Anna Jarvis: The Woman Who Had The Idea For Mother's Day And Later Wanted It Rescinded

Millions of people celebrate the second Sunday in May every year. However, very few of them know the origin of Mother's Day. Perhaps they would appreciate the day more if they knew how it came to be and the tragic story of the woman who single-handedly worked just as hard to get it abolished.

The woman's name isn't well-known to those who celebrate her accomplishment. Her name isn't listed in any Who's Who book. She has no star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. No flag was lowered to half-staff when she died. Her name has not been a question on the popular game show, "Jeopardy!"

About Anna Jarvis

Anna Jarvis was born in Webster, West Virginia on May 1, 1864. She never married, and she didn't have children. Therefore, she was not a mother. However, like everyone else in the world, she had a mother.

Jarvis was an American social activist who founded Mother's Day in the United States to honor her own mother’s memory and advocacy work. After her mother died in 1905, Anna sought to honor Ann Reeves Jarvis, a community health activist.

Anna campaigned for a day to be called Mother's Day on the Sunday closest to her mother's death on May 9. She was specific about wanting the holiday to be called Mother's Day instead of Mothers' Day. She meant for the day to be a personal day honoring the mother of each family, not a plural celebration of all mothers.

The first official Mother's Day celebration was held in Grafton, West Virginia, at St. Andrew's Methodist Church in 1908.

Following the first official service in 1908, Jarvis successfully campaigned to make it a national holiday. On May 9, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill recognizing Mother's Day as a national holiday. And as they say, "That's not the end of the story."

There is irony to what Anna Jarvis did. Just as hard as she campaigned to get Mother's Day to become a national holiday, she spent the rest of her life fighting to get it rescinded.

Why Anna Jarvis Mother's Day To Be Rescinded

Anna Jarvis never wanted Mother's Day to become a way for companies to capitalize on it by making lots of money. The organizer of Mother's Day believed that the companies were exploiting her idea of what she wanted for Mother's Day. She became resentful of the commercialization of the holiday she had campaigned so hard to get.

Jarvis didn't approve of what was done in the name of Mother's Day. Hallmark Cards and other greeting card companies started selling Mother's Day cards for money, and not for the sentiment of the occasion. Therefore, Jarvis worked just as hard to get Mother's Day rescinded as she did to get it started. She protested in public against the commercialization on several occasions and was arrested for disturbing the peace.

What Anna Jarvis Wanted

Anna Jarvis started the tradition for women to wear a carnation on Mother's Day. A white carnation was an indication that the mother of the woman wearing it was deceased. A red, or another colored carnation, was worn by the woman whose mother was still living. She gave away the carnations to women. She resented it when flower shops and vendors on the streets began selling carnations based on her idea.

Jarvis grew disillusioned with the holiday’s commercial use by florists, greeting card companies, and candy makers. She spent her fortune on legal fees trying to stop the commercialization, even attempting to have the holiday rescinded.

Jarvis never intended for the day to involve buying gifts, but rather for children to write letters of appreciation to their mothers.

Jarvis died penniless in a sanitarium at the age of 84 on November 24, 1948. She had spent her money on her crusade. Her medical care was paid for by the greeting card companies and floral shops she had protested against.

Commercialization Today

The commercialization of Jarvis' day horrified her. Today, it is much bigger than Jarvis ever expected it to be. Retailers are reporting that people are spending more on Mother's Day than ever before. Every year, the list gets longer with bigger and more expensive gifts. There are elaborate brunches, elegant dinners, faraway vacations, custom-made gifts, personalized jewelry, concert tickets, flowers by the bunches, and greeting cards galore.

Hotels and restaurants across the country have been fully booked for months. It is a record-breaking day for flower delivery services across the country.

Anna Jarvis never had any of these things in mind. She was upset that organizations used her idea to make a profit. She felt that commercialization was far from her original, sentimental design.

Did you know those things about Anna Jarvis? Feel free to comment and to share this article.