Mother's Day (for 1/2 the World, notably NOT the French)

Tomorrow is Mother's Day in the US. The second Sunday of May, as tradition calls it. In France however, tomorrow is any other Sunday - the French, of course, cannot simply follow the US example (who officialized Mother's Day first, as it was) - no, it has to show its Gallic difference - and Mother's Day in France is .... the LAST Sunday of May. EXCEPT (and there is always an exception in France) if that last Sunday in May is Pentecost, in which the catholic holiday trumps and Mother's Day moves back a week - so this year the French will hold Mother's Day on June 7.

If I seem well versed on this topic, it is because I had to actually google when Mother's Day falls this year. Unlike in the US, where you start to see Mother's Day cards and posters before Easter, stores here are very muted (notice I said they "hold" Mother's Day, not "celebrate") - I spotted not one card for Mother's Day today (and we were looking at cards at 3 different stores for Hanaya, who absolutely had to have postcards depicting cats and dogs TODAY) - which is just amazing. The French always say days like Mother's Day and Valentine's Day are just too commercial in the US - and I guess they are right. However, I see nothing wrong with commercialism, especially when it is to my benefit. Being a now-stay-at-home mother of two, I wouldn't mind some recognition, you know?

Anyway I am once again dumbfounded that the French could not simply take the second Sunday of May to be Mother's Day. Didn't the Japanese? The Chinese? The Germans as well! OK so I know the British have a different day too, which was just a big pain as well because I had to always remember to buy a Mother's Day card in March (otherwise none would be around anymore when it was time to actually send it on to my mom in the US).

Of course, the fact that Mother's Day is a commemorative day without a fixed date, whether the second or the last Sunday, gives all the excuses PeeWee needs to not acknowledge either of the days. If I call him on that, he gives another one of his well-used lines: "the French do not do that".

On that note, happy mom's day to all out there in the US (and about 3 dozen other countries around the world)! I shall wish the same on my French counterparts in another few weeks!