History and Origin of Mother’s Day

We all have that special woman in our lives, which we most dearly love. Our mothers are the people we want to see pleased the most and under any circumstances. There is no surprise Mother’s Day is one of the most celebrated holidays. Though its ancient origins, it only became widely popular less than 100 years ago in order to promote humanity, peace, and love. Things have changed thereafter, but it never lost its core meaning – a special holiday which celebrates all the wonderful mothers in the world!

The mother is a creator. No wonder the ancient Greeks celebrated Mother’s Day in honour of Rhea, the mother of the supreme Greek god Zeus. Therefore, we can consider Rhea as the creator of all gods. It is unknown on which date exactly the ancient Greeks celebrated Rhea’s day, but it is certain it was in spring when the earth comes back to life after the long bleak winter. Every culture celebrates Mother’s Day in the same period of the year – when the plants and flowers start to blossom, mirroring the fruitful and nurturing nature of mothers!

History and Evolution of Mother’s Day

During Christian times in England, Mother’s Day was celebrated as a religious holiday and again in spring – on the 4th Sunday of Lent or 3 weeks before Easter Day. In the 17th Century, the early English Catholic and Protestant Christians celebrated it to honour Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, and called the holiday “Mothering Sunday”. The best part of that holiday was that it was an official day of rest, even for poor in-house servants who worked for the wealthy. Under the pretext that they are going to church, they could visit their own homes and see their own families – and especially their mothers.

However, the tradition of celebrating “Mothering Sunday” ceased with the time. Soon, many of the English people who kept it alive went to America and were so busy building a “new world” that they forgot to memorialize the “day of the mother”. That doesn’t mean that they have forgotten their mothers though! There was simply no special day for celebrating their irreplaceable role in human history until the 19th century.

Julia Ward Howe was a social activist and a prominent pacifist. As a reaction to the Civil War and the Franco–Prussian she wrote her “Mother’s Day Proclamation”, appealing for peace and women’s rights. Her powerful plea was promoted at an International Women’s Peace Congress in London and she also organized women’s meetings in Boston every year in order to get a formal recognition for a new Mother’s Day.

Julia Howe passed away before she could achieve that, but her cause was inherited by another smart woman – Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis. She tried to improve the conditions of life for American citizens after the Civil War, by teaching women about sanitation and the basics of nursing. She tirelessly worked to better the sanitary conditions in the unstable country and was remembered by many for her efforts, and especially by the women whom she taught.

However, it was her daughter (also named Anna Jarvis, after her mother) who began the modern Mother’s Day tradition that we know today. She started a campaign to establish a new Mother’s Day to honour her own mother, but also every other mum in the world. The main idea of the women’s plead was that if there is anyone on Earth who could preserve the peace in the world, it would certainly be a mother. Jarvis and her followers wrote letters to ministers, businessmen and congressmen until finally the president of the United States, Woodrow Wilson, declared every 2nd Sunday of May for an official Mother’s Day – the same one we celebrate today

Mother’s Day Today

A mother is a person who is always on your side. She is the one who will always be there to support you and help you through your hardest times, even when she is having a hard time herself. It doesn’t matter if you’re 12, 20 or 40 years old – you are always a child to her because she knows you better than anyone else.

Thanks to women like Julia Howe and Anna Jarvis, mothers now have a special day during which to be celebrated. One of the best ways to show them how much we value them is by choosing unique and personalized mothers day gifts.

If you are wondering what present she will appreciate the most on her special day, we have an idea for you! The perfect Mother’s day gift should be something exceptional and what is more precious to her than you yourself? Just spend more time with your mum. Sadly, when we grow up we hardly find time for the simple joys in life – like having pancakes with our mums for example! Unfortunately, this isn’t always possible due to the dynamics of everyday life. Celebrate Mother’s Day by spending time with her on this special day, while having fun and enjoying a sweet conversation.  Take a stroll down memory lane and spend a day with mum, just like when you were little, with only one small difference – this time you make the pancakes. Show your mum your culinary skills by making an amazing meal that will make her proud! Serve your culinary masterpiece in beautiful designer tableware that she can keep as a promise for more of these sweet family moments to come. Here are some ideas from us for Mother’s day gifts, that will make you wonder why aren’t there more Mother’s days in the year. After all, your mum deserves everything best!