Beyond a hallmark holiday

The heartbeat of a household, the unofficially elected, tirelessly committed both at home and outside and eternally trusted Home Minister of your abode and your personal Defence Minister, the second Sunday of May is a tribute to the mothers and the essence of motherhood whose compassion, love, resilience and empathy is a warm hug that heals any tired soul.

Long before Mother’s Day became a May second Sunday tradition, it was wrapped in the tapestry of ancient customs that can be traced back to the ancient Romans and the Greeks, honouring their mother goddesses Cybele and Rhea, considered the mother of all that is living, symbolising renewal and nature’s maternal essence. However, the clearest modern precedent for Mother’s Day was the early Christian festival called ‘Mothering Sunday’. A part of the calendar since the 16th century, this tradition was celebrated on the fourth Sunday in Lent. Initially, it was not about honouring mothers, but rather it was featured in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe as a day when individuals who were considered the ‘faithful’ would return to take part in a special service that was held at the neighbouring main church. However, the day started evolving into a more secular holiday and celebration when the kids would pick up flowers for their mother, as coming back to the main church was also a sign of returning home. Other tokens of appreciation often included a simnel cake that was decorated with 11 marzipan balls depicting the 11 faithful disciples of Jesus, minus Judas Iscariot.

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Fast forwarding to the 19th century, while the previous customs and traditions of honouring motherhood slowly faded, the seeds of modern Mother’s Day were sown by Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia. When America was reeling under the bruises of the Civil War, Ann Reeves Jarvis took the initiative of organising “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” that would help mothers learn the directives on how to take care of children, reducing infant mortality. However, these camps and work clubs were also at the forefront, taking care of the soldiers from both sides, showcasing that motherhood transcends the shadows of war and tragedy, exhibiting compassion- a mother’s response to the world chaos. In 1868, a “Mothers’ Friendship Day’ was organised by Ann Reeves to promote reconciliation.

However, the official day rose to prominence in 1908 and was officially declared a U.S. holiday in 1914. It was Anna Jarvis, the daughter of Ann Reeves Jarvis, who took the initiative of conceiving an official Mother’s Day that would celebrate mothers worldwide for the sacrifices that they make for the sake of their children, after the death of her mother in 1905. Backed by Philadelphia department store owner John Wanamaker, she organised the first Mother’s Day event at the Methodist church in Grafton, West Virginia and on the same day at Wanamaker’s retail store, which resonated well with individuals across the country. Slowly, Mother’s Day celebration gained momentum, and in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson officially set away the day as an American holiday, celebrating the love that is home. However, the original vision that Anna Jarvis had for Mother’s Day soon drowned in the rising tide of commercialisation, with greeting cards, chocolates, and cakes becoming the mandatory badges of appreciation. Denouncing the idea later, Anna Jarvis spent the latter part of her life voicing against how companies have capitalised on it.

And, while the continuous advertisements of Mother’s Day enticing menus and spa vouchers restrict it within the boundaries of a ‘Hallmark holiday’, the roots still lie in the unwavering devotion, love, sacrifice and strength that mothers exhibit, shaping generations.