A mother's love is like no other as it is an endless well of strength, courage, compassion and the fuel that enables us to do the impossible hence, the bond with one's mother transcends words, time and distance and to celebrate the comfort, safety and unwavering support that we find in our mothers' arms, Mother's Day is celebrated annually in May. A mother is not just a person; she is the heartbeat of the family, the anchor of our souls whose arms are made of tenderness and her heart is stitched with love so to celebrate this challenging unpaid job of motherhood, Mother's Day is marked to show love, appreciation and recognition for her irreplaceable role in a family.
The History of Mother’s Day
A day to honor mothers has existed for as long as, well, there have been mothers. Festivals honoring mothers in ancient times were often tied to gods and goddesses and maternal symbols of fertility, birth, creativity, and growth cycles. The mother is the protector and nourisher of children and, by extension, of all humanity. The Phrygians held a festival for Cybele, the Great Mother of the Gods. The Greeks and Romans also honored the mother figure of their gods. Even today, an important festival in India, Durga-puja, honors the goddess Durga.
The history of Mother's Day dates back to ancient times but the modern observance of the holiday began in the early 20th century. As per ancient roots, the ancient Greeks and Romans celebrated festivals honouring mother goddesses such as Rhea and Cybele and these celebrations were held in the springtime and were dedicated to fertility and motherhood.
Early Christian celebrations of the 16th century had early Christians in England celebrating a day called "Mothering Sunday." It was a time when people returned to their mother church, which was the main church or cathedral in their area and on this day, families would come together and children would present flowers or small gifts to their mothers.
In the United States, the origins of Mother's Day can be traced back to the efforts of Julia Ward Howe, an abolitionist and suffragette. In 1870, she wrote the "Mother's Day Proclamation," calling for women to unite for peace and disarmament.
The modern Mother's Day as we know it, was championed by Anna Jarvis, an American social activist. After her own mother's death in 1905, Jarvis campaigned to establish a national holiday to honour mothers as she wanted to create a day for individuals to express their love and gratitude to their mothers.
In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day in the United States and this official recognition led to the widespread celebration of Mother's Day in the country. Since then, Mother's Day has been adopted by various countries around the world but while Anna Jarvis is often credited as the founder of Mother's Day, she later became a vocal critic of the holiday due to its commercialisation.
Significance:
Mother's Day serves as a reminder of the immeasurable value of mothers and motherhood as it is a day to express love, appreciation and recognition for the selfless devotion and unconditional love that mothers provide throughout their lives hence, holds significant importance for various reasons. Mother's Day is a special occasion dedicated to honouring and appreciating mothers and mother figures as it provides an opportunity to express gratitude for their love, sacrifices and unwavering support, celebrate the beautiful and essential role of motherhood, recognise the immense impact mothers have on their children's lives, their families and society as a whole and serves as a reminder to spend quality time with family and strengthen the bond between mothers and their children.
It provides an occasion for family members to come together, express love and appreciation and create cherished memories, acknowledges and appreciates the influence and guidance that mothers provide, recognises mother's role in shaping their children's values, character and overall development. Mother's Day offers a dedicated moment to express gratitude and thankfulness for the selfless acts of love, care and nurturing that mothers provide every day.
It is an opportunity to show appreciation for the countless ways in which mothers enrich our lives. Mother's Day allows for reflection on the deep bond between a mother and her children, providing an occasion to cherish and honour the unique and irreplaceable connection that exists within the mother-child relationship.
Celebrating mothers on Mother's Day contributes to their emotional well-being. It validates their role and efforts, promoting a sense of fulfillment, pride and happiness in their important role as mothers.
Celebrations:
Mother's Day celebrations vary across different cultures and countries but they often involve several common elements like it is customary to give gifts to mothers and mother figures on Mother's Day where these gifts can include flowers, cards, chocolates, jewellery or personalised items. The gifts serve as tokens of love, appreciation and gratitude or people may celebrate Mother's Day by gathering with their families and this can involve having a special meal together, going out for a family outing or organising a small gathering or party to honour mothers.
Spending quality time with mothers is an essential aspect of Mother's Day. Activities may include going for a walk, having a picnic, watching a movie together or engaging in other shared interests and hobbies or people can express their love and appreciation for their mothers through special gestures like writing heartfelt letters or cards, preparing breakfast in bed or doing chores or tasks to give mothers a break from their regular responsibilities.
Mother's Day is not only about biological mothers but also about honouring all mother figures and this includes stepmothers, grandmothers, adoptive mothers and other women who have played a significant maternal role in one's life. In some communities, Mother's Day is celebrated with public events or gatherings and these can include concerts, parades or special programs dedicated to honouring mothers and celebrating motherhood.
Mother's Day can also be a time for reflection and remembrance, particularly for those whose mothers are no longer alive so people may visit cemeteries or create tributes to honour and remember their mothers' memory. Ultimately, Mother's Day celebrations revolve around expressing love, appreciation and gratitude towards mothers and mother figures and the specific activities and traditions may vary but the underlying sentiment remains the same – to honour and celebrate the immeasurable impact of mothers in our lives.
Mothering Sunday
And long before Americans celebrated Mother’s Day, Europeans honored their mothers on the fourth Sunday of Lent on Mothering (or Simnel) Sunday. During the Middle Ages, laborers, apprentices, and servants—mainly daughters who had gone to work as domestic servants—would be given a holiday on the fourth Sunday of Lent to return to their mothers and the “mother” church.
Family reunions were the order of the day, with sons and daughters assuming all household duties and preparing a special dinner in honor of their mother. Sometime during the day, the mother would attend special church services with her family. The Lenten fasting rules were relaxed for that day. (Often, the gospel for the day was about Jesus feeding the crowd with loaves of bread.
The Simnel Cake
In 16th-century England, the eldest son or daughter would bring a “Mothering Cake” or “Simnel Cake,” which would be cut and shared by the entire family. The Simnel Cake is a dried fruit cake with two layers of almond paste. The cake was made with 11 balls of marzipan icing on top, representing the 11 disciples
