Mother’s Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family or individual, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on different days in many parts of the world, most commonly in March or May.
๐ Origins of the Modern Holiday
In the United States, the modern version of the holiday began in the early 20th century at the initiative of Anna Jarvis. She organized the first Mother’s Day service of worship and celebration at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, which serves as the International Mother’s Day Shrine today.
The modern holiday was first celebrated in 1908, when Anna Jarvis held the first Mother’s Day service of worship at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia. Her campaign to make Mother’s Day a recognized holiday in the United States began in 1905, the year her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, died.
๐บ๐ธ Official Recognition in the U.S.
In 1908, the U.S. Congress rejected a proposal to make Mother’s Day an official holiday. However, by 1911 all U.S. states observed the holiday, with some officially recognizing Mother’s Day as a local holiday.
In 1914, Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating Mother’s Day, held on the second Sunday in May, as a national holiday to honor mothers. Anna Jarvis trademarked the phrase “Second Sunday in May, Mother’s Day, Anna Jarvis, Founder” in 1912.
๐ Commercialization and Criticism
The American version of Mother’s Day has been criticized for having become too commercialized. Jarvis herself regretted this commercialism and expressed that this was never her intention.
By the early 1920s, Hallmark Cards and other companies had started selling Mother’s Day cards. Jarvis organized boycotts of Mother’s Day and threatened to issue lawsuits against the companies involved.
๐ Global Celebrations and Dates
Countries around the world have a multi-century history of a day to celebrate mothers. In most countries, Mother’s Day is an observance derived from the holiday as it has evolved in the United States, promoted by companies who saw benefit in making it popular.
In some countries, the date adopted is one significant to the majority religion, such as Virgin Mary Day in Catholic countries. Other countries selected a date with historical significance, such as Bolivia’s Mother’s Day on May 27 commemorating a battle in which women participated to defend their children.
๐๏ธ Religious and Cultural Traditions
In certain traditional branches of Christianity, the holiday is strongly associated with revering the Virgin Mary. In Islam, special attention is paid to mothers, and the Quran teaches that children should give priority to loving their mother over their father.
In Hindu tradition, Mother’s Day is called “Mata Tirtha Aunshi” and is celebrated in countries with a Hindu population, especially in Nepal. In Buddhism, the festival of Ullambana is derived from the story of Maudgalyayana and his mother.
๐ Mother’s Day Dates Around the World
| Country | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Second Sunday in May | National holiday since 1914 |
| United Kingdom | Mothering Sunday (Lent) | Christian ecclesiastical celebration |
| Argentina | Third Sunday of October | Only country celebrating on this date |
| Most Arab countries | 21 March | Introduced in Egypt in 1956 |