The Origin And History Of Mother's Day
Wesley Berry, AAF
The origin and history of Mother's Day goes back to the era of
the ancient Greeks and Romans. But the roots of Mother's Day
history can also be traced in the United Kingdom where a
Mothering Sunday was celebrated much before the festival saw the
light of day in the United States. However, the celebration of
the festival as it is seen today is a recent phenomenon and not
even a hundred years old. It is thanks to the hard work of
pioneering women of their times, Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis,
that the day came into existence. Today the festival of Mother's
Day is celebrated across 46 countries (though on different dates)
and is a hugely popular affair. Millions of people across the
globe take the day as an opportunity to honor their mothers,
thank them for their efforts in giving them life, raising them
and being their constant supporter and well-wisher.
The earliest history of Mother's Day dates back to the ancient
annual spring festival the Greeks dedicated to maternal
goddesses. The Greeks used the occasion to honor Rhea, wife of
Cronus and the mother of many deities of Greek mythology.
Ancient Romans, too, celebrated a spring festival, called
Hilaria. It was dedicated to Cybele, a mother goddess. It may be
noted that ceremonies in honor of Cybele began some 250 years
before Christ was born. The celebration, made on the Ides of
March by making offerings in the temple of Cybele, lasted for
three days and included parades, games and masquerades. The
celebrations were notorious enough that followers of Cybele were
banished from Rome.
Early Christians celebrated a Mother's Day of sorts during the
festival on the fourth Sunday of Lent, in honor of the Virgin
Mary, the Mother of Christ. In England, the holiday was expanded
to include all mothers. It was then called "Mothering Sunday".
The more recent history of Mother's Day dates back to the
1600's in England. Here, a "Mothering Sunday" was celebrated
annually on the fourth Sunday of Lent (the 40 day period leading
up to Easter) to honor mothers. After a prayer service in the
church to honor the Virgin Mary, children brought gifts and
flowers to pay tribute to their own mothers.
On the occasion, servants, apprentices and other employees
staying away from their homes were encouraged to visit their
mothers and honor them. Traditionally, children brought with them
gifts and a special cake or fruit-filled pastry called a simnel.
The custom of Mothering Sunday died out almost completely by the
19th century. However, the day came to be celebrated again after
World War II, when American servicemen brought the custom home
and commercial enterprises used it as an occasion for sales.
The idea of the official celebration of Mother's Day in the
United States was first suggested by Julia Ward Howe in 1872. An
activist, writer and poet, Julia shot to fame with her famous
Civil War song, "Battle Hymn of the Republic". Julia Ward Howe
suggested that June 2nd be annually celebrated as Mother's Day
and should be dedicated to peace. She wrote a passionate appeal
to women and urged them to rise against war in her famous "
Mother's Day Proclamation", written in Boston in 1870. Her idea
spread but was later replaced by the Mother's Day holiday now
celebrated in May.
Anna Jarvis is recognized as the Founder of Mother's Day in the
United States. Though Anna Jarvis never had children, she is also
known as the Mother of Mother's Day, an apt title for the lady
who worked hard to bestow honor on all mothers.
Anna Jarvis got the inspiration of celebrating Mother's Day from
her own mother, Mrs. Anna Marie Reeves Jarvis, in her childhood.
An activist and social worker, Mrs. Jarvis used to express her
desire that someday someone must honor all mothers, living and
deceased, and pay tribute to the contributions made by them.
A loving daughter, Anna never forgot her mothers words and when
her mother died in 1905, she resolved to fulfill her mothers
desire of having a mothers day. The growing negligent attitude of
adult Americans towards their mothers, and a desire to honor her
own mother, spurred her ambitions.
The tradition of gifting carnations on Mother's Day began on the
first official Mother's Day service on May 10, 1908. Miss Anna
Jarvis sent 500 white carnations to the Andrews Methodist
Episcopal Church, in Grafton, West Virginia, to honor her mother.
The flowers were meant to be distributed amongst the mothers.
Others present in the mass were also asked to wear flowers.
White carnations were a favorite of Miss Anna Jarvis's mother,
Mrs. Anna Marie Jarvis. Miss Anna Jarvis explained the reason for
her selection of white carnations as the flower to honor her
mother, this way:
''The white carnation is preferred because it may be thought to
typify some of the virtues of motherhood...whiteness stands for
purity; its lasting qualities, faithfulness; its fragrance, love;
its wide field of growth, charity; its form, beauty..."
Miss Anna Jarvis continued with the tradition of sending
carnations to the Andrews Church. She sent over 10,000 carnations
in the subsequent years as a personal gift to the church on
Mother's Day. This gradually led to a custom of giving
carnations to mothers. Today, carnations are worn and gifted
worldwide on Mother's Day and have become symbolic of the
purity, strength and endurance of motherhood. As a custom, red
carnations are worn to honor living mothers, and white carnations
are worn for the deceased mothers.
If you think Mother's Day has become too commercialized, you're
not alone. Anna Jarvis, the person who did the most to make
Mother's Day a national holiday, thought so too. She considered
the printed greeting card "a poor excuse for the letter you are
too lazy to write" and in fact ended up spending her inheritance
campaigning against the holiday she had helped to popularize!
Nonetheless, retailers report that Mother's Day is the second
highest gift giving holiday in the United States (Christmas is
the highest). And since May14th is right around the corner, it's
time to place your flower order!
Mother's Day is the biggest floral sales day of the year. Making
sure you order your flowers early from your favorite florist,
will help to ensure you get exactly the flowers and container
that will suit your special mother.
There will be many beautiful keepsake vases and arrangements
available. To make sure your mom gets her gift by Mother's Day
consider having it delivered on Friday or Saturday. Not only
does this help your frantically working florist and their
delivery staff, but it gives you more time to re-deliver before
Mother's Day if no one is home on the first attempt to deliver.
To make your flowers even more special send along a poem or short
essay that tells mom how wonderful she really is! Have a great
Mother's Day!
------------------------------
Wesley Berry is member of the American Academy of
Floriculture (AAF) and President of Wesley Berry Flowers
(http://www.wesleyberryflowers
multi-million dollar floral business that was established
in 1946. He also works with http://www.funeral-homes.net
to provide useful information about funeral homes across
the nation. He has been recognized by florists nationwide
(http://www.flowers-nationwide
flower business. Visit Wesley Berry Flowers on the web
at: http://www.800wesleys.com
