Mother's Day is celebrated to honor mothers and motherhood, as well as the influence of mothers in society. The history of Mother's Day varies across cultures and countries, but the modern version of Mother's Day is largely attributed to Anna Jarvis, an American activist, who campaigned for an official day to honor mothers.
The origins of Mother's Day in the United States can be traced back to the 19th century. Ann Reeves Jarvis, Anna Jarvis's mother, organized "Mother's Day Work Clubs" in the 1850s to improve sanitary conditions and reduce infant mortality by combating diseases and contaminated milk. These clubs also provided a forum for educating mothers about proper childcare.
After Ann Reeves Jarvis's death in 1905, Anna Jarvis began campaigning for a national day to honor mothers, as a way to honor her mother's legacy and to recognize the sacrifices mothers made for their children. She organized the first Mother's Day observance in 1908 in Grafton, West Virginia, where a memorial was held for her mother. The event gained traction, and in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day, a national holiday in the United States.
However, as Mother's Day became more commercialized with the selling of flowers, cards, and other gifts, Anna Jarvis became disillusioned with the holiday, believing it had become too commercial and lost its original sentiment. She spent the later years of her life trying to remove Mother's Day from the calendar and advocated for people to show their appreciation for their mothers through handwritten letters and personal gestures rather than buying gifts.
Despite Jarvis's efforts, Mother's Day continued to be celebrated and expanded globally, with different countries adopting their own traditions and customs to honor mothers. Today, Mother's Day is celebrated in various forms around the world, with many countries observing it on the second Sunday in May, similar to the United States. However, the date and customs may vary depending on cultural traditions and historical contexts.
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