Mother's Day Traditions and History

What many of us recognize today as Mother's Day in the U.S. was created by Anna Jarvis who embarked on a campaign to make Mother's Day a recognized holiday. In 1914, the day honoring all mothers was established and nationally recognized.

However, a special day set aside to honor mothers is not a new idea. Early pagan and Christian traditions stretch back generations. For instance, some attribute the idea of the modern holiday with roots in the festival of Cybele. The ancient Greek custom honored the great mother of Greek gods. The Romans also had their own custom that was dedicated to the worship of Juno, patron goddess of Rome. In observance of the day, Romans presented their mothers with gifts.

A European Christian festival, Mothering Sunday has been in existence since for centuries and was created as part of the liturgical calendar to honor the Virgin Mary and the "mother church." In the 16th century, families would return to their mother church for a special service to be held during Lent. Those who participated were said to have gone "a-mothering." Another name attributed to the custom is Simnel Sunday, named after the practice of baking Simnel cakes in celebration of families during Lent. During the Victorian era, Mothering Sunday was the only day when English domestic servants were given a day off to visit their mothers and families. Today, Mothering Day is synonymous with Mother's Day in many countries.

In recent years, Mother's Day is a holiday that has spread to other countries as it evolved in North America and Europe. For example, the holiday was adopted in many African countries from the British colonization, although many of these cultures have their own unique festivals to celebrate mothers which pre-date colonization.

Anna Jarvis, founder of Mother's Day, died in the mid-1940s and by then, the holiday had spread to more than 40 countries. Following is how these countries and cultures honor their mothers:

Argentina
Argentinean mothers are treated to poems, dinners and special gestures of love on Dia de la madre (Mother's Day). School children make cards and pictures to share with their mothers. Husbands take on domestic chores in order to give the mother a chance to relax and enjoy the day.

France
France began celebrating Mother's Day in 1918, as inspired by American soldiers of World War I. Following the high rate of attrition fro the Great War, mothers with four to five children were awarded a bronze medal, in the hopes of encouraging the re-population of France. Mothers of six or seven children received a silver medal. Those with eight or more children garnered the gold. Modern-day gifts on Mother's Day now include candies, flowers, perfumes, and a cake shaped to resemble a bouquet of flowers.

Japan
While Mother's Day had been celebrated in the early 20th century, it was banned following World War II. However, the tradition was once again observed in an effort to comfort the many Japanese mothers who had lost loved ones in the war. Today's Japanese families observe the holiday with red carnations and other special gift items.

United Kingdom
Based on the tradition of celebrating their "mother church," England and Ireland have long observed some form of Mother's Day. It is customary to serve Simnel cake, along with holding family dinners, and the giving of flowers, especially violets.

United States
Families in the United States typically observe Mother's Day with activities that honor mom, from enjoying a special activity to going out to dinner. Gifts are an especially prominent part of Mother's Day, including flowers, chocolates and Mother's Day cards. Jewelry is an especially popular and well received gift on Mother's Day. In fact, according to the National Retail Foundation, jewelry totaled $2.4 billion in 2006 for Mother's Day.  

For those who want to present mom with a piece of jewelry on Mother's Day, charm bracelets are an especially meaningful choice. Many moms are familiar with the charm bracelets of their youth, but today's modern choices offer stunning and beautiful styles.

Danish-inspired link charm bracelets are some of the most popular choices for moms of all ages. Designed with threaded sections, these link charm bracelets allow a woman to choose bracelet charms and beads designed from 14K gold, sterling silver or Murano glass. She can add beads and bracelet charns in favorite colors or her family member's birthstones to create a link charm bracelet uniquely hers. Additional bracelet charms and beads can be added to the link charm bracelet with the passing of future Mother's Day – offering mom a gift that will continue to provide enjoyment years from now.

Lewis Jewelers is proud to carry the full line of Pandora Jewelry.  Pandora bracelets, Pandora charms and Pandora beads are only a part of the collection. For more information, contact Lewis Jewelers, 2000 West Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48103, 877-88-LEWIS or visit LewisJewelers.com.