May 10, 2026
Despite Mother's Day Being Turned Into A Commercial Profit-Making Operation, The Goal Is To Recognize The Sacrifices Your Mother Made For You
While Mother's Day celebrations existed around the world before the US created an official day for it, these celebrations honoring motherhood did not have a standard day of celebration or a standard name. In fact, the honoring of one's mother actually began in the Bible (I have chosen to use The Ultimate Ethiopian bible in English with All Apocrypha and 1, 2, and 3 Enoch: Thousands of Books in One, Plus Audio, Videos, and More) when Moses came down from the Mount and gave the people God's 10 Commandments in which the 5th Commandment specifically addressed honoring one's mother and father:
Honor your father and your mother, so that your days are prolonged on the ground which your God YHWH is giving to you. Exodus 20:12
This Commandment is referenced again in other Books of the Bible:
For any man who reviles his father and his mother is certainly put to death; he has reviled his father and his mother: his blood [is] on him. Leviticus 20:9
Keep, my son, the command of your father, | | And do not leave the law of your mother. Proverbs 6:20
for God commanded, saying, Honor your father and mother; and, He who is speaking evil of father or mother— let him die the death; but you say, Whoever may say to father or mother, An offering [is] whatever you may be profited by me— and he may not honor his father or his mother, and you set aside the command of God because of your tradition. Matthew 15:4-6
for Moses said, Honor your father and your mother; and, He who is speaking evil of father or mother— let him die the death; Mark 7:10
The children: obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right; honor your father and mother, which is the first command with a promise, “That it may be well with you, and you may live a long time on the land.” Ephesians 6:1-3
Do not despise your mother. Honor her all the days of your life, and do that which is pleasing to her, and do not grieve her. Remember, my child, that she has seen many dangers for you, when you were in her womb. Tobit 4:3-4
Blessed is God who has brought you to us and blessed are your father and your mother.” Tobit 11:17
He who provokes his mother is cursed by the Lord. Sirach 3:16
Give glory to your father with your whole heart, | | And do not forget the birth pangs of your mother. Remember that you were born of them. What will you repay them for the things that they have done for you? Sirach 7:27-28
Notice that the honoring of both mothers and fathers is exclusive to your mother and your father. You are to honor your father and your mother specifically, not mothers and fathers in general. I believe the Commandments of the Bible are meant to be followed every day of your life. That means, to me, that every day should be mother's or father's day. However, in our secular society, this is not the way of life. In fact, many people in our secular society did not honor their mother or their father at all. That is until Anna Jarvis (1864-1948) decided that her mother, Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis (1832-1905), needed to be honored for her sacrifices and accomplishments.
Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis was born September 30, 1832 in Culpeper, Virginia, of German descent. She was 1 of 8 children, 5 of whom survived to adulthood. In 1845, the family moved to Philippi, Barbor County.
In 1852, she married Granville Eskridge Jarvis (c1823-1902). The couple had at least 11 children, 4 of whom survived to adulthood. The loss of so many of her children to preventable illness and disease sparked her to help her community to combat childhood diseases and unsanitary conditions that she thought were contributing to the death of the children in the community.
In 1858, while pregnant with her 6th child, Ann began working to improve health and sanitary conditions by starting the Mothers' Day Work Clubs to provide assistance and education to families with children. The clubs raised money to buy medicines for those who could not afford it. They also used the money to hire women to assist the family in cases where the mother, herself, was suffering from health problems. The clubs developed milk inspection programs. Ann's brother, James, a physician, often volunteered advice to the clubs.
During the American Civil War (1861-1865) Virginia was so divided that the Western part split off creating its own state of West Virginia who were loyal unionists. West Virginia, because of this, was epicenter for some of the first conflicts in the war. Ann urged the clubs to remain neutral, aiding all who needed assistance, providing clothing and food, and nursing soldiers who fell ill.
After the war ended, Ann was sought out by public officials to help reduce the post-war strife. She planned Mothers Friendship Day for all soldiers and their families to be held at the County Courthouse in Pruntytown. The 1868 event was successful with the community coming together for the first time since before the war began, becoming an annual event.
Ann taught Sunday school and was very involved in her Methodist church. She was involved in the construction of Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church, then teaching Sunday school there once the building was complete. Ann served as superintendent of the Primary Sunday School Department at the church for 25 years. Ann was known for helping mothers throughout her life. She would often start her day praying for someone in need. After the death of her husband in 1902, Ann moved to Philadelphia to be near her children. Her daughter, Anna, became her caretaker as her health declined.
