Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Every year on April 30th, Children’s Day is celebrated in Mexico. Known as El Día del Niño, Children’s Day is considered to be one of the happiest and most anticipated days of the year.

Since it’s inception in 1925, El Día del Niño has been marked by cancellation of classes, though the kids do go to school and indulge in different festivities arranged for the occasion. Regular classes are replaced by big parties that include food, candies, piñatas and rides. Various traditional games are also played, "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" being the most common of all.

Here in Vallarta, stores are filled with presents and candies targeting children of all ages. In fact, the last Walmart advertising flier devoted 6-8 pages to Christmas-like displays of toys and games – this in a country where most children in working families receive just a couple of gifts for Christmas instead of the mountain of presents north of the border kids have come to expect.

Now here’s an interesting thought, while Children’s Day was being celebrated (usually on the second Sunday of June) by 1860 in the United States, the event has now disappeared in most states. (Some might say that every day is Children’s Day in the US.) Meanwhile by Parliamentary Act, Canada adopted the November 20 custom of Child Day in 1993.

Many countries around the world fete their children on November 20, the date chosen as Universal Children’s Day in 1954 by the United Nations. George W. Bush proclaimed November 20 to be Children’s Day – but it still didn’t enjoy a renewal of popularity in the US.

Here in Mexico, children dress up to represent a variety of countries to honor Universal Children’s Day, and then take a walk around town to share their view of world peace with others.

UNICEF has declared an International Children’s Day on a variety of dates ranging from March 5, April 23, June 1 and even a couple of dates in December – Take your pick!

No matter what country we are in, there’s no question – our children are our future. We need to celebrate them, see to their needs, make sure they all have the opportunity to have clean water, good education and a safe environment.