For the Love of a Mother

The United States, Great Britain, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Mexico, Canada, Japan, and Belgium, all agree on at least one thing. Mothers and grandmothers are pretty special and deserve to have a day of their own. On this day children and husbands come together to tell mom and grandma just how special she is.

There are historians who believe celebrating mothers comes from an ancient festival in the spring dedicated to the maternal goddess. The Greeks honored Rhea, who was the wife of Cronus and also the mother of the gods and goddesses in Greek mythology. The festival was called Hilaria and lasted three days. When Hilaria was celebrated, there were parades, games, and masquerades.

In the 1600s, in England, a more modern celebration honoring moms was started. The celebration was called Mothering Sunday, which was held on the fourth Sunday of Lent. On Mothering Sunday, moms were given small gifts, and treated to a special cake dessert called simnel.

In 1872, the writer of the words to the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," Julia Ward Howe, suggested that we celebrate a day in the United States to honor mothers. Her suggestion was ignored.

It was not until 1907, in Grafton, West Virginia, that Anna Jarvis held a ceremony to honor her mother who had passed away two years earlier. You see, it was Anna Jarvis' mother who wanted to set aside a day to be called Mother's Friendship Day, to help with the aftermath of the Civil War.

Though not a mother herself, Anna Jarvis started to campaign for a national holiday honoring mothers and the impact they have on our lives. Along with her supporters, Jarvis wrote to ministers, businessman, and politicians until they were finally successful.

West Virginia became the first state in the nation to celebrate Mother's Day in 1910. Then, in 1914, President Wilson declared that the second Sunday of May be set aside to honor all mothers, and the day was to be called Mother's Day.