Mothers Day

Ever wonder how mothers day got started? Well mothers in the United States can thank Anna Jarvis. Anna's mother had tried to start a national mothers holiday in the nineteenth century but was unsuccessful. After her death, Anna had a celebration honoring mothers both living and dead at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. Because of her determination congress made Mothers Day a national holiday in 1914. It would be celebrated on the second Sunday of May from then on.

Anna Jarvis would later become an opponent of the commercialization of Mothers Day. She would participate in protests and even file lawsuits to stop elaborate Mothers Day celebrations. She meant it to be a day of remembrance not a way for people to make money. Before her death she said that she regretted ever starting Mothers Day.

Mothers day has become one of the busiest days of the year for American restaurants and of course florists. The official flower of Mothers Day is the red carnation.