Sunday is the day to celebrate mothers
PALMDALE — It doesn’t take a crystal ball to realize that flowers, candy and maybe jewelry will be big sellers this weekend in honor of moms on Mother’s Day Sunday.
It’s doubtful most mothers would receive a hardhat or toolbox, although a new car, perhaps a Mercedes, would likely be appreciated.
Historical information indicates that Mother’s Day was created by Anna Jarvis when she arranged a memorial service for her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, on the second Sunday in May at the Methodist church in Grafton, W.Va., where her mother had taught, according to the National Women’s History Alliance.
A slight discrepancy exists as to whether the year was 1907 or 1908, depending on the report. Regardless of the year, Jarvis had white carnations at the service.
“Traditionally, the Mother’s Day flower is the white carnation, chosen by Anna Jarvis because it had been her mother’s favorite,” the alliance say. “The white carnation
was meant to symbolize the purity of a mother’s love.”
However, online stories cautioned against presenting mothers with a bouquet of white carnations these days because they also symbolize a mother who died.
Nonetheless, Jarvis’ heartfelt tribute “marked the beginning of the tradition that we now observe each year to honor mothers and their sacrifices.”
Mother’s Day became an official US holiday in 1914 when President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation.
“The holiday was created to express love and gratitude to mothers and acknowledge the sacrifices women make for their children,” the online writeup stated.
In the United States and Canada, the holiday is basically celebrated the same way.
In the United Kingdom, a traditional fruitcake, called a Simnel cake, is associated with Mothering Sunday, as the holiday is called. That cake is often decorated with marzipan balls.
In Mexico, a popular song called “Las Mañanitas” is sung to mothers early in the morning. Families gather for festive meals.