Mothering Day, a holiday in the United Kingdom, had a strong influence on our modern Mothers Day celebration. Julia Ward Howe helped bring the idea to the U.S. In the late 1800's. The ideas was to use the celebration to unite American women against war.
A prominent social activist of the time was Ann Jarvis. She promoted the safety and health of workers. Later she actively organized women to help care for the soldiers wounded in the Civil War. Afterwards. To promote both social activism and peace, she initiated the idea of a "Mother's Work Day."
Ann Jarvis died in 1905. Two years later, her daughter, Anna Marie Jarvis, passed out 500 white carnations, the first Mother's Day flowers, at her mother's church, one for each mother present. In 1908 she held a memorial to her mother in on May 10 and began a crusade to make Mother's Day an official holiday. She achieved her goal in 1914 when Woodrow Wilson, then President, made it official.
Shortly afterwards it became a popular custom on Mother's Day to wear a white carnation. Anna chose carnations because they were her mother's favorite flower. She selected white to symbolize the purity of a mother's love. Carnations are still a favorite Mother's Day flower.
The result of this new custom was a white carnation shortage. To alleviate the problem florists suggested that people wear a red carnation if one's mother was living and a white carnation if one's mother had passed away. As a result the new tradition of giving Mother's Day flowers changed.
Mother's Day soon became a popular holiday. And very commercial. Just 9 years after becoming official, Anna Jarvis began to see the new holiday as too commercial. She strongly opposed the ideas of Mother's Day cards. She felt they were a shortcut, and that a personal letter the ideal way to honor your mother.
Both Anna and Ellsinore, her sister. Spent all their money and the rest of their lives fighting the new Mother's Day holiday. Anna Jarvis was an activist until the end of her life. Just before her death in 1948 Anna was arrested as she protested the over commercialization of the holiday she created.
The practice of using flowers in the Mother's Day celebration continued to evolve to this day. Today there are no hard and fast customs concerning Mother's Day flowers. Any type and color of Mother's Day flowers is completely acceptable, as are gifts and the very popular practice of dining out to give Mom a break from the kitchen. - 20607
A prominent social activist of the time was Ann Jarvis. She promoted the safety and health of workers. Later she actively organized women to help care for the soldiers wounded in the Civil War. Afterwards. To promote both social activism and peace, she initiated the idea of a "Mother's Work Day."
Ann Jarvis died in 1905. Two years later, her daughter, Anna Marie Jarvis, passed out 500 white carnations, the first Mother's Day flowers, at her mother's church, one for each mother present. In 1908 she held a memorial to her mother in on May 10 and began a crusade to make Mother's Day an official holiday. She achieved her goal in 1914 when Woodrow Wilson, then President, made it official.
Shortly afterwards it became a popular custom on Mother's Day to wear a white carnation. Anna chose carnations because they were her mother's favorite flower. She selected white to symbolize the purity of a mother's love. Carnations are still a favorite Mother's Day flower.
The result of this new custom was a white carnation shortage. To alleviate the problem florists suggested that people wear a red carnation if one's mother was living and a white carnation if one's mother had passed away. As a result the new tradition of giving Mother's Day flowers changed.
Mother's Day soon became a popular holiday. And very commercial. Just 9 years after becoming official, Anna Jarvis began to see the new holiday as too commercial. She strongly opposed the ideas of Mother's Day cards. She felt they were a shortcut, and that a personal letter the ideal way to honor your mother.
Both Anna and Ellsinore, her sister. Spent all their money and the rest of their lives fighting the new Mother's Day holiday. Anna Jarvis was an activist until the end of her life. Just before her death in 1948 Anna was arrested as she protested the over commercialization of the holiday she created.
The practice of using flowers in the Mother's Day celebration continued to evolve to this day. Today there are no hard and fast customs concerning Mother's Day flowers. Any type and color of Mother's Day flowers is completely acceptable, as are gifts and the very popular practice of dining out to give Mom a break from the kitchen. - 20607
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