History of Mothers Day

"There is nothing as cozy as the mother’s lap, no flower as beautiful as our mother’s smile, and no route as easy where the footsteps of our mother have been imprinted. Let us rejoice this mothering. Let us feel blessed and privileged for having such affectionate mothers in our lives who have sacrificed their own elations to make us smile. Let us just put an effort to make this day great and big for them."

Celebrations of mothers can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans but the clearest modern precedent for Mother’s Day is the early Christian festival known as “Mothering Sunday.” Once a major tradition in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, this celebration fell on the fourth Sunday in Lent and was originally seen as a time when the faithful would return to their “mother church”—the main church in the vicinity of their home—for a special service.

The English word Lent is a shortened form of the Old English word lencten, meaning "spring season".

Over time the Mothering Sunday tradition shifted into a more non-religious holiday when children would present their mothers with flowers and other tokens of love and appreciation. This custom eventually faded in popularity before merging with the American Mother’s Day in the 1930s and 1940s.

The origins of Mother’s Day as celebrated in the United States date back to the 19th century. In the years before the Civil War, Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” to teach local women how to properly care for their children.

These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War. In 1868 Jarvis organized “Mothers’ Friendship Day,” at which mothers gathered with former Union and Confederate soldiers to promote reconciliation.

Another precursor to Mother’s Day came from the abolitionist and suffragette Julia Ward Howe. In 1870 Howe wrote the “Mother’s Day Proclamation,” a call to action that asked mothers to unite in promoting world peace. In 1873 Howe campaigned for a “Mother’s Peace Day” to be celebrated every June 2.

Other early Mother’s Day pioneers include Juliet Calhoun Blakely, a temperance activist who inspired a local Mother’s Day in Albion, Michigan, in the 1870s. The duo of Mary Towles Sasseen and Frank Hering, meanwhile, both worked to organize a Mothers’ Day in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some have even called Hering “the father of Mothers’ Day.”

The official Mother’s Day holiday arose in the 1900s as a result of the efforts of Anna Jarvis, daughter of Ann Reeves Jarvis. Following her mother’s 1905 death, Anna Jarvis conceived of Mother’s Day as a way of honoring the sacrifices mothers made for their children.

Following the success of her first Mother’s Day, Jarvis—who remained unmarried and childless her whole life—resolved to see her holiday added to the national calendar. Arguing that American holidays were biased toward male achievements, she started a massive letter writing campaign to newspapers and prominent politicians urging the adoption of a special day honoring motherhood.

By 1912 many states, towns and churches had adopted Mother’s Day as an annual holiday, and Jarvis had established the Mother’s Day International Association to help promote her cause. Her persistence paid off in 1914 when President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure officially establishing the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.

Anna Jarvis had originally conceived of Mother’s Day as a day of personal celebration between mothers and families. Her version of the day involved wearing a white carnation as a badge and visiting one’s mother or attending church services. But once Mother’s Day became a national holiday, it was not long before florists, card companies and other merchants capitalized on its popularity.

While Jarvis had initially worked with the floral industry to help raise Mother’s Day’s profile, by 1920 she had become disgusted with how the holiday had been commercialized. She outwardly denounced the transformation and urged people to stop buying Mother’s Day flowers, cards and candies.

Jarvis eventually resorted to an open campaign against Mother’s Day profiteers, speaking out against confectioners, florists and even charities. She also launched countless lawsuits against groups that had used the name “Mother’s Day,” eventually spending most of her personal wealth in legal fees. By the time of her death in 1948 Jarvis had disowned the holiday altogether, and even actively lobbied the government to see it removed from the American calendar.

While versions of Mother’s Day are celebrated worldwide, traditions vary depending on the country. In Thailand, for example, Mother’s Day is always celebrated in August on the birthday of the current queen, Sirikit.

Another alternate observance of Mother’s Day can be found in Ethiopia, where families gather each fall to sing songs and eat a large feast as part of Antrosht, a multi-day celebration honoring motherhood.

In the United States, Mother’s Day continues to be celebrated by presenting mothers and other women with gifts and flowers, and it has become one of the biggest holidays for consumer spending. Families also celebrate by giving mothers a day off from activities like cooking or other household chores.

At times, Mother’s Day has also been a date for launching political or feminist causes. In 1968 Coretta Scott King, wife of Martin Luther King Jr., used Mother’s Day to host a march in support of underprivileged women and children. In the 1970s women’s groups also used the holiday as a time to highlight the need for equal rights and access to childcare.

Mother's Day will be here before we know it, and there are many ways to let your mom know that you love her. Spending time together doing activities that you both enjoy will make the day extra special.

Whether you need to stay inside or if you prefer to venture out, we’ve put together some ideas for great gifts that double as fun Mother’s Day activities.

Make her breakfast (and coffee) in bed. Making breakfast in bed for Mom is a classic Mother’s Day activity.

Plan a day of outdoor activities. Since it is now officially spring, maybe Mom wants to venture outside and play with the kids. There are so many things that you can do outside, and these sets are sure to remind her of her own childhood.

Have a movie night. Moms rarely get to pick the film for family movie night, so on Mother’s Day, let her choose the movie. Pop some cinema-quality popcorn, and stock up on movie theater snacks to make it an epic cinematic experience.

Make Mom a Playlist. Songwriters have long been writing touching lyrics about mothers and daughters. Make her a playlist of best Mother's Day songs to remind her just how much you appreciate her.

Rent Her Dream Car for the Day. There are still a lot of places you can't go, but you can surprise mom by taking a spin in a car she's always dreamed of driving.

Plan a Mom Picnic. Prepare mom a sweet basket filled with picnic fixins with all of her favorite things including fresh flowers. Then surprise her with a family visit and enjoy a picnic just for mom on a blanket in the backyard. You can also pick up (or fix yourself) a pretty mothers day cake to make it even more special.

Treat Her to a Meal Out. Everyone should get a break from cooking on Mom's special day. Whether it be breakfast or brunch, lunch or dinner, "take Mom out" for a meal at her favorite local restaurant.

Treat Her to a Manicure. Freshly filed nails and a flawless new polish color will make her feel like a million bucks.

No matter how you choose to spend this Mothers Day remember that this is moms special day to celebrate HER. If you're lucky enough to have a loving, caring mother in your life, spoil her rotten. For those of us who are not fortunate enough not to have this, go ahead and spoil yourself a little.

Having a wonderful mother is a true gift and a blessing.