Mother’s Day Facts…plus a special treat!
Sunday May 11 is Mother’s Day in the United States. To most of us this is all we know, that and we must treat our Mothers extra special on this day! To help impress your Mom we wanted to share some Mother’s Day facts with you – it isn’t all brunch and wine after all!
- Mother’s Day Fact #1
The American incarnation of Mother’s Day was created by Anna Jarvis in 1908 and became an official U.S. holiday in 1914 when President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure officially establishing the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. - Mother’s Day Fact #2
After gaining financial backing from a Philadelphia department store owner named John Wanamaker, in May 1908 Jarvis organized the first official Mother’s Day celebration at a Methodist church in Grafton, West Virginia. - Mother’s Day Fact #3
Jarvis would later denounce the holiday’s commercialization and spent the latter part of her life trying to remove it from the calendar. - Mother’s Day Fact #4
Celebrations of mothers and motherhood can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele, but the clearest modern precedent for Mother’s Day is the early Christian festival known as “Mothering Sunday.” - Mother’s Day Fact #5
While versions of Mother’s Day are celebrated throughout the world, traditions vary depending on the country. In Thailand, for example, Mother’s Day is always celebrated in August on the birthday of the current queen, Sirikit. Another alternate observance of Mother’s Day can be found in Ethiopia, where families gather each fall to sing songs and eat a large feast as part of Antrosht, a multi-day celebration honoring motherhood. - Mother’s Day Fact #6
At times Mother’s Day has also been a date for launching political or feminist causes. In 1968 Coretta Scott King, wife of Martin Luther King Jr., used Mother’s Day to host a march in support of underprivileged women and children. In the 1970s women’s groups also used the holiday as a time to highlight the need for equal rights and access to childcare.
And the best fact about Mother’s Day…Moms love Mira Wine Box Sets and the gift giver does too with shipping included!
Know of some other interesting Mother’s Day Facts? Add yours in the comments section below.