In May each year, we celebrate all of the moms in our lives. It’s a day that us moms can take a break. We can let someone else do the cooking, cleaning, and just sit back and relax. But have you ever wondered what caused the day to become a holiday? Or what the original intention of it was? Then check out these 10 interesting Mother’s Day Facts to find out!
A Proclamation
Julia Ward Howe, the author of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” was one of the first to suggest a “Mother’s Day”. In 1870 she wrote a “Mothers Day Proclamation”. This was to encourage women to promote peace and to protest the violence of war.
Officially a Holiday
Mother’s Day didn’t become a holiday here in the U.S. until 1914. Woodrow Wilson made it an official national holiday. Anna Jarvis, Ann Jarvis’s daughter worked to establish the day in honor of the work of her mother and others to establish a day of peace.
2nd Sunday
Unlike many other holiday’s Mother’s Day occurs on a different day each year. It’s on the second Sunday in May so the date changes year to year.
Big day for phone calls
It’s the biggest day for phone calls each year. Topping out at about 120 Million phone calls, it beats out Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Early starts
Some type of celebration of mothers has been around in different cultures for centuries. One of the first to celebrate a similar day was ancient Greece. They held celebrations for the goddess Rhea (fertility and motherhood) who was also the mother of the gods.
Big day to dine out
Wanna eat out for Mother’s day? So do a lot of other families, so be prepared to wait at a restaurant. It’s the biggest day to dine out for families and one of the busiest days for restaurants around the country.
“Ma”
Most languages have a similar sounding word for mothers. The reason? It’s because one of the first sounds that a baby makes is “Ma”.
Related Reading: 10 Interesting facts about candy, and 10 Interesting facts about St. Patrick’s Day
“Mother’s Friendship Day”
In 1868 Ann Jarvis started a committee that established “Mothers Friendship Day”. This was to create a feeling of community and friendship between Mothers in the North and South during and after the Civil War.
All Mothers
It’s not just our own moms that we celebrate, but all the moms in our lives. Cards are also bought for grandmothers, sisters, and mothers-in-law too.
Around the world
Some form of Mother’s Day is observed all over the world. It’s celebrated on different days throughout the year. Most of the celebrations align with ancient or religious celebrations.
Final Thoughts
We celebrate Mother’s Day every year and try to make it as special as possible for them. From greeting cards to phone calls we all make sure that the moms in our lives know how much they mean to us.
So there you have it. 10 Mother’s Day Facts to wow your mom on Mothers Day this year.
Are there any other facts about Mother’s Day that you know of? Let me know in the comments!
Don’t forget to sign up for updates to the blog!