Mother’s Day 2023: Remember when the Peace Corps’ slogan was “The toughest job you’ll ever love”? This proverb is more applicable to motherhood, which is a profession that is constantly changing and frequently frustrating. Mothers do not receive paid time off, handsome compensation, or generous pensions. Instead, they are rewarded with sticky kisses, necklaces made of elbow macaroni, and the gratification of watching their children mature into happy and healthy adults. Follow our guide to giving back on Mother’s Day, the second Sunday of May, and give Mom an extra embrace or a special gift, just in case.
WHEN IS MOTHER’S DAY 2023?
Mother’s Day on May 9 honours and celebrates the beautiful and unrivalled bond of affection between children and their mothers.
HISTORY OF MOTHER’S DAY
In honour of the mother deities Rhea and Cybele, ancient Greeks and Romans held festivals. However, the ancient Christian celebration known as “Mothering Sunday” serves as the modern ancestor. This European custom was observed on the fourth Sunday of Lent. Many believed the devout would attend a special service at their “mother church” — the primary church in their neighbourhood — on this day. Over time, Mothering Sunday evolved into a secular holiday in which children gave their mothers flowers and other presents. In the 1930s and 1940s, this custom would be incorporated into Mother’s Day in the United States.
Julia Ward Howe, the American author and poet who wrote “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” became the editor of the widely-read suffragist magazine Woman’s Journal in 1872. During this period, she penned “Appeal to womanhood throughout the world,” also known as the Mother’s Day Proclamation. After the Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War, the document requested that women fight for world peace. On June 2, Howe unsuccessfully attempted to initiate a “Mother’s Day” celebration. Two decades later, Howe proposed a July 4 Mother’s Day celebration. This too was unsuccessful, but it paved the way for a future endeavour.
Mother’s Day 2023: Date, History, Significance, Quotes, Wishes, Celebration
Mother’s Day Quotes, Messages, Wishes
Anna Jarvis initiated Mother’s Day:
After her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, died in 1905, Anna Jarvis effectively initiated Mother’s Day. According to Jarvis, Mother’s Day should include a “singular possessive” (hence the apostrophe) so that each family can honour its own mother, as opposed to all mothers. In May 1908, Jarvis, who was neither married nor a parent, organised the first official Mother’s Day celebration. John Wanamaker, the proprietor of a department store in Philadelphia, contributed financially to the cause. Thousands of people attended a Mother’s Day event at one of Wanamaker’s stores in the same month.
Soon after, Jarvis campaigned to make Mother’s Day a national holiday, imploring notable Americans to join the cause. By 1912, many states, cities, and churches celebrated Mother’s Day annually. Additionally, Jarvis established the Mother’s Day International Association. In 1914, President Wilson would shortly designate the second Sunday of May as Mother’s Day. In the early 1920s, Hallmark began selling Mother’s Day greeting cards.
The love affair between Jarvis and the holiday she worked so hard to establish did not last, and she eventually resented its commercial appeal. As florists and greeting card companies began to profit, she became disillusioned with the concept of a national day, encouraging people to stop purchasing flowers, greeting cards, and candies. Jarvis used the majority of her personal wealth to hire solicitors to file litigation against organisations that used the term “Mother’s Day.” She even attempted to convince the government to eliminate it from the calendar.
MOTHER’S DAY AROUND THE WORLD
Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom occurs on March 31, 2019 and March 22, 2020.
Constantly observed on the fourth Sunday of Lent, three weeks prior to Easter Sunday.
Often referred to as “Mothering Sunday”
Historically, Christians would visit the “mother church” where they were baptised on this day. Gradually, it became a time for people to express gratitude for their mothers’ efforts.
On the second Sunday of May, Canada, Japan, the majority of Europe, New Zealand, Australia, India, China, South Africa, and the Philippines also celebrate.
From February to December, more than 40 countries worldwide observe Mother’s Day.
Norway — February 10, 2019 — earliest
Recent: Indonesia – 22 December 2019
The customs of the day
On Mother’s Day, the unending affection and selfless sacrifices of mothers are rewarded with royal treatment. It is time to lavish attention on the household’s monarch! Consider gifts, breakfast in bed, hand-drawn cards with stickers, a shopping excursion or spa day, and everything else!
Typical Mother’s Day traditions include the kids and dad taking over the housework and cooking for the day, spending extra time with mom, and giving her traditional gifts such as flowers, jewellery, or an item she has coveted for a while. There are excellent discounts and sales at a number of stores and restaurants, as well as special offers for mothers. All day long, films and episodes related to mothers or Mother’s Day, as well as talk programmes and segments featuring celebrity mothers, are broadcast. Regarding personalities, today’s A-listers are mothers, so their images are all over social media.
