Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
A special day to spoil the moms
WITH breakfast plans and special spa day bookings taking place in preparation for Mother’s Day, have you ever stopped to wonder where the tradition of honouring moms began?
According to Twinkl Parents, Mother’s Day started in the US.
Originally known as Mother’s Peace Day, it was founded by poet Julia Ward Howe in 1872, to promote the idea of a unified international fellowship against the recent civil war.
American Anna Jarvis was the founder of Mother’s Day, first celebrated in 1908, and US President Woodrow Wilson made it an official holiday on May 9, 1914.
It was created as a secular holiday, and Jarvis worked tirelessly throughout her life to keep it that way.
Mother’s Day for Jarvis was a celebration of her mother, and back in the day, there was no need for cards or any gifts other than flowers to commemorate this occasion. White carnations were her mother’s favourite since they lasted for a long time and didn’t lose their petals. This was significant to her as it was a sign of the intimate bond between a mother and a child.
Taking a time machine back to the present, a few Jellybeans shared what Mother’s Day means to them and what plans they have to celebrate the special day.
Elijah Alexander said: “For me, Mother’s Day is a day about being nice to your mom.
“I love my mom for all the things she does for me and because she never forgets about me.
“This Mother’s Day, I will be helping her bake something sweet, as we do every year.
“My teacher said I should rub her shoulders, so she feels good and appreciated. I’m too young to surprise her with breakfast, so I want to help her with chores.”
His sister, Aria Alexander, said: “Mother’s Day to me is all about giving her extra kisses and cuddles, treating her like a princess, and for this year, I’m making my mummy a necklace for Mother’s Day. I also want to give her a big card to show her how much she means to me.”
Dante Kleinbooi said: “Mother’s Day is an extra special day in the year that we get to spoil our mothers.
“For me it means I get to do anything and everything for my mom, because she does so much for me.
“I make her feel like a queen because I don’t spoil my mom every day.
“She is the reason I am who I am today. I love my mother to bits. She is always there for me when I need her.
“She prays for me when I’m having a difficult time in my life and she always supports me through everything I do.
“Even though I’m only 13, and I don’t have money, there is something special I do every Mother’s Day for her. I make her a warm cup of coffee in bed with breakfast, give her a foot massage because she loves that, and hand over a card I made myself and tell her what she means to me.
“After that my dad and I take her out for lunch and buy her flowers.”
Oyisa Xinti said: “Mother’s Day to me means honouring the mother of the family as well as motherhood. How I plan on celebrating Mother’s Day is by asking my dad to cook or take her out on a surprise lunch.”