We may think that Mother’s Day is a quintessentially American holiday, but long before the two women who championed the cause of a national holiday to honor mothers came up with their idea, the Ancient Greeks held a springtime celebration honoring Rhea, Mother of the Gods. In England during the 15th century, Mothering Day was a day devoted to honoring all mothers throughout England.
The first American woman to come up with the idea for a day to honor moms was Julia Ward Howe. She thought of it in 1872. She believed that women deserved to be honored. In keeping with that belief, she held weekly gatherings for women in her Boston home. Although she tried to establish an official national Mother’s Day holiday, she wasn’t successful.
After Anna Reeves Jarvis died on May 5, 1905, her daughter Anna Jarvis determined to do whatever it took to see that congress enacted a law declaring an official Mother’s Day holiday. Determined to honor her mother, she asked the minister of her West Virginia church to preach a remembrance sermon in honor of her late mother. Then she launched a letter-writing campaign, asking congressmen to pass a law establishing an official holiday on which to honor mothers.
In 1910, West Virginia’s governor made the first official declaration that a day for honoring mothers was established. Thanks to Anna Jarvis’ persistence, in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed the bill that established the second Sunday in May as the official Mother’s Day holiday.
We came up with some ideas from our Mother’s Day collection to help you choose your own Mother’s Day gifts.
Show mom how much you love her with Rose Sorbet. We chose pastel colored spray roses and mixed them with pastel colored roses to create a luscious arrangement that almost tastes like fruit sorbet. The roses are beautifully arranged in a striped cylinder-shaped glass vase.
Burgundy Blush
Your mom is sure to blush as soon as she sees our Burgundy Blush arrangement. This sophisticated bouquet just oozes elegance and luxury. We combine hydrangeas, Asiatic lilies, roses, sweet William, and carnations with green accents, all of which are neatly arranged in a clear glass vase. This gorgeous arrangement is packed with beautiful wine-rich colors. Your mom may even feel as though she can taste the richness of a fine burgundy wine.
Our simple but elegant It’s Glorious arrangement is the perfect accent for a console table, desk or even a coffee table. We fill a shallow dish with river rock and then add Asiatic lilies and lily grass. This delightful arrangement is quintessentially Asian with its sophisticated minimalist look.
Mother’s Day is May 10. Don’t wait to order your flowers or gifts. Let our floral designers here at Schaaf Floral help you come up with the perfect Mother’s Day gift for your mom.
