More than 40 nations across the world celebrate Mother’s Day, and all in their own style. It is celebrated on different dates but very often around March or May. In New Zealand we tend to celebrate on the second Sunday in May.
The modern Mother’s Day began in the United States after the suggestion by Anna Marie Jarvis, in honour of her late mother. She began her mission for a nationally recognised Mother’s Day in 1905.
In 1908 the US Congress initially rejected the proposal, joking that they would need to instate a ‘‘Mother-in-law Day’’ as well. However, by 1911 all US states observed the holiday.
However, over time Mrs Jarvis became increasingly unhappy with the commercialisation of the event, with an entire greetings card industry booming around it. She felt the emphasis of the day should be on sentiment, not profit.
In New Zealand, Mother’s Day is not a public holiday, but a more personal day, with young children bringing their mother breakfast in bed and being generally well behaved for a day. Older children will often treat their mother to breakfast or a day out. Often families will get together to celebrate as well.
The modern Mother’s Day is not directly related to the traditional celebrations of motherhood and maternity around the world which have existed for thousands of years, such as the Greek cult to Day’, the Roman festival of Hilaria, or the Christian Mothering Sunday celebration.
Different cultures celebrate Mother’s Day differently. Some do a personal celebration, spending time one-on-one, such as in New Zealand, and others have a whole community celebration.
In New Zealand we also celebrate Father’s Day, but in other countries, they also find time to celebrate Children’s Day, Siblings’ Day, Parents Day, and even Grandparents Day.
Mothers often enjoy it if you take the time to make something for them, which is a great idea if you have some artistic ability. This could be a card or a photo album or something else small, but meaningful. Flowers are also a good bet, along with chocolates.
However, overall, time spent together is the most valuable thing you can offer. You could go out to mum’s favourite cafe or restaurant, go shopping, enjoy a new and exciting experience, or even just go for a walk together.
