Howe initially funded many of these celebrations, but most of them died out once she stopped footing the bill.

In 1873 women’s groups in 18 North American cities observed this new Mother’s holiday. At one point Howe even proposed converting July 4th into Mother’s Day.Įventually, however, June 2nd was designated for the celebration. She had become distraught with the violence and killing that she had witnessed and was becoming an outspoken peace activist. She had written The Battle Hymn of the Republic 12 years earlier. with Julia Ward Howe’s Mother’s Day Proclamation in 1870. The first North American Mother’s Day was conceptualized in the U.S. In the 1600’s a clerical decree in England broadened the celebration to include real Mothers, earning the name Mothering Day. Early Christians initially used the day to honor the church in which they were baptized, which they knew as their “Mother Church.” This place of worship would be decorated with jewels, flowers and other offerings. It fell on the fourth Sunday Lent (the 40 days of fasting preceding Easter Sunday). In many aspects, this Mother goddess was represented and celebrated similarly across cultures.Ī later incarnation of a holiday to honor Motherhood came from Europe. Other societies worshipped similar deities including Gaia the Earth Goddess and Meter oreie the Mountain Mother. In Rome and Asia Minor, Cybele was the major Mother deity most similar to Rhea, the Greek mother of the Gods. One of the earliest historical records of a society celebrating a Mother deity can be found among the ancient Egyptians, who held an annual festival to honor the goddess Isis. Only in the past few centuries did celebrations of Motherhood develop a decidedly human focus. The maternal objects of adoration ranged from mythological female deities to the Christian Church itself. In fact, the personal, human touch to Mother’s Day is a relatively new phenomenon. Pagan societies tended to celebrate Goddesses and symbols rather than actual Mothers. Only recently dubbed “Mother’s Day,” the highly traditional practice of honoring of Motherhood is rooted in antiquity. In several schools Mothers Day functions are organized where little ones present skits and songs to their Moms to express their gratitude and love.

While the older children generally buy gifts from the store, the younger ones may prepare handmade gifts to honor their mothers. There is also a tradition of giving gifts on Mothers Day. On Mother’s Day people in Mexico send gifts of flowers and cards to their mothers. Though the practice had already spread to parts of Mexico, Alducín’s article led to widespread observance of the holiday, and May 10 became the universal day of celebration in Mexico. Recognition of Día de las Madres” or Mothers Day began in 1922 when a journalist, Rafael Alducín wrote an article advocating the celebration of Mother’s Day in all of Mexico.

According to a custom in Mexico, sons and daughters come to the Family Home on the eve of Mothers Day on May 9.

Children honor their mothers and thank them for their efforts in bringing them up. Mothers Day in Mexico is celebrated in a colorful fashion. In Mexico, Mothers Day is always celebrated on May 10 as opposed to the Mothers Day in US that fall on the second Sunday in the month of May.

Dia de las madres 2021