Cactus isn’t really plant you’d associate with mothers. A whole host of pretty flowers, maybe, but hardly a cactus. But when you really think hard about it, it just fits — cacti are hardy, they grow in the most arid situations, brave through a lot, come in all shapes and sizes, their prickly thorns protect and they’re full of goodness and nutrition.
So, once you actually get thinking, it’s not unnatural for the guys over at the Google Doodle team to choose a cactus mom as a tribute for Mother’s Day this year.
The animated doodle shows the story of a cactus mom, starting from her pregnancy, over to feeding her newborn, to teaching them skills as they grow up, and finally as they all live happily together. Sounds familiar to a woman you know?
Interestingly, though, Mother’s Day – despite being a day that’s celebrated globally – is not celebrated on the same day across the world. In India, and certain other countries such as the US, Canada, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Germany, Czech Republic, Estonia, Italy, Denmark, Greece, Turkey, Kenya, Pakistan, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. This is why today’s Doodle reaches only these countries.
In the UK and Ireland, it’s celebrated on the fourth Sunday of March, or Lent to be specific.
In most Arab countries, the celebrations of Mother’s Day are carried out on March 21, which is the Spring equinox. A few Catholic countries observe it on the Virgin Mary Day, and in Bolivia, Mother’s Day is the date of a battle in which women participated. Moreover, ex-communist countries celebrate International Women’s Day instead of Mother’s Day. In Russia, people still follow the custom or observe both the days as Mother’s Day.
In Greece, honouring motherhood has been linked to the Eastern Orthodox celebration of the presentation of Jesus Christ to the temple. The day is marked on February 2, according to the Julian calendar.