Mother’s Day is a celebration that honors mothers, motherhood, maternal bonds, and the lasting influence of mothers in society. It is observed on various dates around the world, most commonly in March, April, or May.
The formal designation of Mother’s Day as a holiday began in the United States. While many cultures throughout history have celebrated mothers and motherhood—such as the Greek worship of Cybele, the Roman festival of Hilaria, and the Christian observance of Mothering Sunday—modern Mother’s Day is not directly descended from these traditions. However, in some countries, the holiday has become closely associated with these older customs.
The modern observance of Mother’s Day began in 1908 when Anna Jarvis held a memorial service for her mother in America. She then launched a campaign to make Mother’s Day an officially recognized holiday in the United States. Her efforts were successful in 1914, when the holiday was formally established. However, by the 1920s, Jarvis had become deeply disappointed by its growing commercialization. Jarvis’s vision of Mother’s Day spread internationally and is now celebrated around the world. In this tradition, people honor their mothers, grandmothers, and maternal figures with gifts, cards, flowers, and acts of remembrance.
There were earlier observances honoring mothers in America during the 1870s and 1880s, but these remained local and never gained widespread recognition. Jarvis did not acknowledge Julia Ward Howe’s efforts in the 1870s to establish a “Mother’s Day for Peace,” nor did she connect her holiday to Protestant church celebrations such as Children’s Day. She also did not associate it with the traditional Christian observance of Mothering Sunday, maintaining instead that the creation of Mother’s Day was entirely her own.
In 1912, Anna Jarvis trademarked the phrases “second Sunday in May” and “Mother’s Day,” and founded the Mother’s Day International Association. She specifically insisted that “Mother’s” should remain a singular possessive—emphasizing that each family should honor its own mother, rather than using a plural possessive to commemorate all mothers collectively.
Proverbs 31:25 “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” John 16:21 “A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.” Proverbs 31:28–29 “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.’” Proverbs 31:25-27 “Strength and honor are her clothing; she is confident about the future. Her mouth is full of wisdom; kindly teaching is on her tongue. She is vigilant over the activities of her household; she doesn’t eat the food of laziness.” These are from the NIV.
