Mother's Day: A guide to everything there is to know

Mother's Day is approaching, and you might be wondering what's so special about it? We'll say that other than celebrating the one person who we owe our very existence to - nothing. Read on for an extensive guide to know about the history and the ways to celebrate this important day.

Why Is Mother's Day Celebrated?

Motherhood is a full-time job; it requires constant attention and dedication towards children. This one day, we take out time to acknowledge all the hard work put in by mothers in raising their kids. Mother's Day is celebrated every year on the second Sunday of May, this year it falls on 14th May, 2023. It is a day to honour motherhood and is observed in different forms throughout the world.

History Of Mother's Day

There are many traditional celebrations where mothers and motherhood were honoured all over the world, such as the ancient Greeks and Romans, who held festivals in honour of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele, or the Roman festival of Hilaria, or the Christian Mothering Sunday celebration.

Julia Ward Howe, the suffragette wrote the “Mother’s Day Proclamation” in 1870. She wanted Mother's Day to be a day recognising peace. She organised annual events in Boston to honour mothers, but nothing official came of her efforts.

The first modern Mother's Day was celebrated in the 19th century. Before the Civil War, Ann Reeves Jarvis helped start "Mother's Day Work Clubs", she wanted to teach local women about how to properly care for their children. When she died in 1905, her daughter Anna Jarvis started a campaign to make Mother's Day a recognised holiday in the United States. Anna's mother was a peace activist and cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the American Civil War. She wanted to honour her mom and continued the work she started. She set aside a day to honour all mothers because she firmly believed that a mother is "the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world".

Although her proposal to make Mother's Day an official holiday was rejected in 1908, her hard work paid off and by 1911 all the states were observing the holiday. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson officially established the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. But, within a few years, Jarvis was horrified and disgusted how the holiday was commercialized. The original intention was somehow lost and people celebrated the day to give and receive flowers and gifts etc. She started campaigns and had countless lawsuits against the floral and gift companies for tainting the day by profiting from it and forgetting the true purpose.

Anna Jarvis (1864-1948)

Mother's Day Around The World

Celebration of Mother's Day depends on country to country. Some people celebrate by giving flowers to their mom while some hold celebrations in respect of motherhood. Let's look at how mothers are honoured in some countries. 

France

Mother's Day is usually celebrated on last Sunday in May & it is not a public holiday. Mother's are presented with usual gifts like flowers, handmade gifts or cakes etc. Some families hold dinner in honour of their matriarch at home or at a restaurant. Traditionally, a special medal known as the Médaille de la Famille is given to some parents, including those who have raised several children and some parents whose spouses have been killed.

India

India is catching up to other global powerhouses in celebrating western holidays. Kids shower their mother with the flowers or handmade cards, to thank her for bringing them up. Some prepare a meal for their mom and help her around the house so she can rest for the day.

Thailand

As the Queen of Thailand, Her Majesty Sirikit is considered the mother of all her Thai subjects. Her birthday August 12th is celebrated as Mother's Day. It's a national holiday, celebrated countrywide. Parades are held and the holiday is celebrated with fireworks and candle-lighting.

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Mexico

Dia de las Madres or Mother's Day is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Mexico. Colourful flowers are the most popular gift. Children often gather outside the house on the morning of Mother’s Day to sing "Las Mañanitas" to their mom.

Nepal

All mother's, whether dead or alive, are honoured on the Mother's Day in Nepal. Children wake up early morning and after taking a bath, visit their mom with sweets and gifts. Those honouring mothers who have passed away make a pilgrimage to the Mata Tirtha ponds near Kathmandu.

Ethiopia

Here, Mother’s Day is not only a day of celebrating Motherhood but it is also a celebration for the start of a new season. Instead of one day, the celebration span over to three days. The feast celebrated during Mother’s Day is known as "Antrosht". A traditional recipe "hash" is prepared with friends and family. The task of bringing the ingredients is divided among the girls and the boys. While the boys are responsible to bring lamb or bull, girls bring vegetables, butter, spices and cheese.

Mother's Day Gifts In India

Mother's Day in India is celebrated with much enthusiasm, children visit their mom or call her up if they live somewhere far. Mother's are usually presented with a bouquet of flowers, cards or gifts. Some people prefer a handmade card or gift while some get unique gifts online or from nearby stores. If you live somewhere far from your mom, you can buy a gift online and it will be delivered at your doorstep in due time. But the question remains, what to give her that shows her how thankful you are for everything she has done for you? We at bigsmall.in pride ourselves with a unique range of gifts, be it gifts for a new mom or premium gifts for mom. Let us walk you through a few options so we can ease your mind and help you find the perfect gift for the perfect woman.

