by Lauren Rogoff

As Savvy Aunties, we love the moms in our lives – our own mothers, our sisters, and our dear friends who are moms to our nieces and nephews, by blood and by choice. It turns out that one spirited Savvy Auntie is responsible for our annual Mother’s Day celebration.

Anna Jarvis, who never had children of her own, but had several nieces and nephews, was responsible for Mother’s Day as we celebrate it today.  Anna Jarvis was very close with her mother, who had often told Anna that she hoped someone would one day establish a memorial for all mothers, living and dead. After Anna’s mother passed away, in honor of her memory, Anna began to campaign for a holiday in honor of all mothers.  She spent seven years and much of her savings lobbying Congress, various Governors and the President to create a nationwide Mother's Day holiday.

In 1914, Congress passed legislation providing for a holiday honoring Mothers, which was signed into law.  America quickly embraced the new holiday, which spread within a few years to several more counties.

However, Anna became disillusioned with what she’d created.  Mother’s Day had quickly become a commercial holiday.  Almost from the start, restaurant owners, florists, card companies and confectioners saw their business increase as people began to celebrate Mother's day with greeting cards, flowers, chocolates and celebratory dinners.  Anna fought against this commercialism and spent what was left of her fortune trying to reclaim the holiday she had created.  She passed away in a sanatorium, blind, partially deaf and financially destitute, in 1948.

On Mother’s Day, honor Savvy Auntie Anna Jarvis’ and show the mothers in your life how much you appreciate them – remembering that Mother’s Day is not merely a commercial holiday, but a way for us to express how important and cherished every mother  - and every woman who shows her maternal love to the children in her lives - is.
 

Photo: W-Women Globally

Published: May 7, 2012