The fascinating history of Mother's Day

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What better way to express love and gratitude for your mom than with a special Mother's Day card, a bouquet of flowers, or even a special dinner at her favorite restaurant?

In essence, Mother's Day is a holiday celebrating motherhood and the impact of mothers and mother figures on society. Motherhood certainly is not a one-size-fits-all package and goes beyond biological mothers. It comes in various forms, including mothers-in-law, stepmothers, foster mothers, adoptive mothers, single mothers and guardians.

All in all, every mother's journey is unique.

Mother figures can also include an aunt, big sister, grandmother and even a teacher or neighbor who took you under their wing.

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The version of Mother's Day celebrated today in the United States can be primarily attributed to three women: Ann Jarvis, also known as "Mother Jarvis," her daughter, Anna M. Jarvis and Julia Ward Howe.

Howe was known for her "Battle Hymn of the Republic," a famous Civil War anthem, and the "Mother's Day Proclamation," which expressed that mothers should gather to prevent the cruelty of war and the waste of life since mothers of mankind bear and know the cost.

Mother Jarvis bore 12 children in the Appalachian area of Virginia where she lived. She organized "Mothers' Work Clubs" and "Mother's Work Days" in order to help other mothers and families avoid the tragedies she had suffered after most of her children died from diseases such as diphtheria and measles.

Throughout the Civil War, Mother Jarvis organized women's groups to assist both Confederate and Union soldiers who were wounded and sick. She also worked hard to foster peace and unity following the end of the war.

Following Mother Jarvis' death in 1905, her daughter, Anna Jarvis, set out to fulfill her mother's legacy by campaigning for a national Mother's Day holiday. She did so by leading a letter-writing campaign asking anyone to support the holiday.

Thanks to those efforts, President Woodrow Wilson made Mother's Day a national holiday in 1914, to be recognized on the second Sunday of May.

It didn't take long for greeting card companies and other vendors to figure out ways to make money off of the Mother's Day holiday. Because of the commercialism attached to the holiday, Anna grew to denounce it a few years later.

In the United Kingdom, Mother's Day is also known as Mothering Sunday. This holiday has no connection with the American version of Mother's Day and can be traced back to the 16th century, during the Middle Ages.

According to Arena Flowers, the tradition was that you paid your "mother-church" a visit and you were said to be "going a-mothering" when you did so. On this day, servants were given the day off to go back to the church in which they were born, with other family members also being included.

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In the United States, Australia and Canada, Mother's Day is celebrated annually on the second Sunday of May. However, the timing of celebrations varies significantly across the globe.

The British version of Mother's Day occurs three Sundays before Easter. In other words, Mother's Day falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent. In this case, the holiday has a different date each year because it coincides with the timings of Lent.

According to Time and Date, 104 countries celebrate Mother's Day. 77 of these countries observe the holiday in May, while 13 observe it in March. 14 countries prefer to celebrate Mother's Day during other months. Over 200 million people even enjoy a day off on Mother's Day.

You can celebrate Mother's Day in a variety of ways. You can plan a homemade meal or consider ordering food from her favorite restaurant. You can also give her a personalized gift, such as a necklace, a photo album or a handwritten letter expressing your love and appreciation. Mother's Day is also a great opportunity for a family gathering where everyone can celebrate together and spend quality time with one another.

Let us take a moment and appreciate the love and support our mothers give us not every year, but every single day!