Making Mum feel special and loved is the aim of the day when it comes to the annual celebration of mothers everywhere. But do you know how Mother’s Day came to be and how it is celebrated in different cultures?
In this article, we’re going to delve into a bit of the history of the day to see what’s behind the flowers and delicious boxes of Mother’s Day chocolates.
Honouring mothers through the millennia
The celebration of mothers goes way back to ancient times. In Ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt, mother goddesses were worshipped throughout the year and especially at spring festivals for their life-giving abilities and unwavering dedication to their children.
They went by different names. In Egypt, it was Isis, the benevolent and devoted mother goddess and wife of Osiris. Fun fact: Isis is actually the Greek name for her. Her Egyptian name is Aset or Eset.
In Greece, there were two mother goddesses who were mother and daughter themselves. Gaia, the Earth goddess or Mother Earth, and her daughter Rhea, who is thought to be the mother of many of the Greek gods, were worshipped and revered.
Over in Rome, they held a 3-day spring festival called Hilaria that honoured their mother goddess, Cybele.
Fast-forward to 15th C England and you see the spread of Christianity gaining ground and a growing knowledge of Mothering Sunday. This falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent and honour’s Mary, the mother of Christ.
From peace protests to chocolate boxes: Mother’s Day in modern times
A few centuries on and it’s 1858.
Ann Reeves Jarvis is organising Mothers’ Day Work Clubs in West Virginia. These first aimed to improve health and sanitary conditions and later, served to nurse injured soldiers from both sides of the line during the American Civil War.
By 1868, America is still licking its wounds from the war and Jarvis organises a Mother’s Friendship Day, with the idea of bringing veterans from the North and South together to make peace. It was a successful event.
Around the same time, a contemporary of Jarvis and writer and women’s rights activist Julia Ward Howe is appealing to the mothers and wives of ex-soldiers to band together and campaign for peace with her Mother’s Day Proclamation. Howe wanted to institute an annual Mother’s Day for peace to be held in June.
We jump a few decades on to 1907 and Jarvis has just died, so her daughter Anna Jarvis organises a small memorial for her the following year. Anna’s mother had always wished for an annual day to celebrate mothers, so she takes this challenge on and launches a campaign that includes fervent letter-writing speech-giving on her part. On May 8, 1914, her efforts are rewarded when President Woodrow Wilson finally makes it official, and Mother’s Day is cemented in the US calendar and many other countries begin to do the same.
The late Ann Jarvis loved white carnations and so her daughter wore the flower to honour her mother. This has now become the favourite flower of Mother’s Day. A white carnation is worn for a mother who has died, and a red one if your Mum is still living.
Mother’s Day in Australia
There’s one Australian woman that can be credited for the practice of gift-giving on Mother’s Day in Australia. Her name was Janet Hayden. A resident of Leichardt NSW, Hayden visited a friend at Newington State Home for Women in 1923 and was saddened by the many lonely mothers lying in the beds there.
So, she got to work getting local businesses and anyone who was feeling generous to contribute gifts. She then rallied schoolchildren to help her distribute them to these forgotten women. Now, we follow suit and treat Mum to gifts in the form of flowers, treats, cards and of course, boxes of Mother’s Day chocolates.
Our flower of choice is the chrysanthemum because it is in season over Mother’s Day and also because it aptly contains the word ‘mum’.
First Nations Women’s Business
For the First Nations people of Australia, motherhood is sacred and honouring the mother is about support and understanding from fellow women in the community.
Women’s Business refers to the Aboriginal rituals and traditions that are only performed by the females of the tribe. Knowledge and teachings vary for different tribes and are passed down by elders of that group – this is known as grandmother’s lore.
Pam Dinawan of the Wakka Wakka-Kabi Kabi people explains that you don’t have to be a biological mother to show up for future generations. A mother’s sister is also considered a ‘mother’ and can stand in for her sister’s children if needed.
Nikita Fitzpatrick of the Wuthati-Darumbal people notes, ‘a mother’s duties are to give human life, share stories, teach with kindness, listen with intention, show up for the women in the community, allow mistakes, and trust in the ancestry spirit’.
The First Nations people don’t usually celebrate Mother’s Day as such, but rather honour mothers throughout the year with the daily sharing of the mothering responsibility in the community.
We pay our respects to the Traditional Custodians of this land, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, and acknowledge all Elders past, present and emerging. We respect the special relationship and connection that the Gadigal people have to the land, the waterways, the skies and all the creatures who live here.
Mother’s Day around the world
Many different cultures put their own unique spin on Mother’s Day celebrations.
POLAND
In Poland, it’s called Dzień Matki and is held on May 26th. Children will make hand-made cards with paper flowers called laurki for their beloved mums.
MEXICO
Mexicans celebrate Dia de las Madres on May 10th. Some children serenade their mothers with songs. Others hire a band to do so. They also have a big family meal full of food, music and merriment.
THAILAND
In Thailand, the day falls on August 12. This is because this is the birthday of their revered and adored Queen Sirikit. Children give their mums jasmine flowers and take food to local Buddhist monks.
ETHIOPIA
Ethiopians host a 3-day celebration called Antrosht. This is held in October or November when the rainy season has come to an end. They feast, sing and dance to celebrate all mums as well as Mother Earth.
INDIA
In India, the goddess of mothers is known as Durga and a 10-day festival called Durga Purja is held in her honour each October.
PERU
Peruvians don’t only celebrate their deceased mothers in thought but also in action. Families head to the cemetery on the second Sunday in May to clean and adorn the graves of their passed female relatives.
What will you do for Mum this Mother’s Day?
If you’re looking for a delicious gift, here at Davies, we have many popular Mother’s Day chocolates options. Choose from our range of handcrafted couverture chocolates that will make Mum feel special and loved – and satisfy her sweet tooth. We have delicious flavoured centres and caramels, all gluten-free and palm-oil free, to suit any craving.
Mums are the best and they deserve the best Mother’s Day chocolates to indulge in on their special day, so why not treat yours? Check out our chocolate selection here.