Mother's Day 2024 - Sunday, May 12

 

A mother s love is always unconditional and pure. From the day she first feels you inside her womb to the she is alive, she only gives and never complains, and so is her love. Can you even imagine a life without a mother, it seems impossible. She protects you, loves you, cares for you, and teaches you everything so that when you go out there, you feel prepared and confident enough to take on the world.

So, to honor the love of all the mothers, the second Sunday of May is celebrated every year as Mother s Day. In India, Mother's Day is typically celebrated on the second Sunday of May, similar to many other countries. The day is dedicated to honoring mothers and expressing appreciation for their love, care, and sacrifices. It's a time when people often give gifts, cards, and flowers to their mothers and spend quality time with them.

It's a popular occasion for families to come together, and many people also take the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate all maternal figures in their lives, including grandmothers, aunts, and other caregivers.

Mother s Day is a time of commemoration and celebration for Mom. It is a time of breakfast in bed, family gatherings, and crayon scribbled "I Love You".

The first celebrations in honor of mothers were held in the spring in ancient Greece. They paid tribute to Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. During the 17th century, England honored mothers on "Mothering Sunday," celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent.

 

In the United States, Julia Ward Howe suggested the idea of Mother s Day in 1872. Howe, who wrote the words to the Battle Hymn of the Republic, saw Mother s Day as being dedicated to peace.

 

Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia is credited with bringing about the official observance of Mother's Day. Her campaign to establish such a holiday began as a remembrance of her mother, who died in 1905 and who had, in the late 19th century, tried to establish "Mother's Friendship Days" as a way to heal the scars of the Civil War.

Two years after her mother died, Jarvis held a ceremony in Grafton, W. Va., to honor her. She was so moved by the proceedings that she began a massive campaign to adopt a formal holiday honoring mothers. In 1910, West Virginia became the first state to recognize Mother's Day. A year later, nearly every state officially marked the day. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed Mother's Day as a national holiday to be held on the second Sunday of May.

 

But Jarvis accomplishment soon turned bitter for her. Enraged by the commercialization of the holiday, she filed a lawsuit to stop a 1923 Mother's Day festival and was even arrested for disturbing the peace at a war mothers convention where women sold white carnations -- Jarvis symbol for mothers -- to raise money. "This is not what I intended," Jarvis said. "I wanted it to be a day of sentiment, not profit!"

 

When she died in 1948, at age 84, Jarvis had become a woman of great ironies. Never a mother herself, her maternal fortune dissipated by her efforts to stop the commercialization of the holiday she had founded, Jarvis told a reporter shortly before her death that she was sorry she had ever started Mother's Day. She spoke these words in a nursing home where every Mother's Day her room had been filled with cards from all over the world.

 

Today, because and despite Jarvis efforts, many celebrations of Mother's Day are held throughout the world. Although they do not all fall at the same time, such countries as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium also celebrate Mother's Day on the same day as the United States.

Mother's Day has a rich history that varies depending on the region. Here’s a brief overview:

Ancient Celebrations:

• Ancient Greece: Festivals honoring Rhea, the mother of the gods, were held in spring.

• Ancient Rome: The festival of Hilaria, held in March, celebrated Cybele, the mother goddess.

Early Christian Traditions:

• Christian Europe: In the 16th century, "Mothering Sunday" was celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent. It was a day when people returned to their "mother church" for a special service. It eventually became a day to honor mothers.

Modern Origins:

• United States: The modern Mother's Day as we know it began with Anna Jarvis in the early 20th century. She campaigned for a day to honor mothers after her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, who had organized Mother's Day Work Clubs to address public health issues. The first official Mother's Day was celebrated on May 10, 1908, in Grafton, West Virginia. President Woodrow Wilson declared it a national holiday in 1914.

Global Adoption:

• International: Mother's Day spread to other countries over time. Different countries have adopted various dates and customs, often blending the celebration with local traditions. In many countries, it's celebrated on the second Sunday of May, following the American model.

The modern celebration emphasizes honoring mothers and maternal figures, expressing gratitude, and spending time together.

The second Sunday in May is observed as Mother's Day in most countries of the world. But it was not always so. Not very long ago, a festival called Mothering Sunday or Mid-Lent Sunday was celebrated in England on the fourth Sunday of Lent. The celebrations were surprisingly similar to the modern way of celebrating Mother's Day.

 

The First Mother's Day, as we know it nowadays, was observed on May 10, 1908, in a church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The celebrations involved a church service in honor of Mrs. Anna Reese Jarvis, mother of Anna Jarvis.

Four years later, the Mother's Day International Association was created, on December 12, 1912, to spread the concept and practice of observing Mother's Day. The very next year, in May 1913, the House of Representatives of the US government adopted a resolution requesting the President, his Cabinet, members of Congress, and all officials of the federal government to wear a white carnation on Mother's Day. 

 

Finally, on May 8, 1914, the Congress passed a Joint Resolution designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day.

When the first Mother's Day was observed at the request of Anna Jarvis in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on May 10, 1908, carnations were supplied at the church service. This was because carnations were her mother's favorite flowers. Thereafter, carnations have come to be associated with Mother's Day. White carnations are supposed to represent purity and love. Now it has become a tradition to regard red carnations as a symbol of a living mother; white carnations on the other hand are offered if one's mother has died.
Carnations have a special significance on Mother's Day, rooted in the history of the holiday. Here’s how they became associated with the celebration:

Historical Connection:

• Anna Jarvis and Carnations: Anna Jarvis, who was pivotal in establishing Mother's Day as a national holiday in the United States, chose carnations as a symbol of the day. Her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, had loved carnations, and Anna wanted to honor her memory and the spirit of Mother’s Day with these flowers.

Symbolism:

• Red Carnations: Traditionally, red carnations are worn to honor mothers who are still living. They symbolize love and admiration.
• White Carnations: White carnations are used to commemorate mothers who have passed away. They represent purity and a lasting, gentle love.

Modern Usage:

• Flower Arrangement: Many people give carnations as part of Mother's Day bouquets or gifts. The tradition continues as a way to express appreciation and affection for mothers.

Overall, carnations hold a sentimental value on Mother's Day, linking back to the origins of the celebration and serving as a meaningful gesture of love and remembrance.

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