A special day to honor mothers was suggested by Julia Ward Howe back in 1872. She proposed the idea in many letters and speeches. Julia Ward Howe's dream of a special day set aside to honor Mothers finally became a reality in 1907 due to the additional hard work of Anna Jarvis.

Anna Jarvis is considered the founder of Mother's Day. She started the tradition of giving mothers carnations. White carnations are given if the mother has passed away and pink carnations are given to mothers that are still living. On May 9, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson made Mother's Day a nationally observed holiday. He also started the Mother's Day tradition of displaying a United States flag to represent the publics expression of love and reverance for all of the mothers of the United States of America.

Mother's Day is celebrated throughout our nation always on the second Sunday in May. It is a day when mothers are shown tokens of appreciation from their families. Some mothers are given gifts of flowers, sweets, meals, and/or cards. In Milwaukee, Wisconsin the people that live there hold a large flower show every May.

Some countries honor their mothers on different dates in different ways. For instance, in France, Mother's Day is celebrated on the last Sunday in May. It is considered a family holiday in France. The entire family gathers together to eat a large meal and at the end of the celebration all of the mothers in the family receive a special cake that looks like a bouquet of flowers.

In Spain Mother's Day is celebrated on December 8th and it is looked upon as a religious holiday. The people of Spain not only honor their own mothers but they also honor Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Questions-Checking for Understanding

1. Who is considered the founder of Mother's Day?

2. What did the displaying of the United States flag represent?

3. What Mother's Day traditions does you family have?