Mother's Day
Contrary to popular belief, Mother's Day was not conceived and fine-tuned in the boardroom of Hallmark. The earliest tributes to mothers date back to the annual spring festival the Greeks dedicated to Rhea, the mother of many deities, and to the offerings ancient Romans made to their Great Mother of Gods, Cybele. Christians celebrated this festival on the fourth Sunday in Lent in honor of Mary, mother of Christ. In England this holiday was expanded to include all mothers and was called Mothering Sunday.
In the United States, Mother's Day started nearly 150 years ago, when Anna Jarvis, an Appalachian homemaker, organized a day to raise awareness of poor health conditions in her community, a cause she believed would be best advocated by mothers. She called it "Mother's Work Day."
In 1905 when Anna Jarvis died, her daughter, also named Anna, began a campaign to memorialize the life work of her mother. Legend has it that young Anna remembered a Sunday school lesson that her mother gave in which she said, "I hope and pray that someone, sometime, will found a memorial mother's day. There are many days for men, but none for mothers."
She went on to play an active role in encouraging the government to establish a national holiday to honor mothers everywhere. By 1911 Mother's Day was being celebrated throughout the United States, as well as in Mexico, Canada, South America, China, Japan and Africa.
At first, people observed Mother's Day by attending church, writing letters to their mothers, and eventually, by sending cards, presents, and flowers. With the increasing gift-giving activity associated with Mother's Day, Anna Jarvis became enraged. She believed that the day's sentiment was being sacrificed at the expense of greed and profit. In 1923 she filed a lawsuit to stop a Mother's Day festival, and was even arrested for disturbing the peace at a convention selling carnations for a war mother's group. Before her death in 1948, Jarvis is said to have confessed that she regretted ever starting the mother's day tradition.
Despite Jarvis's misgivings, Mother's Day has flourished. In fact, the second Sunday of May has become the most popular day of the year to dine out, and telephone lines record their highest traffic, as sons and daughters everywhere take advantage of this day to honor and to express appreciation of their mothers.
Let Mom Know How Amazing She Is
Your mother is one of the most important people in your life. She’s the woman who brought you into this world and taught you how to live in it and she deserves an embarrassingly beautiful display of flowers for Mothers Day. Are you speechless when it comes to finding the best words to use to thank her? Here are some wonderful suggestions:
- Thank you so much for years of sweat, tears and laughter.
- Thanks for always helping me to be who I am today.
- You’re always in my heart and thoughts. Thank you, Mom.
- You’re the most important woman in my life.
- Happy Mothers Day to the most wonderful mother in this whole wide world. \
- Thank you for everything.
- There’s not enough room on a thousand cards to give you the thanks that you deserve.
- Thank you for always being there, Mom. Happy Mother's Day.
- You deserve more thanks than I could ever give to you.
- I thank my lucky stars every day for being blessed with a mother like you.
Mom Deserves to be Pampered
For all the work Mom does throughout the year she deserves to be pampered on Mother's Day.
- Invite Mom to brunch or dinner at her favorite restaurant and have a flower arrangement delivered right to your table for all to see.
- If your Mom is planning on attending worship on Mother's Day, find out what she plans to wear and ask your florist to design a special corsage to match. For a very special twist, choose a new dress or hat for Mom and have it boxed and wrapped with the corsage in place of a bow on the outside.
- Give Mom something to relax with by wrapping a new book and asking your florist to place it into a fragrant flower bouquet with a note that reads "Today is your day to relax!"
- For a very personal tribute, write her a note telling Mom why you're glad she's your mom and attach it to a long stemmed rose.
Get the Kids Involved on Mothers Day
Dads, as much as you want to thank your special lady for being a great mom on Mothers Day, your kids probably want to even more. Get the kids involved in the Mothers Day gift giving. Nothing says “I love you” like a gorgeous display of flowers but, while you’re picking out a romantic arrangement, bring the kids along and let them pick out flowers for mom too!
Let the kids pick out single flowers that they like and have the florist put them in single water tubes. Have the kids write notes and attach one to each flower (something like “You’re the Best Mom” or “#1 Mom”). If you want to get really cute, hide the flowers around the house and give Mom clues as to where to find them. Mom will truly appreciate the gesture.
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