The Tradition of Mother’s Day – Fresh Flowers
Julia Ward, a social activist brought the idea of a Mother’s Day celebration to the US from the United Kingdom. Their idea of Mothering Day was somewhat different than our modern Mother’s Day. Julia Ward hoped the idea would united women against war.
A prominent social activist of the time was Ann Jarvis. She promoted the safety and health of workers. Later she actively organized women to help care for the soldiers wounded in the Civil War. Afterwards. To promote both social activism and peace, she initiated the idea of a “Mother’s Work Day.”
In 1905 Ann Jarvis died. Two years later, to honor her mother, Anna Jarvis passed out 500 white carnations at her mothers church, one for every mother in the congregation. Unknowingly, she began a long tradition of honoring mothers by giving Mother’s Day flowers. The following year she held another memorial for her mother and, on May 10th began to promote the idea of making Mother’s Day an official holiday. After several years of work, she succeeded. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the day an official holiday.
Shortly afterwards it became a popular custom on Mother’s Day to wear a white carnation. Anna chose carnations because they were her mother’s favorite flower. She selected white to symbolize the purity of a mother’s love. Carnations are still a favorite Mother’s Day flower.
The problem with this custom was that it caused a shortage of white carnations. Florists adapted to the problem by encouraging people to wear a red carnation if their mother was living and a white carnation if their mother had passed on. Once again, the Mother’s Day flower tradition changed.
Mother’s Day soon became a popular holiday. And very commercial. Just 9 years after becoming official, Anna Jarvis began to see the new holiday as too commercial. She strongly opposed the ideas of Mother’s Day cards. She felt they were a shortcut, and that a personal letter the ideal way to honor your mother.
Anna, and her sister Ellsinore, spent the rest of their lives, and all their money, fighting the very holiday that Anna had created. They felt the commercialization of the holiday as an abuse of the celebration. Like her mother, Anna was an activist until the end. In 1948, while in her eighties, Anna Jarvis was arrested for while protesting against the commercialization of Mother’s Day. The charge was disturbing the peace.
Giving Mother’s Day flowers is still extremely popular. Unlike in the past, however, the type or color of the flower is completely open. Anything goes, including gifts and the ever popular dining our on Mother’s Day to give Mom a break from the kitchen.
Gifts and fresh Mother’s Days flowers delivered in and around Tampa. When you need to please Mom, remember A-Bow-K, the Tampa florist. They’re a family owned florist that has been serving Tampa, Lutz, Temple Terrace and North Tampa and nearby areas for more than 25 years.
categories: mother’s day,flowers,family,holidays,shopping
Comments