The origin of Mother's day

Mothers Day – Mothering Sunday

UK and Ireland 4^th Sunday of Lent - March 2^nd 2008

USA 2^nd Sunday on May – May 11^th 2008 (also Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium)

Mothers Love – from www.Corporategiftsboston.com

“The Mother carries the child in her womb for 9 months and in her heart for the rest of her life……….”

What a beautiful way to sum up the meaning and significance of the word Mother. It goes to show the importance of mother in our lives. Mother stands for millions of things she gives to her children; it also stands for sacrifices pain, grief and sorrows which she has to undergo to keep her children happy and secure. The most important woman in an individual's life is her/his mother. Her presence affects us our entire life and she can't be replaced by anyone. She is on a pedestal…..

Different countries celebrate her at her different times, it’s origins are varied. Whatever, it is a time to show our gratitude and love for her, through gifts, flowers, tributes and cards. And usually she is given a break from her usual Motherly duties for the day!

Here is what antiquity has to say:-

Egypt – the festival of Isis was celebrated annually, she was known as the Mother of the Pharaohs. Her son Horus became the first pharaoh of the unified Egypt.

Ancient Greece – Mother worship at the festival of Cybele, a mother of great Gods. Held around theVernal Equinox in Rome and Asia Minor. It included eating honey cakes and sharing flowers in the morning.

Romans – celebration of Magna Mater between March 15 – 22. Games were held in honor of the Mother of the gods, Rhea. Also processions through the streets with a statue of the Goddess followed by a display of arts and crafts.

In some countries Mother’s Day began as a celebration for Christians as opposed to Mothers, for example in the 16^th century in the UK, there was a Christian practice of visiting one’s mother church (the church where you were baptized) annually, which meant that a Mother would be united with her family for this day.

In the United States, it is celebrated on the second Sunday in May. It was loosely inspired by the British mother day. Julia Ward Howard in 1870, brought forward the concept of a mother’s day after the American Civil War. It was her intention to get women to unite against the war, but it failed to get formal recognition. She even tried to get the 4^th July converted to Mothers day, in order to dedicate the US anniversary to peace!

Anna Reeves Jarvis took the idea and tried to resurrect it in 1873, in order to bring together families and neighbors who had been divided by the Civil War. They called it Mother’s Friendship day. When Anna died, her daughter Anna M Jarvis, pursued the cause of celebrating the day officially in memory of her Mother and peace. It eventually worked, in 1908 the first Mother’s day celebration took place in Grafton, W Virginia at her Mother’s Sunday school church on May 10^th.

White carnations (her Mother’s favorite) were given to each person and 2 to each Mother. Today white carnations honor the deceased, pink and red for all those Mother’s alive. By 1909, 46 states were celebrating the day, plus parts of Canada and Mexico. In 1914 Woodrow Wilson, declared the first National Mother’s day, for citizens to show the flag in honor of Mother’s who had lost sons in war.

It is now one of the most commercially successful occasions in the US. A day to eat out, give cards, flowers and gifts, and a day I personally always look forward to!