The Origins of Mother's Day

With Mothers’ day, the year’s most important flower day, now upon us a look at its beginnings is relevant.  

The Greeks had a spring festival dedicated to maternal goddesses and honouring Rhea mother of many deities of Greek Mythology.

Ancient Romans also celebrated a spring festival called ‘Hillaria’ which was again dedicated to a mother goddess – Cybele, some 250 years before the birth of Christ.

Christians from the 17^th century England had prayer services to honour the Virgin Mary during the lead up to Easter. Children also brought gifts and flowers to pay tribute to their own mothers.

Contemporary mothers’ day however began not much more than 100 years ago in America, thanks to pioneering women Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis and is celebrated across 46 countries. Millions of people across the globe now use Mothers’ day to honour their mothers, thank them for their efforts in giving them life, raising them and being their constant support and well wisher.

Mothers’ day received a huge boost during the world wars when service men used the day to honour and write to their mothers, commercial enterprises especially the florist industryused the day to promote sales.

Today flowers of all sorts are used as mother day gifts. Wikipedia in describing mothers’ day custom of all countries says of New Zealand customs only that – It is celebrated in the second Sunday of may, is not a holiday, and the tradition is to give flowers ,cards and other gifts and serve mothers breakfast in bed!!