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A Little Mother’s Day History
With Mother’s Day coming up, I thought some people may be a little interested in the history of Mother’s Day and how we all came to rush around and sign cards, buy flowers and jewelry and give mothers tokens of appreciation for raising us into the people we have become.
So where did this holiday originate from? How do people from other cultures and places of origin go about telling their mothers how much they are appreciated?
In the year 1906, a woman by the name of Anna Jarvis began campaigning to start a day where all Americans would celebrate their mothers. She began spreading her idea to other people through church meetings and letters to representatives in government as well as businessmen. Within 3 years, 46 states were celebrating Mother’s Day and in the year 1914, it was regarded as a national holiday.
Through the years, Americans have fallen into the old routine of commercializing and not only going above and beyond with this holiday, but using it purely for promotional and commercial purposes, which is the same thing that Christmas has also evolved into. Because of this, through the years, Jarvis has spent her years trying to de-commercialize Mother’s Day, feeling that the original meaning of the day she worked so hard to get Americans to celebrate, had lost its original meaning.
In Jarvis’ own words, Mother’s Day is “To let (mothers) know we appreciate them, though we do not show it as often as we ought.”
Here are ways other cultures celebrate Mother’s Day:
In ancient Greece, which accounts for the earliest Mother’s Day celebration, people paid tribute to the mother of the gods, Rhea, with with honey cakes, fine drinks and flowers at dawn.
In Serbia, Mother’s Day, known as Materice in Serbia, is celebrated on the second Sunday before Christmas. This is perhaps the funniest way of celebrating Mother’s Day I have ever heard. On this day, children sneak into their mother’s rooms and tie her feet with either ribbon or string. If that wasn’t funny enough, in order for the mothers to be released, they must negotiate with their children, presenting them with small gifts. I believe that in Serbia they got it a little mixed up, maybe it should be called Children’s Day.
During the Middle Ages in Britain, the wealthy people gave their servants the day off so they could travel, usually far away, to see their mothers.
So there’s some history on Mother’s Day for everyone. So tell me now, what are you planning for your mother?
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About the Author: Holly Ord
In addition to being the Founder and Editor of Woman Tribune, Holly Ord is a freelance writer, web designer and developer, feminist activist and blogger, and hopeless video game addict. She lives in Northeastern Pennsylvania and has been blogging on liberal politics and gender equality on her personal website, Menstrual Poetry since 2007.
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29 Comments on A Little Mother’s Day History / Add Your Comment
Wow..very good info. It’s amazing that there is only one day a year that we celebrate mothers. I think that it should be celebrated on a monthly if not daily basis.
hey! thts g8 to knw such information.
Hi
I really didnt know about these facts on mother’s day. Now I feel more important to bring this day with my mom and admire the whole thing.
I wish I could say I’ll be doing something really special for my mother but it will probably be a nice bunch of flowers. She lives far from me and I have a family of my own now so mothers day revolves around my children and I spoiling my wife rotten.
I think mother’s day among all other holidays is one of the really special ones — it brings us back to the woman that we came from, and helps us appreciate the love and care that we our mother gives us through the years. Mothers are meant to be celebrated everyday.
My mother is special, and we had years where we would try to make each and every mother’s day the most wonderful day. Being one of five children we each had the honor of making our own cards and presenting them to her one by one as we brought her our homemade breakfast special. It consisted of runny eggs, burnt bacon, toast with jam, fresh squeezed orange juice and hot coffee. As I recall she was most appreciative each year that we doted on her. Only a truly great mother would allow her five kids in the kitchen at the same time and not worry about the clean up (we left it spotless…I think)
A holiday since 1914?? Geez, I was sure it was brought here from France during the mid 1800′s as part of the “fashion” movement.
Mothers are meant to be celebrated in every way possible. They have given us life, and showed us how to be who we are, embrace ourselves and love ourselves. Robin Rice writes and talks about loving who you are, and finding joy in life — I was really inspired by her messages in her website http://www.bewhoyouare.com — it helped me deal with a lot of personal issues.
My mother is special, and we had years where we would try to make each and every mother’s day the most wonderful day.Because i love my mother.
