History

Mother’s Day Celebrations first came to pass in the United States during the late 1800s. At the time, a number of women advocated for the celebration of a memorial holiday for the mothers of fallen Civil War soldiers. Small ceremonies took place nationwide surrounding the turn of the century, and when our nation celebrated its first Mother’s Day in 1914, the holiday was meant to honor mothers who’d lost their sons in World War I.

Today, Mother’s Day has become highly commercialized; Americans celebrate by honoring their mothers with cards, flowers, and brunches. While the context and meaning of the holiday has changed in our society, it has provided us with a vital opportunity: to honor our mothers!

Our celebration of motherhood is not entirely original. In ancient Greece, a festival was dedicated to Cybele, great mother of the gods. In Roman culture, Matronalia was a holiday dedicated to Juno Romans typically gave gifts to their mothers on this day. Unofficial Mother’s Day ceremonies were first held in the US at the turn of the century, and at that time they took place most commonly in churches. The mothers of fallen soldiers were honored with a showing of the American flag, and carnations were dedicated in the sanctuary.

More recently, Mother’s Day has become an occasion for all people to celebrate moms in their own lives. Those who celebrate do so with simple gestures of appreciation. Breakfast in bed is a popular tradition, and in some families, the children and father take over Mom’s chores for the day. Hand-made cards are a thoughtful gift, and mothers are often honored with flowers, spa visits and pampering, and other appreciative presents.

While America and many European countries celebrate this holiday on the second Monday in May, citizens of the world take occasion to honor their mothers throughout the year. The people of Panama, Spain, and Indonesia celebrate Mother’s Day in the month of December, while Norway celebrates in February. For the wealthy jetsetters of the world, it would make a great Mother’s Day gift to celebrate in every country!