 | Wikipedia reports that
there are more telephone calls made on Mother’s Day than any other day
of the year, and it is one of the heaviest mail delivery periods of the
year.
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| The same source notes
that Mother’s Day is the number one holiday for flowers purchased – even
surpassing Valentine’s Day. Flowers are by far the most popular Mother’s
Day gift.
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| A website that focuses
on holiday history indicates that Mother’s Day has become the most
popular date to dine out in the United States.
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| When Mother’s Day
started to become more commercialized, Anna Jarvis became angry with
what she viewed as greed and profit over sincerely honoring Motherhood.
In 1923, she filed a lawsuit to stop a Mother’s Day event. Sadly, before
her death, sources say that she regretted ever having promoted the
Mother’s Day concept.
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| While Mother’s Day is
celebrated around the world, it is not on the same day. The second
Sunday in May is the most common choice with dozens of countries,
including the United States, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Italy,
Belgium and Turkey all celebrating on this day.
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| Ireland and the United
Kingdom both hold their Mother’s Day on the fourth Sunday of Lent.
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| Argentina’s day to honor
mothers is the second Sunday in October, while in France and Sweden it
is usually the last Sunday in May.
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| Some countries –
especially in the Middle East -- use the first day of spring as their
Mother’s Day.
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| There is an
international Mother’s Day, which is celebrated on May 11, although it
doesn’t appear that any countries actually use that day as their
official Mother’s Day!
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| The early Greeks paid
tribute to mothers with honey-cakes, flowers and fine drinks, usually at
dawn. About.com notes that this may have been the start of what we call
“breakfast in bed.”
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| In England starting in
the 1600s, people began making simnel or “mothering cakes” in honor of
special mothers. When children would visit their own mothers on
“Mothering Day,” it became known as “going a-mothering.”
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| The concept of Mother’s
Day gifts probably also took root in England in the 17th century, when
children would bring small gifts or spring wildflowers to present to the
mothers in their homes.
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| Throughout the world, in
most languages, the word for mother begins with the letter M.
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| Many families have
created special rituals to celebrate Mother’s Day. It might be taking
Mom to brunch, breakfast in bed, an afternoon hike or planting flowers
together. The best celebrations are ones that create great family
memories. |
