Mother's Day Celebrated

The origin of Mother’s Day dates back many, many years ago to the annual spring festival of the Greek's dedication to Rhea, the mother of many deities, to the offerings of ancient Romans made to their mothers of gods and to the Christians honoring Mary, mother of Jesus.

In the United States Mother’s Day started more than 150 years ago by an Appalachian homemaker. There were many other events by other mother's such as Anna Jarvis that occured thereafter also. However, in 1914 President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill recognizing Mother’s Day as a national holiday.

May 9, 1914 - "Now, Therefore, I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the said Joint Resolution, do hereby direct the government officials to display the United States flag on all government buildings and do invite the people of the United States to display the flag at their homes or other suitable places on the second Sunday in May as a public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country."

Later it was decided that Mother's Day would be celebrated on the second Sunday of May, although many countries celebrate it on differents days at different times throughout the year. In some countries the celebration lasts for two days. The occasion is now celebrated not so much with flags as with flowers, gifts, cards, hugs, thank you's and other tokens of affection.

To this day Mother's Day continues to be one of the most commercially successful U.S. occasions. According to the National Restaurant Association, Mother's Day is the most popular day of the year to dine out at a restaurant in the United States. It is the day when you acknowledge your mother's contribution in your life, her love and you pay a tribute to her, often with cards, flowers and gifts. The traditional flowers for Mother's Day are white carnations, as they are said to typify the virtues of motherhood. Mother's Day also complements Father's Day the celebration honoring fathers.

A mother is the truest friend. A mother's love is unconditional and she always understands what her child did not say.

*An old Irish Proverb says... A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest.

"Happy Mother's Day" to all the wonderful and loving mother's of the world!