Mother’s Day may be celebrated on different days and in different ways around the world, but the common thread is in honouring Mom and being thankful for all the things she does for her family.
In Canada, this special day is observed on the second Sunday in May, with the giving of cards, gifts and flowers among common ways of showing love and appreciation for Mom. It’s regarded as the next big day after Christmas and Valentine’s Day, when phone lines record heavy traffic and greeting cards sell in huge numbers.
In France, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the last Sunday in May, usually with a family dinner and a cake that resembles a bouquet of flowers.
In the United Kingdom, tradition includes making a light fruitcake with layers of almond paste, called mothering cake, or simnel cake. The date of Mother’s Day in the U.K. changes all the time, as it’s acknowledged on the fourth Sunday of Lent, which is the 40-day period from Ash Wednesday to Easter.
Mexican children honour their mothers on May 10 and make themselves present in the house on the day before. Churches hold a special mass and traditional treats of tamales and atole are distributed to all local mothers for their early-morning meal.
In Spain, Mother’s Day comes on Dec. 8 and includes religious celebrations across the country.
In Argentina, it’s the third Sunday in October, and in most Arab countries, it’s March 21, the first day of spring.
June 1 is Mother’s and Children’s Day in Mongolia.
Meanwhile, in the McIntosh house at Lake of the Trees, Mother’s Day is celebrated pretty much every day of the year.
With five young children – all under the age of 11 – mom, Jody McIntosh, with the help of husband of 14 years, Tom McIntosh, is kept hopping, tending to their needs and always reaping the rewards of motherhood.
Jody says the first words that come to mind when she thinks of her family life, are “busy” and “joyful.”
“It’s never quiet. I call them my five treasures from heaven and I feel very blessed and thankful.”
Jody and Tom were once told they would never be able to have children, and the news was difficult to accept.
“Struggling with infertility, there’s a lot of pain involved. You see how everyone else gets pregnant, and you ask, ‘Why can’t I’?”
After enduring a long period of disappointment, the couple did something they never dreamed they would. They asked for prayers from elders of their church and that same month, Jody became pregnant, and stayed on a roll.
Her first three children, Jonathan, now 10; Twila, 9; and Vicki, 7; were born within two-and-a-half years of each other, and tested Jody’s quickly developing mothering skills to the fullest.
It’s all paying off now, because while the first couple of years were hectic and challenging with a trio of toddlers to tend, she now has three capable helpers who give her a hand with younger brothers – Lochlan, 5, and Carter, 2.
On top of everything else, Jody also home-schools her children. Tom is director of Lake of the Trees Bible Camp and the family makes the secluded camp their year-round home.
Jody says home-schooling was something she normally would never have considered, but being so far off the beaten path, it made sense. Now, she considers it a blessing that fate brought her.
“Home-schooling has made me a better mom. It’s made me sit down and read with my kids. “
She is thankful for the time she’s been required to invest in being with her children and focusing on them and their learning.
“It’s hard as moms. We get busy and have all kinds of things to distract us from the treasures that are right in front of us.
“I’m thankful I was put on the journey of home-schooling, even though I probably went in kicking and screaming. It’s been interesting, but also presents wonderful blessings and challenges.”
When Mother’s Day comes around, she looks forward to a much deserved day off, when Tom puts on the “mommy hat,” and her children shower her with homemade cards that say why they love her so much.
“Being a mom is the strangest combination of something you sacrificed so much for, but gives you so much joy. You always want a break, but then you just want to see your kids so badly again.”
