Finnish Mother’s Day, the standard greeting is “Hyvää äitienpäivää,” which in Finnish means “Have a good Mother’s Day” or “Happy Mother’s Day.” In Finland, Mother’s Day is also a public holiday and is regarded as an important day to celebrate with family.

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On Mother’s Day in France, people give mothers their favorite flowers.NEW!

As Mother’s Day approaches, Japanese florists line their shops with carnations, so the flower is strongly associated with the holiday.

However, that doesn’t mean carnations are given for Mother’s Day all around the world.

In France, there isn’t a set standard; people give their mothers whatever flowers they like.

Since carnations carry the meaning “a mother’s love,” they’re of course a delightful gift, but choosing flowers that match your mother’s personal taste and will make her happy is wonderful too!

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In China, in addition to carnations, people also give a flower called “daylily.”NEW!

In China, Mother’s Day is also the second Sunday of May, just like in Japan.

It’s a day to express gratitude and offer blessings to mothers.

In China, as in Japan, there is a custom of giving carnations.

Another gift that is just as popular as carnations is the daylily.

With its vivid orange blossoms, the daylily is affectionately known as the “mother’s flower.” It may not be very well known in Japan, but its vibrant colors are sure to captivate many people.

If you usually give carnations every year and want to choose a different flower this time, why not give daylilies for Mother’s Day?

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There is a song called “A Song Praising Mothers” composed by Yuji Koseki.NEW!

Yuji Koseki was a Japanese composer.

Self-taught in music, he wrote morale-boosting songs such as “Roei no Uta” (“Song of the Encampment”) and postwar reconstruction pieces like “Nagasaki no Kane” (“The Bells of Nagasaki”) and “Eikou wa Kimi ni Kagayaku” (“Glory Shines on You”).

He is also known as the composer of beloved songs cherished across generations, including “Kogen Ressha wa Iku” (“The Highland Train Goes”) and “Rokko Oroshi.” Did you know that Koseki also composed a song perfect for Mother’s Day? Mother’s Day originated in the United States.

In Japan, the famous confectionery company Morinaga & Co.

sought to adopt Mother’s Day and spread this heartwarming event nationwide.

Morinaga held a contest for lyrics honoring mothers, and it was Koseki who set the winning lyrics to music.

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There are also edible carnations.NEW!

Carnations are a classic Mother’s Day gift.

In addition to red and pink, their yellow and orange hues are also lovely, aren’t they? In fact, some carnations are edible.

Have you ever seen edible flowers served with cakes, sweets, or dishes? Unlike ornamental varieties, flowers grown specifically to be eaten are called edible flowers.

They’re cultivated with careful attention to pesticides, so you can enjoy them with peace of mind.

Adding them to dishes enhances their brilliance and beauty, and they’re said to be highly nutritious as well.

Carnations, too, are used as edible flowers.

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Father’s Day was born out of Mother’s Day.

To pair with Mother’s Day, the third Sunday of June is designated as Father’s Day, but it seems less lively compared to Mother’s Day, doesn’t it? If you learn how Father’s Day began and how it relates to Mother’s Day, you might find it more interesting.

It is said that Father’s Day started in the United States with the story of a father who single-handedly raised his children after their mother passed away early, and of a daughter who petitioned her church to honor him just like on Mother’s Day.

Knowing that it was born not as an afterthought to Mother’s Day, but out of gratitude to fathers who raised their children, might help dads feel more at ease welcoming Father’s Day.

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Norway celebrates Mother’s Day earlier than any other country in the world.

In Japan, Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday of May, but in some countries it’s celebrated at different times.

Among those with different dates, why not take a look at Norway, where Mother’s Day arrives earlier than anywhere else in the world? Norwegian Mother’s Day is on the second Sunday of February, and unlike Japan—where carnations are customary—there isn’t a tradition of giving a specific flower.

The idea is to express gratitude with gifts each person chooses themselves, which really conveys the sincerity and strength of their feelings.

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The country where Mother’s Day originated is the United States.

Mother’s Day, which has taken root in Japan and spread around the world, feels like a global event, even if the timing and customs differ by country.

It’s said that this widely cherished day originated in the United States and then spread abroad.

In 1907, Anna Jarvis held a memorial service for her late mother and handed out white carnations—her mother’s favorite during her lifetime—to attendees; this event is considered the beginning of Mother’s Day.

Following this, President Woodrow Wilson designated the second Sunday of May as Mother’s Day and made it a national holiday, from which it gradually spread worldwide.

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May 5th, Children’s Day, is also a day to show appreciation to mothers.

We tend to think that Mother’s Day is the only day to express gratitude to mothers, but in fact, Children’s Day is also a day for appreciating mothers.

According to the Act on National Holidays, Children’s Day is defined as a day to “respect the individuality of children, promote their happiness, and express gratitude to mothers.” From this, we can see that Children’s Day is not only about wishing for children’s healthy growth, but also about thanking the mothers who gave birth to them.

It can also be a chance to reflect on who we owe our healthy lives to as children and to think about love.

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