Premium Mother's Day Gifts

If you've saved enough over months or if you earn enough to give your mother an expensive gift - then this collection is for you. If your mom loves to host dinner or love showing her beautiful china dishes in the glass cabinet then you can get her the Akemi Printed Plate & Dip Bowls or Golden Shimmer Artisan Plates. Ensure that she serves her dinner in the best. For the mother's who swear by their punctuality, the Beating Heart Wall Clock is the perfect companion. Thank her in this special way for making your heartbeat, like literally. Tell her she's the moon of your life with Levitating Moon Lamp. You can officially say, that you got her a piece of the moon. Jokes apart, built with state-of-the-art 3D printing technology, this lamp isn't simply a white sphere - it's an accurate representation of the moon - designed according to NASA satellite images to recreate the moon's craters and design. Equipped with the latest levitation technology, the moon will levitate in the air at all times - remember, there's no gravity in space. It can rotate 360 degrees, or stay in one position while levitating - up to her liking.

Mother's Day Gifts According To Price

Gifts are not about the budget, it's about the sentiments behind them. Remember when we were kids, we used to pick wildflowers, tie them up with twine and present them to our mom thinking we accomplished something big? Her happiness compared to then while receiving a poorly arranged bouquet full of wildflowers with now while receiving a gift worth a lot of money - is same. Believe us, it's always about the sentiment. So, whether you are on a budget or are planning to splurge a little, we have something for everybody. Be it gifts under 500 or gifts under 1000. The gift can be as simple as a beautiful ring holder or as complicated as the fancy DIY Yoga clock. You both can spend some quality time together assembling it, just like when she used to help you with your school projects one day before they were due.

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Mother's Day Gifts Under Rs. 500

Give your mom a gift that she'll cherish for ages to come. Something that is useful and unique at the same time. If she always has a lot on her plate, Today's Planner Tear Off Pad will be a great addition to her life. She can write her to-do list every morning and cross them out as she finishes each task. If she loves experimenting with nail paint, gift her the Wearable Nail Polish Holder. She can concentrate on creating unique nail art and not worry about spilling her precious polish. Traveller mom? The Reusable Travel Tube will be her perfect companion. She can take all her essential products with her without worrying about the space issues.

Mother's Day Gifts Under Rs. 1000

Giving a gift to mom is not that hard, she will enjoy anything and everything you give her with love. Mother's love their house squeaky clean, they'll know you didn't use the coasters even when they are not in the same room. Sixth sense? We like to think, yes. Gift her Diatomite Absorbent Coasters and promise her that you'll always put them to use. These coasters are perfect for those who always spill a bit or forget to wipe the bottom of their glasses. The coaster will drink it all up! If your mom loves reading or enjoying her evening tea in a cosy corner away from all the madness, get a soft plush friend to keep her company. The Unicorn Plush Cushions are sewn and stuffed with quality and safe material. It will add a pop of uniqueness and colour to any corner plus give her the comfort she has earned! 

Eco - Friendly Mother's Day Gifts

We all grew up with our mom preaching us about the importance of nature and how we should learn to give back what we take. You probably also remember the first plant you potted with the help of your maa and then cared for it until it bloomed beautiful flowers. For the mother who cares about her garden as much as she cares about the kids, we present a range of eco-friendly products. Gift her something that confirms that style and conscious choices can go hand in hand. If your mom is always on the go and needs her laptop 24/7, gift her the Mickey Mouse Faces Laptop Sleeve. Chances are she loved Mickey Mouse growing up. Yes, Mickey was there even when you weren't. Designed for everyday use, the bag is made in ethical facilities. It has an additional zipper pocket in the back for some additional stuff. For her office lunch, introduce her to the Iron Man Canvas Lunch Bag. Made from sturdy cotton, there is a lining on the inside with a zipper to avoid stuff from spilling outside. A pocket is provided inside for phone, keys, and change, etc.

Intangible Mother's Day Gifts

If you're still not convinced about the whole gifting thing, don't worry. As we said before, gifting is not about the money it's about sentiments. You can always give a gift of experience to you mom. You can get her a day at the spa or take her out to a fancy dinner. Everybody can dress up and if you all like it, maybe make it a family tradition. If she is always behind the kitchen counter - you can spare her a day or maybe the whole month and prepare her favourite dishes or introduce her to a new cuisine. If you are into music, write and compose a song for her or sing her favourite song. You both can enjoy karaoke and sing at the top of your lungs. And lastly, you can never go wrong with a handmade gift, a card, a caricature or simply a poem written on a pretty piece of paper for her.

We hope that as always, we helped you in your gifting journey. Remember to thank your mom and shower her with lots of love this Mother's Day.

 

Happy Gifting!

 

Cover Image Source Flower gift photo created by pvproductions - www.freepik.com