Mother's Day (Elementary)

День матери — международный праздник в честь матерей (Mother’s Day) . В этот день принято поздравлять матерей и беременных женщин, в отличие от Международного женского дня, когда поздравления принимают все представительницы женского пола.

В разных странах этот день приходится на разные даты. Хотите узнать как отмечают этот праздник в Великобритании?

Warm up activity

Do you know anything about the traditions of celebrating Mother’s Day in Britain?

When is it celebrated?

Reading

The best present for Moms on Mother's day is a self-made greeting card.

Read an article and find out interesting facts about Mother’s Day

At the beginning of the 17th century in England on the fourth Sunday of Lent people began to celebrate Mother's Sunday (Mothering Sunday). It was a holiday of all mothers of England. With the spread of Christianity in Europe, this Sunday was the feast of the Mother of the Church — the spiritual force that gives life and protects from evil.

Over time the Church festival blended together with a secular holiday. As it was a time of rich aristocrats and huge mansions, most of the servants worked and lived in the homes of their owners. On this day all the servants got a day off, they returned to their families to spend the day with their mothers. Festive atmosphere of this day was added by a special cake, called "mother cake". On this day it was supposed to visit mothers and bring them a cake gift in exchange for the mother's blessing.

Nowadays mother's Day is pretty calm. Women rest, and their men do housework and cook dinner. Traditionally on this day people serve the Simnel cake (simnel cake), decorated with 12 marzipan balls. The tradition of 12 balls came from pre-Christian times, they symbolize the 12 signs of the zodiac. The name of this cake comes from the Latin name of fine flour (simila). These cakes were baked and sold in England and France on Sundays during Lent. In France, they often baked cakes decorated with a cross of icing with the same recipe.

Sometimes men invite their wives to restaurants to celebrate the event. Children give flowers, cards and other gifts to mothers. It is necessary to congratulate your mother, and wherever they are on this day, daughters and sons call their only closest relatives and family, send them a postcard, letter or electronic message on mother's Day. Even if you don't live in England, write or call your parents!

Answer the questions:

When did people begin to celebrate Mother’s Day?

What did people exchange “mother cake” for?

What do people bake on this day?

How do children and family congratulate their mothers?

Listening

Watch the videos on Mother's Day in the UK

The History of Mother's Day

A Brief History of Mother's Day

Discuss the following:

When do you celebrate Mother’s Day in your country?

What do you usually bring your mother as a gift?

Continue the statement “ Mother is a person who …..”