The origins and traditions of Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is a holiday celebrating mothers and motherhood. It is celebrated on many different dates around the world, most commonly in the months of March and May. The modern Mother’s Day (which is typically celebrated every second Sunday in May) began in the United States in the early 20th century and was later adopted by several other countries.
The origins of Mother’s Day
Many different traditional celebrations of mothers and motherhood have existed across the world throughout thousands of years, dating back to Classical Greece, which held celebrations in honour of Rhea, “the mother of the gods”.
The modern holiday Mother’s Day only came into existence in 1908, when American Anna M. Jarvis campaigned to have a holiday honouring all mothers to be recognised after the death of her own mother in 1905.
Mother’s Day vs. Mothering Sunday in the UK
The United States’ version of Mother’s Day was quickly adopted by other countries across the world. Its growing influence meant that separate, existing celebrations honouring motherhood (held on different dates) were also starting to be referred to as “Mother’s Day”. This included Mothering Sunday: a holiday celebrated in the UK on the fourth Sunday of Lent.
Mothering Sunday was originally unrelated to the secular American holiday and originally had Christian roots. It is believed to have evolved from the 16th-century practice of visiting one’s mother church annually on the fourth Sunday of Lent. However, as a result of the influence of the American Mother’s Day (brought over to the UK by US WWII soldiers), the two holidays increasingly merged and Mothering Sunday evolved into the tradition of showing appreciation to one’s mother.
The traditions of the two holidays are now mixed together and celebrated on the same day (typically the day originally set out for Mothering Sunday), yet many people remain unaware of their sperate origins.
Gifts for Mother’s Day
Giving gifts is part of the age-old tradition of Mother’s Day. It’s true what they say: on Mother’s Day it’s not the monetary value of your gift that counts; it’s the thought. Your mum will love a meaningful, home-made gift! The possibilities are endless: from creative photo collages to fun outings. Are you still on the lookout for a fun and original Mother’s Day gift? Happiedays is the perfect gift solution!