My mom and I always do the same every year. I take her out for dinner we go to the theater. My mom and I don’t have much time to spend together since I always on the move so it’s nice to have a day like mothers day.
Nice post, thank you! By the way mother’s day is coming so don’t forget to buy a gift!
Try this shop:Mothers Day Gifts. Really good deals for a nice price!
Ohh, really lovley history. I bought A great Gift for my mum on that day, And she loved it
I sent my mom a copy of Ideals Mother’s Day. And I bought myself a necklace. I was on amazon.com, buying a necklace for my niece and saw all the 1928 jewlery had free shipping. I love 1928 jewlery so I purchased one for my niece and one for myself. Only problem when I told my hubby he said, oh good now I don’t have to worry about what to get you for mother’s day.
Great blog entry! So timely and appropriate! Thanks so much for the post!
Well this mothers day I have hinted to the hubby to have the boys 21 and 18 (both living at home) to make me dinner. My older one makes the best marinated bbq asparagus!
Happy Moms day all!
Thanks for the history! I had thought that Mother’s Day had been around for much longer.
One day there was a man name Tom,He said boy I sure appreciate my Mom.
I love her what should I say,I know I will make a special day.What shall I call this day.So I thought so hard I know I will buy her a card.
But what shall I say.I know How about Happy Mothers Day.So from then on never a year did pass where a Mother got harassed.
Just Love from their child that was from deep in their heart.And that is the way Mothers day got its start.
Honestly,dont have any plans for my mother yet..I’m kinda confuse because I don’t know what gift should I give her,maybe because she’s very far away from me.
My mom has a Riccar sewing machine and only 4 or 5 bobbins. She has just gotten used to only having a few bobbins and since they don’t sell Riccar accessories in any local stores, she hasn’t gotten around to getting more. She’s going to be very surprised, and happy, I hope!
Well, my mother is in Nashville, TN living with my oldest sister. But we talk everyday without fail and pray for each other on a regular basis. I told her about what my almost 17 year old said to me the other day… he said, ‘Mom, you should write a book about how to raise a great kid’ and I said, ‘oh, is that right?’ He said,’I'm not trying to be conceited or anything, but I turned out pretty good really and I know why… it’s because of you’. Tears welled up in my eyes and I cried tears of joy. I told him that his raising didn’t only come from me, but also from my parents as well, so he had them to thank also. I told him that I just passed along what was taught to me first. I think it’s hard to beat having a great kid… of course beating him (correcting him…) when he was a very small child when he would do bad things and correct him – speaking the truth to him in love – and explaining to him the reasons WHY we do the things we do and why we DON’T do CERTAIN things, has helped him to grow leaps and bounds in his lifetime so far. He bought me a candle for Mother’s Day this year, and that was really sweet of him… I love candles, but having him SINCERELY tell me what he did… that was worth more than all the candles in the entire world. Enjoy the day!
Christine
I love Christine’s comments regarding what her 17-yr old suggested to her.
I found your site on faves.com bookmarking site.. I like it ..gave it a fave for you..ill be checking back later
But this you know that there is also the Flower’s day? When flowers get to life once again, and their beauty starts to shine, that is when we know its spring. … The Celebration of the flowers is on 20 April.On this day people celebrate the entry of Jesus in Jerusalem .The people waited for him with branches of willow. The name of this celebration comes from the queen of flowers and spring, Flora. The Sunday of flowers The legend says that how the weather is going to be on that day, then the weather is going to be the same the hole week
The sunday before christmas for Mother’s day?.. Poor mom. The Sunday before Christmas my mom is scrambling through the stores trying to find the last minute gifts for us.. Thanks mom here’s a card to thank you for going crazy this whole month trying to buy us gifts. lol That seems silly to me.
I think she prefer’s it in May instead of right before christmas.
Very nice site!
Very nice site!
Such an important holiday, got to remember our mothers!
It’s beautiful story. Lovely!! The flower can make person’s happyness.
It’s sad that we as a society need special reminders to show each other that we care for one another, such as mother’s day, father’s day, or birthdays. I wonder how many people only tell their mother that they love them on mother’s day. Too many I expect.