A Brief History of Mother's Day

The modern celebration of Mother's Day in the United States was begun in the early 20th century by Anna Jarvis, who campaigned for a national day to honor mothers and as a way to honor her own deceased mother. But the idea of giving flowers as a gift to your mother goes back to the Middle Ages, to a day called Mothering Sunday in Europe.

During the Middle Ages, children as young as eight would be sent off to learn a trade or to work in the houses of the wealthy in neighboring towns. These children rarely got the chance to see their mothers, as transport was difficult and relatively expensive. Often, children would return home for the weekend on the fourth Sunday of Lent, before the Easter holidays, during which they were needed to help prepare for the Easter feasts. Along the way home, children would pick flowers for their mothers in this medieval Mothers Day, accompanied by gifts from their employers.

Today, Mother's Day is celebrated around the world, on different days, though it is celebrated by most countries on the second Sunday of May.