The history of Mother’s Day has its roots in the women’s rights movement in England and America.
American Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis organized “Mothers Day Meetings” in 1865, where mothers could exchange ideas on current issues that interested them.
However, the founder of today’s Mother’s Day is considered to be Anna Marie Jarvis. On May 12, 1907, the Sunday after the second anniversary of her mother’s death, she established the “Memorial Mothers Day Meeting” in Grafton. She expressed her love for her deceased mother with 500 white carnations, distributing them to other mothers in the local church. Anna dedicated herself to the initiative of establishing an official national holiday in honor of mothers, writing letters to politicians, businessmen, clergy, and women’s associations.
By 1909, mothers in 45 states of the USA were celebrating Mother’s Day, and in 1914, American President Woodrow Wilson declared it a national holiday.
Soon after the USA, the custom of celebrating Mother’s Day spread to other countries around the world.
England, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Austria, and many others adopted this holiday in the following years.
On Mother’s Day, mothers and grandmothers are often gifted with flowers, greeting cards, and small presents made by their children and grandchildren. White and red carnations, as symbols of love for mothers, were commonly used as gifts, although some of these traditions have been replaced with newer, more modern practices over time.
Mother’s Day has become an opportunity to highlight and celebrate mothers around the world for everything they do for their families. It is a day that reminds us of the importance of maternal love and sacrifice, and it is joyfully celebrated worldwide every year.
