History of Mother's Day
Mother’s Day is widely celebrated across many countries
in the world. Today, when we celebrate Mother’s Day, we celebrate it as a
thanksgiving to our mothers. However,
this hasn’t always been the case in history. This is reflected by the different
days we celebrate Mother’s Day across the world. Let’s see how Mother’s Day
have been celebrated across history.
Approximately
250 BC
The Romans celebrate Mother’s Day in celebration of the
mother goddess, Cybele. Then Mother’s Day was known as Hilaria, which lasted
for 3 days. It was celebrated with parades, games and masquerades.
About the same time, Greeks honoured Rhea, wife of Cronus
and mother of the gods and goddess of Greek mythology.
1600s
The English started celebrating Mother’s Day on the 4th
Sunday of Lent. Till today, Mother’s Day is still celebrated on that day in the
United Kingdom. Mother’s Day is known as Mothering Sunday there, and is a
celebration to honour the Virgin Mary.
It was also a celebration of the mother church. On
Mothering Sunday, servants and apprentices and other employees working away from home were given leave to visit
their ‘mother’ church. Hence on that Sunday, children and young people served
the church.
Mothering Sunday was also celebrated with the giving of
simnel, a special fruit cake or a fruit-filled pastry. Children would also
bring flowers to pay tribute to their own mothers. This was the start of how we
celebrate Mother’s Day today.
However, the celebration of Mothering Sunday almost
completely died out in the 19th century.
1872
In the United States, Julia Ward Howe, who wrote the
words to the “Battle Hymn of the Republic”, first lead a campaign for national
recognition of Mother’s Day.
1900s
In 1907, Mother’s Day was instigated again in the United
States by the daughter of a peace activist. Anna Jarvis’ mother, also Anna
Jarvis, had tried to start up Mother’s Friendship Days as a means of dealing
with the aftermath of the Civil War. Anna (senior) has passed away 2 years
prior. Anna (junior) started a campaign to create a national holiday to honour
mothers by writing to ministers, business people and politicians.
By 1914, President Woodrowy Wilson declared the 2nd
Sunday of May as Mother’s Day. Anna (junior) used the giving of white
carnations, symbolising sweetness, purity and the enduring mother’s love. Till
today in the United States, white carnations are given to a mother who has
passed away and a red carnation to a living mother.
By 1923, Anna Jarvis became very upset over the over-commercialisation
of Mother’s Day. She filed a lawsuit to stop a Mother’s Day even. She was even
arrested as she was disturbing the peace at a Mother’s Day event.
Today – 2010s
Today, we celebrate Mother’s Day as a thanksgiving
celebration for our mother’s and their work in our lives. Gifts and treats are
given, which has lead to Mother’s Day being highly commercialised. Common gifts
and treats include flowers, chocolates, and dinner out with the family.
Happy Mother’s Day, mummy. We love you. And Happy Mother’s
Day to all mothers out there.
References
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