The date was developed in the United States and became prominent in Brazil

Every year, on the second Sunday of May, many people follow the tradition of setting aside a sum of money to buy gifts for their mothers and giving them to them. At least in Brazil, the practice has grown to the point where the date is the second most important for trade annually. But do you know the origin of this celebration and why it is at this time of the year?

In 1908, in America, activist Anna Jarvis was trying to find a way to honor her mother, who had died two years earlier in May. Jarvis started a memorial gathering signatures to create a national holiday, and in 1914, then-President Woodrow Wilson officially declared the memorial date on the second Sunday of the fifth month of the year.

Here in Brazil, the celebration was officially established in 1932 during the government of President Getulio Vargas and was the result of the great efforts of the Brazilian feminist movement that won the right to vote that same year. Following American tradition, the date is also established in the second week of May.

However, the gauchos, since 1918, have set aside a day to celebrate the lives of their mothers in the streets of Porto Alegre. The first party took place on May 12, where mothers in the city were presented with rose bouquets and partook of a special tea.

History also indicates that in ancient times different people organized celebrations as a way to uplift maternal figures who were always held in high esteem in different human societies.

Another interest is that currently, other countries also have a day to honor mothers, but in other months of the year. For example, Russia celebrates in November, Slovenia in March, and Argentina’s neighboring countries hold their festivals in October.

A special day for business

After it became official in Brazil, Mother’s Day began to gain a strong commercial appeal, prompting retailers to develop sales strategies to attract consumers interested in buying gifts for their mothers.

Over time, Memorial Day has become so important to Brazilian commerce that today it is the second most important date of the year for shoppers, only Christmas. To get a better idea of ​​the holiday’s relevance, a study conducted by the National Confederation of Commerce, Products, Services and Tourism (CNC) indicated that this year’s sales volume on Mother’s Day should reach R$ 13.17 billion.

*Training under the supervision of Liz Cappy.

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