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This weekend many families in America will celebrate Mother’s Day. The event dates back to May 9, 1914, when America’s President Wilson established the official holiday. Some people had begun campaigning for the holiday a few years earlier. Finally in 1914, the president made it official. He declared that each second Sunday in May would be dedicated to thanking the nation’s mothers. He also ordered all government buildings to display the national flag on that day. According to President Wilson, this was done “as a public expression of … love … for the mothers of our country.”
Before long, people in other countries began asking for a similar holiday to celebrate their mothers. Mexico celebrated its first official Mother’s Day on May 10, 1922. May 10th became their annual holiday because the country preferred a fixed date to one that fluctuated.
Other countries are happy to share the day with the United States. Some on the list include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Japan and Turkey. |