A Little Mother’s Day History…

In the U.S. Mothers’ Day is a holiday celebrated on second Sunday in May. It is a day when children honor their mothers with cards, gifts, and flowers. First observed in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1907, it is based on suggestions by Julia Ward Howe in 1872 and Anna Jarvis in 1907.

In 1908 Anna Jarvis, from Grafton, West Virginia, began a campaign to establish a national Mother’s Day, to honor her mother, who was also named Anna, for all the good work she had done during the Civil War & after. Jarvis persuaded her mother’s church in Grafton, West Virginia  to celebrate Mother’s Day on the anniversary of her mother’s death. A memorial service was held there on May 10, 1908 and in Philadelphia the following year where Jarvis moved. Anna handed out 500 white carnations, her mother’s favorite flower, to all the mothers in church that day. This later evolved to sharing or wearing a white carnation in honor of a deceased mother and a pink carnation if your mother was living.

Jarvis and others began a letter-writing campaign to ministers, businessmen, and politicians in their quest to establish a national Mother’s Day. They were successful. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made the official announcement proclaiming Mother’s Day a national observance that would be to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May.

Although it wasn’t celebrated in the U.S. until 1908, there were days honoring mothers even in the days of ancient Greece. In those days, however, it was Rhea, the Mother of the gods that was honored. In the 1600’s, in England there was an annual observance called “Mothering Sunday.” This was celebrated during Lent, on the fourth Sunday. On Mothering Sunday, the servants, who generally lived with their employers, were encouraged to return home and honor their mothers. It was traditional for them to bring a special cake along to celebrate the occasion.

Many other countries of the world celebrate their own Mother’s Day at different times throughout the year. Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May, as in the U.S.
So, as we approach Mother’s Day in just a few days, Honor your Mom with just a few special blossoms, and carry on a wonderful tradition that is over 100 years old in the United States.

 Some Advice from Mom:
1. Always change your underwear; you never know when you’ll have an accident & have to go to the hospital.
2. Don’t make that face or it’ll freeze in that position.
3. Be careful or you’ll put your eye out.
4. What if everyone jumped off a cliff? Would you do it, too?
5. You have enough dirt behind those ears to grow potatoes!
6. Close that door! Were you born in a barn?
7. If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.
8. Don’t put that in your mouth; you don’t know where it’s been!

You can Still send flowers to Mom.  Just click on our website…..WWW.ParkwayFlorist-Pgh.com.  We have flowers to fit every budget for every Mom!