| Mother's Day is, in many countries, a day for | | | | In 1870 she was the first to proclaim Mother's |
| celebrating motherhood and thanking mothers. | | | | Day, with her Mother's Day Proclamation.Anna |
| Mothers often receive gifts on this day, and it is a | | | | Maria Reeves Jarvis (September 30, 1832 - May |
| huge time of year for mail. In 1973, the U.S. Postal | | | | 9, 1905) was born in Culpeper, Virginia. Jarvis |
| Service was held up for 8 days because of the | | | | worked around what is now West Virginia to |
| constant flow of letters and cards.OriginsMother's | | | | promote worker health and safety concerns. |
| day has evolved in many countries in different | | | | During the American Civil War she organized |
| ways. This is because mother's day has different | | | | women to tend to the needs of the wounded of |
| origins in different countries and therefore occurs | | | | both sides. After the war she became active in |
| on different days in the year.One school of | | | | the promotion of Mother's Day, a holiday at that |
| thought claims that this day emerged from the | | | | time involved with the causes of pacifism and |
| custom of mother worship in ancient Greece. | | | | social activism. She organized meetings for |
| Mother worship which kept a festival to Cybele, a | | | | mothers of soldiers on both sides of the late |
| great mother of gods, and Rhea, the wife of | | | | war.Her daughter Anna Marie Jarvis (May 1, 1864 |
| Cronus, was held on March 15 to March 18 around | | | | - November 24, 1948) of Grafton, West Virginia |
| Asia Minor. They insist that this custom spread | | | | held a memorial to her mother on the second |
| around the world.Mothering Sunday is the | | | | anniversary of her mother's death (1907) and |
| celebration of motherhood in the United Kingdom. | | | | then went on a quest to make Mother's Day a |
| It takes place on the fourth Sunday of Lent. This | | | | recognized holiday. In 1908 formal observances |
| Sunday is also known as Mid-lent Sunday, Rose | | | | were held in churches in Grafton and Philadelphia. |
| Sunday and Laetare Sunday. Traditionally the | | | | By 1911 every state celebrated the occasion on |
| children will bring gifts of flowers and chocolates | | | | the second Sunday in May. President Woodrow |
| to their mother. Breakfast in bed is also an | | | | Wilson, in 1914, made the official announcement |
| expectation, as is a relaxing, carefree day. It | | | | proclaiming Mother's Day as a national holiday and |
| originally comes from the Victorian practice of | | | | ordered the United States flag displayed on all |
| allowing servants to return home to visit their | | | | public buildings.Remember to tell your mom how |
| mothers on this day.United States OriginsJulia | | | | much you appreciate her by going to see her, |
| Ward Howe (May 27, 1819 - October 17, 1910) | | | | calling her, or sending her a gift. Mothers deserve |
| was a prominent American abolitionist, social | | | | at least one day a year to feel special.sources - |
| activist, and poet. Howe's Battle Hymn of the | | | | wikipedia.org and Compton's Interactive |
| Republic was first published in the Atlantic Monthly | | | | Encyclopedia 1997Patricia Fason is a writer and |
| in 1862 and quickly became one of the most | | | | poet. To see more of her work visit Sites O Web |
| popular songs for the Union during the American | | | | Romances You. For suggestions on what to get |
| Civil War. After the war she focused her activities | | | | your mom this year for Mother's Day visit The |
| on the causes of Pacifism and women's suffrage. | | | | Gift Boutique Mother's Day Section. |