How to use Facebook thankful reaction

Question

Recently, I've seen some Facebook posts with a purple flower reaction on them, called "thankful." I can't find any way within the UI to use one. A Google search shows some news from 2016 about it being a temporary reaction for Mother's Day last year. There isn't a single Google result about Thankful reactions mysteriously returning in 2017.

How can I use a Thankful reaction? If it's impossible, how are other people able to use them?

Answer 1

Alright, I've probed every last depth of the internet to find the answer to this thing and the best evidence I've come up with is this.

What seems to be the case is that either Facebook has glitched itself out or they have issued a limited release of this function in certain countries (India) as some form of beta testing. Thus far no mainstream media or any other credible source apart from internet speculation as to this functions release.

However this topic seems to be picking up considerable interest, so one can assume a large number of people are affected, in which case Facebook should release a press statement either today or tomorrow or some other coverage should take place.

I will keep this answer update with any new information.

• Update 1 : May 11 2017 Update from TheDailyDot Indicates existence of thankful emoji, but no mention to the year? and does not describe it as a new feature. Perhaps it is recurring feature for every mothers day?
• Update 2 : May 12 2017 Update from the metro as far as it shows the thankful reaction is now being rolled out across the word to coincide with the American Mothers Day which falls on the 14th of May . It can be used throughout this weekend as a normal reaction but will disappear afterwards. The Stack Exchange network simply noticed this phenomenon hours before any major newspaper or even an official press release. Good Job Guys!!
• Update 3: May 13th 2017, Update from TechCrunch Full complement of Mothers Day features released including cards, stickers, masks, filters etc.

IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE: I personally have not observed this phenomenon on my own Facebook, and only seen such reactions appearing on certain friends from certain countries. I therefore conclude this roll-out is limited to countries who celebrate mothers day on the 2nd Sunday of May. Below is a list of countries that celebrate Mothers day on this day. If you do not reside in these countries you may not see this feature on your Facebook.

 Anguilla
 Antigua and Barbuda
 Aruba
 Australia
 Austria
 Bahamas
 Bangladesh
 Barbados
 Belgium
 Belize
 Bermuda
 Bhutan
 Bonaire
 Botswana
 Brazil
 Brunei
 Canada
 Cambodia
 Chile
 China
 Colombia
 Croatia
 Cuba
 Curaçao
 Cyprus
 Czech Republic
 Denmark
 Dominica
 Ecuador
 Estonia
 Ethiopia
 Fiji
 Finland
 Germany
 Ghana
 Greece
 Grenada
 Guyana
 Honduras
 Hong Kong
 Iceland
 India
 Italy
 Jamaica
 Japan
 Kenya
 Latvia
 Liberia
 Liechtenstein
 Macau
 Malaysia
 Malta
 Myanmar
 Namibia
 Netherlands
 New Zealand
 Pakistan
 Papua New Guinea
 Peru
 Philippines
 Puerto Rico
 Saint Kitts and Nevis
 Saint Lucia
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
 Samoa
 Singapore
 Sint Maarten
 Slovakia
 South Africa
 Sri Lanka
 Suriname
  Switzerland
 Taiwan
 Tanzania
 Tonga
 Trinidad and Tobago
 Turkey
 Uganda
 Ukraine
 United States
 Uruguay
 Vietnam
 Venezuela
 Zambia
 Zimbabwe