Today is Mother's Day in Costa Rica!
Posted by Adam Sax on Wed, Aug 15, 2012 @ 03:25 PM
Reposted By: Jesse Montgomery, from Inside Costa Rica
Today, Monday, August 15, is Mother's Day in Costa Rica, a special day honouring mothers and celebrating motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society.
In Costa Rica, Mother's Day is a big deal, for it is a national holiday as government offices, banks, schools and most businesses close for the day, for about the only commercial activity is retail stores and malls open to cash in on the gift buying and restaurants.
Mother's Day is also one of the few holidays where workers are not obligated to work, that is, if asked they cannot say no and without any recourse. Workers can also refuse to have another day off in lieu of working on Mother's Day, again without any recourse. However, if a worker does accept to work on Mother's Day, they will be paid double their normal salary for the day.
The tradition on Mother's Day is shower mom with gifts, flowers and appliances. Many are taken out to a restaurant for a special meal, while others are treated to home cooked meal by the family.
Mother's Day in Costa Rica is celebrated on the day it falls. This year it is on a Monday, giving everyone a long weekend.
A few years ago it was decided to celebrate Mother's Day on the Monday following August 15. That plan failed, as Costa Ricans took to celebrating on both days - August 15 and the Monday following.
Protests forced legislators to scrap the moving of the holiday, returning to the tradition of celebrating the day it falls on.
Although Mother's Day may be celebrated differently depending on the social status, one thing is certain, no mother goes unnoticed today no matter what.
Happy Mother's Day!