Comments on: Mother’s Day, aka Mothering Sunday

By: Eric

Eric — Sat, 14 May 2011 01:20:57 +0000

I recognized it but didn’t want to spoil it for those to whom it was new!

By: symonsez

symonsez — Tue, 10 May 2011 23:52:28 +0000

Now Father’s Day…I definitely smell Hallmark on that one…and certainly Grandparents Day. Thought for sure you’d say that you’d seen this post in the past.

By: Eric

Eric — Tue, 10 May 2011 02:01:45 +0000

Isn’t that the way? Mother’s Day falls victim to crass commercialization just like all the other holidays! Well, it seems to be what we do with all of the holidays in America, I suppose. Our entrepreneurial spirit can overcome even the most well-intentioned holidays! Still, our mothers get the recognition they deserve even if Hallmark et al manage to pick up a little loose change in the process. At least Mom has her day and bunch of pretty cards to boot!

You never hear anyone lamenting the commercialization of Father’s Day though! What’s up with that?? I guess we Dads don’t mind just so we get a little recognition too.

Nice to hear from you again, Mr. Symon.

By: shoreacres

shoreacres — Mon, 09 May 2011 05:59:34 +0000

That is one ugly and depressing stamp. I still have some full sheets from my Dad’s stamp collection, and I know there are some as early as 1931 and some three-centers. I’m going to dig in and see if I just happen to have some of the real thing!

I just learned about Mothering Sunday a year or so ago. I have a friend in England who had to explain the differences to me – not to mention the fact that it comes earlier. I think she said it was April 2 this year.

The best part is Anna Jarvis turning against her own holiday, though. Isn’t it just the case – people nag and nag for something and then when they get it – pffffttt!

Thanks for the great history! Hope your day was great!

By: Henry

Henry — Mon, 09 May 2011 05:17:02 +0000

It’s weird that America, a far more christian country than much of Europe, doesn’t celebrate its mother’s day on mothering sunday.

By: Bob

Bob — Mon, 09 May 2011 05:16:29 +0000

If you still want to give it a bad name, the Nazis pushed the idea heavily and made it an official holiday in Germany.

By: Alex

Alex — Mon, 09 May 2011 05:15:54 +0000

The woman who founded the holiday spent the last 25 years of her life campaigning against it.

By the 1920s, Anna Jarvis had become soured by the commercialization of the holiday. She incorporated herself as the Mother’s Day International Association, trademarked the phrases “second Sunday in May” and “Mother’s Day”, and was once arrested for disturbing the peace. She and her sister Ellsinore spent their family inheritance campaigning against what the holiday had become. Both died in poverty. According to her New York Times obituary, Jarvis became embittered because too many people sent their mothers a printed greeting card.