Mothers Day Date and the History Behind It

The history and origin of the Mothers Day date is an interesting one. Its beginning dates back to the early days of Rome during the annual spring festival when the Romans offered up gifts to Cybele (also known as the Great Mother of Gods). For Christians in those days it took place during a festival on the fourth Sunday in Lent which was held in honor of the Virgin Mary. At that time the holiday was given the name "Mothering Sunday."

Mothers Day dates back to 1870 in the United States when an idea was conceived by a woman named Julia Ward Howe - sometimes called the mother of Mothers Day - who wrote the original Mothers Day Proclamation. It was a woman named Anna M. Jarvis however who is credited with playing a significant role in having a day set aside to celebrate moms everywhere. She was a homemaker who encouraged mothers in her community to get together on a designated day to raise awareness of the unsuitable health conditions that existed. She chose to call the day "Mothers Work Day." When she died, her daughter Anna chose the second Sunday in May in 1908 to hold the first Mothers Day in the United States to honor her mother's life. She chose to hand out white carnations to everyone present because the carnation was her mom's favorite flower. Interesting to note that while Anna espoused the virtues of motherhood and had her name engraved in history for making Mothers Day a reality, she herself never became a wife or mother.

Mothers Day was officially declared as such in the U.S. by Congress under President Woodrow Wilson on May 9, 1914 when he signed a Joint Resolution. President Wilson proclaimed the day to be, "a time for public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country."

Since 1914 many countries have followed the lead of the U.S. and have officially (or unofficially) chosen to observe the second Sunday in May as Mothers Day. These countries include Australia, Belgium, Finland and Holland. It is fitting that the date chosen for Mothers Day is during the springtime when we also rejoice in the beauty of nature and think in terms of renewal and new life. Whether you are a new mom, have been a mother for many years or play the role of mother, enjoy your special holiday for mothers!

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