With the arrival of spring, the day on which the whole world honors its mother also comes around every year. This tradition is centuries old. But how did this day actually come about? Here is a brief history of the origins of Mother’s Day and all its traditions.
How did Mother’s Day come about?
The first people to wish each other a happy Mother’s Day were probably the ancient Greeks. At the beginning of spring they celebrated the existence of the Mother of the Gods, called Cybele (sometimes also called Rhea). This celebration was traditionally held around the vernal equinox, when the sun crosses the equator, signaling the beginning of spring. This is still traditionally the time when people celebrate Mother’s Day today.
The ancient Romans also had celebrations similar to Mother’s Day. The Matronalia festival was dedicated to Juno, the goddess of childbirth. On this day, all mothers received gifts from their children and husbands.
Mother’s Day also quickly became a permanent holiday on the Christian calendars in the United Kingdom. On this day, followers honored the Virgin Mary and the Church. This was always celebrated on a Sunday. It became tradition to give all servants of the high lords the day off on this day, so that they could visit their mothers and spend a day with their families. The tradition of surprising mothers with gifts also slowly emerged.
From England the tradition slowly spread to the rest of Europe. The United States was late in adopting the tradition, and Mother’s Day was only introduced there after the Great Civil War. Today, Mother’s Day is celebrated in most countries. Strangely enough, this day does not fall on the same Sunday everywhere in the world. In some countries it is celebrated a few weeks earlier or later than in the Netherlands.
The traditions of today’s Mother’s Day
Although Mother’s Day stems from religious traditions, it is no longer a church festival these days. Nowadays it’s all about mothers and family ties.
Some of the most important traditions are:
- Wish your mother a happy Mother’s Day by sending a beautiful card,
- Young children often make handmade gifts for their mothers at school,
- Going to visit your mother
- Call your mother,
- Giving gifts such as flowers, chocolates, nice scents, etc.,
- Pamper your mother extra by, for example, having breakfast in bed, cleaning the house for her, or taking her out for a day.
Many families have their own traditions and special customs to celebrate Mother’s Day. Ultimately , the goal of the day these days is to let your mother know that you are grateful for everything she does for you!