What is Mexican Mother’s Day: A look at a heartwarming celebration of motherhood in Mexico

An illustration of a mom with her back to the viewer; she is holding a baby in a sleep suit in one arm, while her other arm is outstretched to hold the hand of a small child who is smiling up at her; surrounding this trio is a border of large, brightly colored, hand-drawn flowers.

At Hallmark, we believe mothers deserve love and recognition in every country (and in every language).

In Mexico, mamás are celebrated every May 10 on El Día de las Madres, also called Mexican Mother’s Day.

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So what is Mexican Mother’s Day?  

Well, like Mother’s Day in the U.S., it’s a celebration of the women who raise us, guide us and love us like no one else can. And in Mexico (and other Latin American countries where it’s honored, like El Salvador and Guatemala) El Día de las Madres is also one of the most important family and religious celebrations of the year, involving music, singing, food and special gifts and ceremony. Keep reading to learn more!

When did Mexican Mother’s Day begin?  

Mexican Mother’s Day had its beginnings in the early 20th century when the founder of the newspaper Excélsior, Rafael Alducín—inspired by the deep connection he saw between motherhood and Mexican culture and values—proposed on the front page in 1922 the creation of a day every year to celebrate mothers.

The response from his readers was overwhelmingly supportive and May 10 was chosen as the day for the annual celebration, with Mexican Mother’s Day being declared an official Mexican holiday in 1940. And while other countries had similar days set aside to honor mothers, Mexican Mother’s Day quickly became an integral tradition deeply rooted in Mexican culture and celebrated with nationwide joy and devotion.

How do people celebrate Mexican Mother’s Day?  

Celebrating with faith

Since May is devoted to the Virgin Mary in the Catholic Church, Mexican Mother’s Day is also often a celebration of the Lady of Guadalupe—a Mexican representation of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Some families attend church ceremonies dedicated to Mary and to mothers or even visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.

Celebrating with music

Other families may start their day honoring la Reina de la Casa (The Queen of The House) with a serenade of a version of Las Mañanitas (The Little Mornings), often heard on birthdays but also widely sung on El Día de las Madres. Other songs Mamá might hear on Mexican Mother’s Day include Madrecita Querida (Beloved Mother) and Canto a la Madre (Song To The Mother), and it’s common for these songs to be played for Mom by a traditional mariachi band—or a family mariachi band!—to make the occasion extra especial.

Cindy Phillips, a co-worker born and raised in Mexico said, “Mother’s Day in Mexico is almost sacred because moms are the cornerstone of the family. They’re the ones who hold everyone together. It’s more than just a holiday. It’s a day you truly look forward to, and I always make sure to recognize the amazing job my mother did raising me and my sisters.”

Music and singing are also big parts of the celebrating school-age children do with and for their mothers. School programs and festivals for Mother’s Day are extremely popular throughout Mexico.

“To be honest, I felt a lot of pressure during my school performances because they were for my mom, and I wanted everything to be perfect,” Cindy recalled. “We recited poems and sang traditional Mother’s Day songs like, ‘Mamá’ by Timbiriche, or ‘Señora, Señora’ by Denise de Kalafe. To this day, I still cry when I hear those songs. They totally sum up how I feel about my mom and just how incredible she is.”

A place setting with brightly colored dinner ware surrounded by foods associated with Mexican cuisine; on top of the plate is a text box with a pull quote attributed to Hallmarker Cindy Phillips that reads,

 

Celebrating with food

Of course, as with most traditional celebrations, food also plays a big part in celebrating Mom on Mother’s Day in Mexico. Families often prepare delicious, authentic meals in the home or gathered together at a relative’s house or take Mamá out to a nice restaurant for her favorite meal.

While the kinds of foods served on Mexican Mother’s Day vary depending on taste, tradition and region, many families do often celebrate with a traditional carne asada or a taquiza (taco party). Whatever is served or wherever the meal takes place, celebrating with food, family and fun is a big part of honoring Mamá and her always-nourishing love.

If you’re looking for a more modern version of a Mother’s Day meal for El Diá De Las Madres, Hallmark has some fun ideas to create an indoor picnic for the Queen Of The House here.

 

And if food just isn’t the order of the day for your mamá, here you’ll find 40+ ideas for Mother’s Day that aren’t brunch.

What are some traditional Mexican Mother’s Day gift ideas?  

Flowers

Flowers, of course, are a customary gift for Mom on Mexican Mother’s Day, just as they are in the U.S. In Mexico, mamás will often be presented with lush and vibrant bouquets of roses—symbols of love and gratitude—and sunflowers representing happiness and good cheer.

To add to the natural beauty of your beautiful botanical gifts, we have some creative ways to wrap flower bouquets for Mother’s Day or any occasion here.

Words

Latinos are known as a very expressive culture, so it’s no surprise that written expressions of the heart are part of the gift-giving on El Día de las Madres. Whether it’s letters expressing gratitude and appreciation, poems praising the virtues of moms and motherhood or cards made specifically for Mexican Mother’s Day, sharing personal, heartfelt sentiments of love never goes out of style.

Love the idea of a message just for Mamá, but not sure where to start? Get tips on how to write an appreciation letter to mom here.

Clothing

Speaking of style, clothes and jewelry (often made with colors and materials resonant with Mexican culture) are also popular gifts for Mamá that the fashionista in her will adore. Pair them with her favorite perfumes, and Mom will be looking and smelling as good as your appreciation makes her feel.

And if you’re creative and crafty yourself, handmade gifts of clothing, jewelry, crafts and other kinds of handcrafted items bring a cherished personal touch that will touch any mother’s corazón.

DIY gifts

But perhaps you’re an outside-the-box kind of gifter, looking for something a little more specific to Mom’s individual tastes or experiences or something younger kids can do that’s straight from the heart.

If that’s you, never fear, we have some great ideas for DIY gifts that will delight her with a meaningful and unique-to-her approach here and here.

As Cindy and millions of mothers know:

“Now that I’m a mom, those DIY gifts and cards mean so much more to me. Knowing the time and effort my little ones put into making something, with or without help, makes them incredibly special.”

Fresh oranges sit on a set of steps that have been coated in a peach-colored plaster; on top of this background is a yellow text box with a pull quote attributed to Hallmarker Cindy Phillips that reads,

Whether you’re celebrating Mexican Mother’s Day in the U.S., Mexico or anywhere else, one thing is true in every country on earth: Mamá se lo merece. (Mom deserves it.)

“My kids are still young,” said Cindy, “but I’ve already started teaching them about Mexican Mother’s Day. It’s part of who they are. It’s not a day we can ignore, and hopefully one day they’ll surprise me with a serenata of my own.”

I hope so, too, Cindy. And I hope this article helps our readers honor your mother, madre, mom, mamá, mommy, mami or however she’s known. Happy Día de las Madres to all the wonderful mothers all over the globe!