Which country celebrates Mother's Day on August 15 (Assumption of Mary)?

Costa Rica celebrates Mother's Day on August 15, the Catholic feast of the Assumption of Mary.

The Costa Rican observance developed from a local school tradition rather than directly copying the United States' second-Sunday-in-May holiday. In 1927, educator Evangelina Solís organized a celebration for mothers at the Nicolás Ulloa School in Heredia. The event was initially connected with the distribution of students' midyear reports, since Solís believed mothers should be honored for their children's achievements.

The celebration spread nationally, and Costa Rica established it by law in 1932. August 15 was selected because it coincides with the Assumption of Mary, a major Catholic observance honoring Mary as the mother of Jesus. The date is fixed each year, unlike the U.S. holiday, which moves between May 8 and May 14 depending on the calendar.

A common mix-up is to choose Italy, Portugal, or Mexico because August 15 is important in all three countries as a Marian or Assumption-related date. In Costa Rica, however, that date specifically doubles as the national Mother's Day celebration.