Shopping For Mothers Day Flowers

Mother’s Day got its start as a war protest when Julia Ward Howe established a “Mother’s Day for Peace” on June 2, 1872. Her intent was to celebrate the peaceful contributions of mothers and to draw attention to the cause of suffragists. Her proclamation defined the holiday until early in the 20th century - about the same time that the 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote

An additional female who contributed substantively to our nation by rallying other women to the cause of improving their neighborhoods was Ann Reeves Jarvis. Once she had died, her child Anna started lobbying for establishment of a countrywide celebration in honor of mothers. This was agreed to by President Wilson in the year 1914. Ever since that time, we have had an annual celebration on the 2nd Sunday in the month of May

Jarvis began to protest the manner in which the holiday was being celebrated by 1923. As an outgrowth of her desire to sentimentalize motherhood, the observance of the holiday began to be marked with Mothers Day gifts. Many people used this day as a time to send flowers to their mothers. Jarvis would spend most of the remainder of her life combating this commercialization of the holiday. She would never have children of her own. Ironically, she spent the last years of her life in a sanitarium, surrounded each year by Mothers Day gifts, flowers, and cards.

Today, many people continue to commemorate this holiday by spending time with their mothers. Those who live too far away to easily visit often compromise by sending Mother’s Day flowers and cards. Some choose to send flowers that they know their mother enjoys, while others select blossoms that have a special meaning.

Perhaps the holiday has indeed taken on a significance that Jarvis never intended. Unfortunately, she would never realize that, although the holiday was not observed as she expected it to be, she actually did accomplish her goal of setting aside a day especially intended to honor mothers.

The holiday known today as Mother’s Day was first established as the “Mother’s Day for Peace” on June 2, 1872 by Julia Ward Howe. Woodrow Wilson approved the holiday in 1914, and since then has been celebrated annually every second Sunday of May. Many people would send flowers to their mothers as they do today. Today, many people continue to commemorate this holiday by spending time with their mothers. Finding Mothers Day gifts is an enjoyable activity for children. Common gifts are clothing, Mothers Day Flowers, jewelry, books and collectibles.