A look back at the tradition of celebrating Mother’s Day.
In all the years since Woodrow Wilson signed the Mother’s Day Proclamation on May 9, 1914, phone calls to moms have always topped the list of things kiddos do to pay that special attention to their mommas. On that day, up to 22 million phones will ring from children that have called Mom to express love and thanks.
In 1908, Anna Jarvis was the first to show honor to her mom and that started the ball rolling. Anna thought so much of the way her mother worked tirelessly helping and serving mothers after the Civil War, she “gave birth” to the very first Mother’s Day.
You would think that flowers would be the next best thing to being there, but according to Moms For America, greeting cards will top the list to be heartfelt and tear-causing remembrances from children to moms across the globe. The National Retail Federation reported in 2023 that in the next year some $4B — yes billion — will be spent on Mother’s Day cards, making the tissue companies very happy we would guess.
Right behind Christmas and Easter, Mother’s Day comes in third as the most attended church Sunday. That may have something to do with the fact that the restaurants will see an expected one third of adults vying for a table to give mom a break from the kitchen.
Moms are pretty easy to please on their day each second Sunday in May. From the burnt pancakes served with sticky little hands to her in bed, to the cards to bring a tear to her eye, to flowers, which are also a big part of her day. One would assume that roses would be the best bet for mom. But according to Anna Jarvis, so long ago, as she showed her love for her mom, she sent hundreds of carnations to her church from her home in Virginia. That one loving gesture put the carnation as the flower to validate Mother’s Day.
Over the years, the choice of carnation color has come to note a few things. White is for the mothers who have passed away, while red is for the vibrant moms that still serve their families without reservation. (Just a note to remember when sending flowers—the carnation will last the longest of most flowers and they will fill the air with their special scent for days and days, far outlasting roses.)
There are many kinds of moms out in the world: those who give birth to their little bundles; those who adopt their little bundles; those who have turned their little bundles over to God; those who are expecting their little bundles. Even ones that had no bundles but have somehow gathered a clutch of pseudo-children from other mothers that they now call their own.
Wherever you fall on the spectrum of the world of Mom, Happy Mother’s Day today and every day.
Trina Machacek is the owner, publisher and editor of the Eureka County Star newspaper.