Mother’s Day 2023: Date, History, Significance, Quotes, Wishes, Celebration
BY THE NUMBERS
- The approximate number of contacts made on Mother’s Day is 122 million.
- 14 – the proportion of all flowers sold annually that are for Mother’s Day.
- In 2018, 87 million adults made arrangements to dine with their mothers at a restaurant on Mother’s Day.
- In 2014, the number of mothers in the United States was 43.5 million.
- This holiday sees 152 million Mother’s Day cards sent out.
- The percentage of Americans who prefer to give their mothers jewellery on Mother’s Day is 36%.
- The number of daycare centres in the United States that make motherhood simpler is 777,817.
- In 2010, there were 9,9 million single mothers residing with their children.
- Since 1965, mothers’ average weekly work hours have increased by 9.
- Four out of ten families have mothers as primary breadwinners.
MOTHER’S DAY ACTIVITIES
Togetherness
Have you ever noticed that your mother insists she does not want expensive gifts? Believe her. She simply wishes to spend time with you (yes, it’s a cliche, but it’s true). Therefore, go hiking or prepare a picnic. Assist her in the garden, or explore the city. Even if it’s as creative as a large bowl of popcorn and a ‘Game of Thrones’ marathon, Mom will appreciate the QT more than any material gift.
Respect her
Put her out. Find an exceptional restaurant and buy Mom a few mimosas as a gift. Intend to take her out later? Options for lunch and dinner are limitless. Plan in advance. Make a reservation in advance. Remember that you are now an adult.
Listen up
Listening is a loving deed. Therefore, take a break from discussing your own problems and listen to her discuss her life, her aspirations, or her favourite memories. If you have siblings, gather your family and recount tales!
10 QUOTES FROM FAMOUS MOTHERS:
- “I would like to thank my parents for instilling in me a confidence that is disproportionate to my appearance and abilities.” —Tina Fey
- “I cannot emphasise enough that the answers to life’s questions are frequently in the features of others. Try putting down your iPhones occasionally and looking at people’s features. People’s features reveal astounding information. Such as if they are furious, sick, or asleep.” Emily Poehler
- “I enjoy being a mother and having two children. However, I have had two C-sections and have endured enough suffering. This is my favourite mantra regarding parenthood.” —Ali Wong
- “It is said that when a woman wishes to end a relationship, she shaves her head completely. This has occurred twice in my marriage, yet I am still married.” —Leslie Mann
- “When attempting to encourage young people, I always tell them, ‘You have certain opportunities in your life, and you must take advantage of them. You must leap through because they will close behind you. —Pamela Adlon
- “I suppose that if I ever wrote a book, it would be about hair.” Jennifer Louis-Dreyfus
- “I am able to live in the present. And I am particularly capable of living in the present when I am sitting on my couch and observing other people’s moments.”
- “I’ve never felt the need to change,” said Samantha Bee. I have always believed, “If you want someone different, choose someone else.” However, criticism can still affect me occasionally. Some things are so malevolent that they take your breath away. Elizabeth McCarthy
- “Right now, I’m craving novel experiences… I have romantic-comedy delusions in which I’m wearing little pencil skirts and rushing to the tube ninety percent of the time. —Mindy Kaling
- “I’m not that fine looking… Nobody is that attractive. I have seen many movie actors, and perhaps four of them are stunningly attractive. The remainder are managed by a team of homosexual men.”—Tina Fey
WHY WE APPRECIATE MOTHER’S DAY
Mothers!
As with so many other constants in our lives, we take our parents for granted at times. In fact, we’ve known them our entire lives. Mother’s Day can feel somewhat commercialised and obligatory, but if you can do something genuinely special for (or even better, with) your mother, why not?
She can do everything
During the first few years of your life, your mother fed you, protected you, and read you “Goodnight Moon” until she knew it by heart. Then followed lessons on how to share, try new foods, and not hit your sibling over the head with a metal Tonka vehicle. She fostered your curiosity, indulged your interests, and contributed to the formation of your sense of humour. In other terms, she shaped you into who you are.
An egalitarian gathering
It’s possible that the woman who gave birth to you is no longer in your life, but it’s likely that there are other powerful and influential women in your life. There are numerous types of mother figures, so avoid taking Mother’s Day too literally. Say thank you to any or all of the women you know who labour hard and care for others, as this is the essence of motherhood.
MOTHER’S DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | May 9 | Sunday |
| 2022 | May 8 | Sunday |
| 2023 | May 14 | Sunday |
| 2024 | May 12 | Sunday |
| 2025 | May 11 | Sunday |
