Mother's Day in South Africa

"To Thee, the Creator, to Thee, the Powerful, I offer this fresh bud, new fruit of the ancient tree. Thou art the Master, we thy children. To Thee, the Creator, to Thee, the Powerful God, I offer this new plant."

Father and mother from pygmy culture of South Africa speak these lines to pray for the safety and prosperity of their kid. In South Africa, mother's day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May every year. The day coincides with the mother's day celebrations in the United States of America. The second Sunday of May holds an important place in the life of South Africans as they celebrate it with great fervour and happiness. They regard mother's day as an auspicious day, which gives every human being an opportunity to say thanks to his or her mother and appreciate all the efforts she has undertaken for him or her. South Africans make the most of the opportunity and leave no stone unturned to express gratitude towards their mothers. It is the day dedicated to all the mothers all over the world for the constant self-sacrifice and patience they devote in raising their children as well taking care of the household chores. Mothers are the epitome of love, care, and warmth and that is what they shower on to their kids.

Carnations are the traditional flowers used on mother's day where red and pink carnations represent living mothers while white flowers are for those mothers who rest in peace. This shows their passion for mother's day and compassion they have for their mums. Apart from presenting their mom flowers, the people of South Africa also wear them to celebrate the day. The flower holds a special meaning on this day.

On this particular day, children in South Africa pamper their mothers and give them a special treatment. On mother's day, in South Africa, a child and a mother switch their roles. The child becomes a caretaker of the mother and gives her a treat. Mother is exempted from the daily chores, which are taken over by the children. Along with children fathers also get involved in making mothers happy. On the other hand, the mother sits back and relaxes, watching her favourite DVD, letting the children take over the kitchen. From the bed tea in the morning to the dessert at night, they do everything for their mother. She is definitely a person we owe our lives to, obviously because she has given birth to us and because she is always there for us. So, we should try and fulfil her desires that we possibly can, on this big day. Though, a mother will never ask for anything as she is the idol of sacrifice but keeping ourselves abreast with her needs could turn the day into a total surprise for her.

As the world has modernized and there are various options for going out, so some of the children take their mother out for dinner or picnic as well. Younger kids in South Africa present their mothers with gifts, which range from homemade ones to the expensive ones. Modernization has brought lot of changes and now the children living away from homes can send e-cards and order flowers and cakes through websites while those children who live close to their mothers can take them on fun spree to make their day extra special. Some children, basically adults also gift jewellery to their mothers.

Despite of the fact that we have grown old and have our own children, a mother will always remain mother and we can weep as badly as we want to, in front of her, without being ashamed. No one can take her place in our lives and you will always seek her support in every sphere of your life. Since she is the creator, she is looked upon as a godly figure with reverence. Even Bible always suggests to honour and respect mothers before anyone else in the world.

Mother's Day Date South Africa:
2016 - May 08
2017 - May 14
2018 - May 13
2019 - May 12