Mother’s Day is a day to honor motherhood and it has also been a date for launching political and feminist causes.
“When you are looking at your mother, you are looking at the purest love you will ever know.” – Charley Benetto
Mother’s Day is observed in different forms and expression of love throughout the world. While dates and celebrations vary, Mother’s Day is celebrated in Pakistan, United States and some other countries in the world on 8th May. Traditionally, it involves presenting mothers with flowers, cards and other gifts.
History of Mother’s Day
Celebrations of mothers and motherhood can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele, but the clearest modern precedent for Mother’s Day is the early Christian festival known as “Mothering Sunday.”
Once a major tradition in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, this celebration fell on the fourth Sunday in Lent and was originally seen as a time when the faithful would return to their “mother church”—the main church in the vicinity of their home—for a special service.
Over time the Mothering Sunday tradition shifted into a more secular holiday, and children would present their mothers with flowers and other tokens of appreciation. This custom eventually faded in popularity before merging with the American Mother’s Day in the 1930s and 1940s.
The official Mother’s Day holiday arose in the 1900s as a result of the efforts of Anna Jarvis, daughter of Ann Reeves Jarvis. Following her mother’s 1905 death, Anna Jarvis conceived of Mother’s Day as a way of honoring the sacrifices mothers made for their children.
Mother’s Day Around the World
While versions of Mother’s Day are celebrated worldwide, traditions vary depending on the country. In Thailand, for example, Mother’s Day is always celebrated in August on the birthday of the current queen, Sirikit.
Another alternate observance of Mother’s Day can be found in Ethiopia, where families gather each fall to sing songs and eat a large feast as part of Antrosht, a multi-day celebration honoring motherhood.
In Pakistan, Mother’s Day continues to be celebrated by presenting mothers and other women with gifts and flowers and it has become one of the biggest days for consumer spending. Families also celebrate Mother’s Day by giving women a day off from household chores.
