Can you believe it's almost Mother's Day? 

It's the day to celebrate the most important woman in our lives — our moms! 

Whether you're planning to shower your mom with gifts or simply spend quality time with her, it's essential to make her feel loved and appreciated. 

In this blog post, we're going to dive into the history of Mother's Day in the United States and the way it’s being celebrated around the world. 

Curious? Let's get started!

History of Mother’s Day in the United States

Mother's Day is all about showing love and appreciation for the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world - your mom! But did you know that this holiday has a pretty interesting history?

It all began in 1907 when a woman named Anna Jarvis held the first Mother's Day service of worship at a church in West Virginia. She wanted to honor her mother, who had been a peace activist during the Civil War and had created Mother's Day Work Clubs to address public health issues. Anna was inspired by her mother's work and wanted to set aside a day to honor all mothers.

Anna campaigned for years to make Mother's Day a recognized holiday in the United States. In 1914, her hard work paid off when Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating Mother's Day as a national holiday to honor mothers. 

But even though she was successful in founding the celebration, Anna became resentful of the commercialization of the holiday. Companies like Hallmark Cards started selling Mother's Day cards, and Anna believed they were exploiting the idea of Mother's Day for profit.

She organized boycotts for Mother's Day and even threatened to issue lawsuits against the companies involved. Anna argued that people should appreciate and honor their mothers through handwritten letters expressing their love and gratitude, instead of buying gifts and pre-made cards. She protested at a candy makers' convention and even got arrested for disturbing the peace!

Despite her protests, Mother's Day has become a popular holiday around the world, with many countries celebrating it on different dates throughout the year. In the United States, it's held on the second Sunday in May and is a time for families to come together and show their moms how much they are loved and appreciated.

So this Mother's Day, take a moment to think about all the amazing things your mom has done for you. Maybe even write her a handwritten letter expressing your gratitude like Anna Jarvis suggested! And let's remember that the true spirit of Mother's Day isn't about buying expensive gifts, but about showing love and appreciation for the person who brought us into the world.

Mother’s Day Around the World

Mother's Day is celebrated around the world, but did you know that different countries have their own unique traditions and dates for the holiday? In Albania, Mother's Day is celebrated on March 8th, which is also International Women's Day. Meanwhile, in Argentina, Mother's Day falls on the third Sunday of October, and is the only country in the world to celebrate on this date. 

In Australia, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May, and the tradition of giving gifts started in 1924 when a woman named Janet Heyden collected charitable gifts for lonely, elderly mothers in a hospital. In Bangladesh, the holiday has been popularized by younger generations and is celebrated on the second Sunday of May, with many people going out to restaurants or cutting cakes to celebrate their mothers.

In France, Mother's Day was originally created to honor large families and was heavily commercialized in the 1950s. In Germany, the holiday was introduced in the 1920s to promote motherhood and encourage women to have more children.

In Hungary, it falls on the first Sunday of May, while in India, it is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. Indonesians celebrate on December 22nd, which is the anniversary of the opening day of the first Indonesian Women Congress.

Iran celebrates Mother's Day on the birthday anniversary of Fatimah, the only daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, according to Shia Islam. In Italy, the holiday was first celebrated in 1933 as the "Day of the mother and the child" and was later adopted throughout the country. In Japan, Mother's Day was initially commemorated as the birthday of Empress Kōjun and is celebrated on the second Sunday of May.

In Mexico, the holiday was imported from the US in 1922 and has been promoted by different parties over the years. The government tried to use it to promote a more conservative role for mothers, but the leftist government of Lázaro Cárdenas promoted the holiday as a "patriotic festival" in the mid-1930s. Today, Mexicans celebrate on May 10th by singing the famous song "Las Mañanitas" and gathering with their families to honor their mothers.

In Myanmar, Mothers' Day is celebrated on the full moon day of Pyatho, the tenth month of the Myanmar calendar. The holiday was first celebrated in 1995 and officially added to the calendar in 1997. People express love and gratitude by sending postcards or personally serving their mothers.

In Nepal, a festival called Mata Tirtha Aunsi or Mata Tirtha Puja is celebrated, where people go on a pilgrimage to honor and remember their mothers. 

In the Netherlands, Mother's Day was introduced in 1910 by the Dutch branch of the Salvation Army and is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. Florists in the country promoted the holiday to emulate the commercial success achieved by American florists. 

In Nicaragua, the Día de la Madre has been celebrated since the early 1940s on May 30, which was the birthday of Casimira Sacasa, the wife of the country's president. 

North Korea celebrates Mother's Day on November 16 as a public holiday, which takes its significance from the First National Meeting of Mothers held in 1961. 

In South Africa, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May, and it is not recognized as a holiday by the government. Similarly, in Singapore, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May, but it is not recognized as a holiday by the government. 

In Sweden, Mother's Day was first celebrated in 1919 and is observed on the last Sunday in May, while in Switzerland, the holiday can be celebrated a week late if it falls on the same day as Pentecost. 

Conclusion

Overall, Mother's Day is celebrated in many different ways around the world, with each country putting their unique spin on the holiday. Whether it's a pilgrimage, a commercial holiday, or a public holiday, the sentiment behind honoring and celebrating mothers remains the same.

And if you want to celebrate Mother’s Day without breaking the bank, make sure to check out the GetOutPass. We got a Mother’s Day sale going on, so you’ll be sure that you can take advantage of this GetOutPass while spending the least amount of money possible.