Mother’s Day Facts, Trivia , and Lore
Mother’s Day is an annual holiday intended to recognize the important contribution that mothers make to their families and society as a whole. In Canada and the United States it is celebrated on the second Sunday of every May and the traditional gift for mom is flowers. So here are some facts about this holiday honoring those that play such an important role in each of our lives.
Facts About Mothers Day From Long Ago
The earliest Mother’s Day celebrations can be traced back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods.
In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson declared the second Sunday in the month of May to be Motherâs Day. In a proclamation he wrote, âIt is a chance to publicly express love and reverence for the mothers of our country.â
In that one stroke of a pen Motherâs Day became a National Holiday in the United States. Truly, I have to hand it to President Wilson. I mean, he had a lot of other things going on in this country. He was dealing with maintaining the neutrality between the Allies and Central Power after the outbreak of World War I. The suffragettes were marching down his heels as well, and yet, he declared a Motherâs Day holiday. Some think he wanted to give tribute (and I am sure he did) to his mother who planned their gardens at their home in Staunton, Virginia.
A few days ago, my mother and I did something for the first time in more than a year.
Vaxxed and masked, we got out of our car, made our way to an automatic front door that whisked open for us, found a wheeled cart Mom could use, and started walking through a department store that, after all this time, looked a little like Oz.
It’s as if the world had opened up for her again, the bright colors of spring and summer clothes for sale as dazzling as the flowers putting on a show outside. We took our time so she could take it in, this other-worldly return to the great indoors.
For many people, Mother’s Day may conjure up images of croissants, mimosas, and brunch on the second Sunday of May, but did you know this holiday can trace its origins back to anti-war efforts in the 1800s? Here’s the story of where American Mother’s Day began, how it evolved, and why its founder eventually came to disown it altogether.
A Mother’s Work
The origins of Mother’s Day can be traced back to the 1860s, according to historian Katharine Lane Antolini, when Ann Reeves Jarvis (shown above, left) started Mother’s Day Work Clubs in various Appalachian communities in an effort to combat infant mortality rates. Jarvis educated the community about diseases and sanitation and provided access to medicine.
Honoring Moms, past and present
By Carol Marsh - DarkeCountyMedia.com
Since 1914, Mother’s Day in the U.S. has been celebrated on the second Sunday each May. Red and white carnations are traditionally given to honor the living and remember the deceased.
Metro media image
Provided photo
Provided photo
Provided photo
Provided photo
DARKE COUNTY Each second Sunday in May, mothers of all ages across the United States will be celebrated by their children with sentimental expressions of love and affection.
Youngsters often look to the backyard for inspiration, picking handfuls of colorful flowers, such as dandelions and violets, to accompany simple hand-made notes and “fridge art.” Older children might exercise their culinary skills to make brunch or grill out, while many adult “kids” may express their affection through Hallmark and Russell Stover.