Ann died May 9, 1905 at age 72, most likely from the heart issues for which she was being treated, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On her burial day, the bell of Andrews Methodist church was rung 72 times in her honor. She is interred in West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Before her mother died, Anna had promised she would found a memorial to commemorate mothers for the sacrifices they make. Honoring this commitment, in May, 1906, Anna held a memorial for her mother praising her outstanding accomplishments through the Mothers' Day Work Clubs. Anna thought one day in one year was not enough to recognize the works of mothers, so she advocated tirelessly for the creation of a Mother's Day for the nation.
On May 10, 1908, 118 years ago, the first Mother's Day ceremonies were held at the Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This church is know known as the International Mother's Day Shrine. It was designated as a National Historic Landmark on October 5, 1992. While Anna did not travel to Grafton to attend the service; she sent 500 white carnations for all who attended in Grafton. Instead, she spoke at Wanamaker's Store Auditorium in Philadelphia. John Wannamaker, the owner of the store, had given her his support in the pursuit of a Mother's Day holiday.
After the success of the 1st Mother's Day event, Anna worked tirelessly to make Mother's Day a recognized US holiday. In 1912, Anna quit her job at Fidelity Mutual to incorporate and run the Mother's Day International Association (MDIA). The goal of MDIA was to push for her Mother's Day holiday not only in the US but internationally as well. She spent time writing to businesses, church groups, and politicians.
1910 West Virginia was the first state to make Mother's Day an official state holiday. Within a year, 45 states were celebrating Mother's Day. In 1912, Anna Jarvis trademarked the phrase "Second Sunday in May, Mother's Day, Anna Jarvis, Founder" noting that Mother's is singular, possessive, indicating that each family should celebrate their own mother. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Congressional resolution recognizing the 2nd Sunday in May as Mother's Day.
Anna intended for Mother's Day to be a liturgical service; however, Hallmark Cards turned it into a "Hallmark Holiday" selling Mother's Day cards. Thinking those businesses that started monetizing Mother's Day misinterpreted the purpose of the day, she tried to correct them. Since they continued commercializing "her" day, she started suing, organizing boycotts, and became very vocal arguing people should appreciate and honor their mothers through handwritten letters expressing their love and gratitude, instead of buying gifts and pre-made cards. Anna protested not only at card shops but at the candy maker's convention and flower shops. She remarked that people giving their mothers a pre-printed greeting card was a poor excuse for the letter you are too lazy to write.
When florists got involved, Anna explained the symbolism of the white carnation to be:
Its whiteness is to symbolize the truth, purity and broad-charity of mother love; its fragrance, her memory, and her prayers. The carnation does not drop its petals, but hugs them to its heart as it dies, and so, too, mothers hug their children to their hearts, their mother love never dying. When I selected this flower, I was remembering my mother's bed of white pinks.
Of course, commercial forces had their way, turning the white carnation into something that represented deceased mothers and promoting red carnations to represent living mothers (because they ran out of white carnations). When the American War Mothers started selling white carnations as a method of fundraising, Anna had had enough. She actively protested the group which led to her arrest.
By 1943, Mother's Day had become so separated from the ideal that Anna had imagined, she embarked on a journey to rescind Mother's Day. She spent every cent she had in an attempt to force people (especially businesses) to view Mother's Day in the way she originally intended. The effort left her destitute. Her efforts ended when she was placed in the Marshall Square Sanitarium in West Chester, Pennsylvania. It appears that people connected to the card and flower industries paid to keep her in the sanitarium (gee, I wonder why).
Anna died November 24, 1948 at the sanitarium. She was the last of her family. She never married and never had children. She was interred with her mother, sister, and brother at West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.
As we see today, Anna was totally ineffective in getting people to understand the original premise behind Mother's Day. It was coopted by business and remains that way today. Every Mother's Day we see ads for flowers (now more than just carnations) and every store we enter that carries greeting cards has an entire section devoted to Mother's Day cards. Other businesses now run "Mother's Day Sales" with both items meant as gifts for mom as well as other items they just want to sell. It is estimated that Americans spend over $35 billion on Mother's Day (and over $20 billion on Father's Day in June) each year.
Regardless of the fact that Mother's Day (and all holidays for that matter) have turned into a commercial profit-making operation, the goal of the day is to recognize the sacrifices your mother has made for you. Whether you do that with a heart-felt, hand-written note or a card from a store, does not truly matter. It is the idea behind the sentiment that counts. Happy Mother's Day.
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