Mother’s Day Gifts

katia | 12:56 pm | April 22, 2008 | Mother's Day, Mother's Day gifts, Mother's Day flowers, Mother's Day gift ideas, Mothering Sunday, Happy Mother's Day, Ann Jarvis, Julia Ward Howe, Gifts for Mother's Day, TheGift.com

It’s that time of the year again… yeap, mother’s day is crawling up on us little by little. Have you thought about what you’re giving to your mom? I haven’t yet, but as usual, this is a last-minute purchase for me, unfortunately, because I definitely should spend more time choosing something unique and special just for my mother… something that no other mother is likely to get… but, in the interest of time, I take the shortcut and go for the safe items, which, although nothing original and out-of-box, still says a lot about what my mother means to me. And better yet, I know she likes them, so I know I’m making her happy.

Mother’s Day, as we know it today, is not even 100 years old, but it is one of the biggest special occasions (or days) in our society, and I believe in other countries too, such as in England, where they celebrate Mothering Sunday on the fourth  Sunday of Lent. In fact, early history of mother’s day can be traced back to 1600 England, where children and away-from-home servants and apprentices were encourage to bring flowers and gifts to pay tribute to their mothers on that day.

But, it wasn’t until Ann Jarvis and Julia Ward Howe that mother’s day gain popularity and a permanent place in our calendar. Ann Jarvis was a homemaker in the 1850’s actively fighting to improve women’s sanitation condition in the workplace, which came to be title Mothers Work Days.  She organized women through out the Civil war to fight for their cause. Ann went to great lengths and even worked to reconcile Union and Confederate neighbors.

Julia Ward Howe, a poet and social activist, is credited with actually bringing the idea of celebrating Mothering Sunday to the US after the American Civil War in the 1870s. She wrote the famous Mother’s Day Proclamation to call for peace, but failed to get it recognized as an official peace day. Both collaborated enormously to the creation of this day.

Anna Jarvis, Ann Jarvis’ daughter, is the culprit of this historical day, however. When her mother died in 1907, Anna began working on founding a memorial day for women. The firt official mother’s day was celebrated on May 10, 1908 in Grafton, Virginia, and soon after, the custom was spread to the remaining states.

Mother’s Day is an internationally celebrated occasion and one of the most commercialized days in our calendar. How can we just let it pass by? Moms are too important and we have to make them feel the most special person in the world. So, here’s my list for the last-minute shopper or the not-so-in-the-mood-to-make-a-gift shopper:

1.  What Type of Mom is Your Mom? Even if you’re short on time, you can get your mom mother’s day gift or mother’s day flowers that’s just perfect for her!
2. You’re assured to find almost any gift for your mom here. Gifts.com usually have some pretty good stuff to give you endless ideas!
3. If you still need some inspiration on what to get, Annie’s gift ideas for Mother’s Day is sure to help! Annie lists quite a few gift ideas for moms.

Happy shopping! And to all moms out there, HAPPY MOTHER”S DAY!