Photo by Xavier Mouton Photographie on Unsplash

By: Parniya Bayat Mokhtari

Mother’s Day was this past Sunday, May 12th. As families all over North America came together to honour the mother figures in their life, let’s reflect on the history and importance of this special day. 

Mother’s Day is thought to have originated with the ancient Greeks and Romans, who honoured the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele. Many early Christians also observed a celebration known as “Mothering Sunday,” when they would return to their mother church. Eventually, these festivals developed into an opportunity for children to present their mothers with gifts and appreciation, giving rise to the modern mothers day celebrated now. 

Mothers day became an official holiday in the 1900s, thanks to Anna Jarves persevering work. She was inspired to create a day dedicated to appreciating the unseen hard work of mothers after her own mothers death. Her celebration was such a success that she was motivated to make it a national holiday. At the time, the calendar was predominantly male-biassed, making it difficult to add a women-focused holiday. Through her persistent work with a letter writing campaign and The Mothers Day International Organization, Jarves was able to secure Mothers Day as an official holiday every May. 

Now, mothers day is seen as a day to celebrate and appreciate the mother figures throughout the world. Different cultures have put their own spin on the festival, dedicating unique prayers and songs to mothers. Throughout history, mothers day has even been used as an opportunity to express political opinion. For example, on Mother’s Day in 1968, Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s wife, organised a march to protest for underprivileged women and children. Other women’s rights organisations have used the day to raise awareness about equal rights and access to childcare.

We hope you all had an opportunity to show appreciation to a woman you love this mothers day. Mothers day is not just a day to celebrate mothers, it is also an opportunity to celebrate the kindness and hard work of all women and maternal figures in your life. Use this week to not only reflect on your loved ones, but also think of the progress women have made in their rights and achievements worldwide. 

Works Cited

History.com. “Mother’s Day 2024.” Mother’s Day 2024 – Date, Founding & Traditions | HISTORY, 29 April 2011, https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/mothers-day. Accessed 15 May 2024.

Mouton, Xavier. “Photo of mother and child beside body of water photo – Free Waves Image on Unsplash.” Unsplash, 18 July 2018, https://unsplash.com/photos/photo-of-mother-and-child-beside-body-of-water-ry_sD0P1ZL0. Accessed 15 May 2024.