Mother’s Day is one of those holidays that most of us wouldn’t dream to question its origin. It seems fitting that we would celebrate the woman who brought us into this world, nurtured our every need, and spent endless days worrying on our account. If you are a mother, maybe you are thinking about all the ways you earned your badge of honor surviving countless sleepless nights or teenage melodrama.
Surprisingly though, Mother’s Day wasn’t officially added as a national holiday until 1914. For those of you out there that have nice brunch plans or a relaxing spa appointment, you have Anna Jarvis to thank for that.
Anna relentlessly sought to honor her recently deceased mother and provide a way for families to spend time together. She started a massive media campaign, got financial backing, and argued that women deserved recognition by the National Holiday Calendar which she believed was biased toward men.
Her vision for a holiday involved mother’s wearing white carnations as a badge of honor, families spending extra time together and attending church services. Anna initially sought help from the flower industry to help increase the visibility of the holiday, but she eventually came to regret that decision.
After President Woodrow Wilson officially declared the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day, the holiday exploded with commercialization. Jarvis spoke out, urging families to spend time together instead of buying gifts, presents, and flowers.
In the US, the holiday is still actively celebrated with items such as gifts, presents, and flowers. However, phone call traffic tends to spike up to 37%, more than any other holiday! It is also common to cook mom meals or give her a day off from chores or household duties.
This year, instead of purchasing a card or gift, what can you do to make Anna Jarvis’ dream come true?