Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom is celebrated in March on the fourth Sunday of Lent. In the United States it is celebrated on the second Sunday of May.
I celebrate Mum’s Day twice each year. The first as a Facebook celebration in March with my family back home. The second celebration is in May when America celebrates Mom’s Day.
Wherever we celebrate this day, if mom/mum is no longer with us, she will forever remain in a cozy nook in our hearts.
When my mum passed, I struggled with finding a way to keep her memory alive. I wanted to look at something every day to remind me of how dear she was to me. I got a small tattoo of a Celtic cross with the words “forever in my heart” underneath the cross.
The fondest memory of “Mumsy” is the memory of her singing “The Old Rugged Cross” when she came home from night duty, or just whenever she was happy. I thought it would be nice this Mother’s Day if people knew the origin of Mother’s Day.
According to History.com, originally in England, Mum’s Day was known as Mothering Sunday. It had nothing to do with our Mums. It was celebrated in honor of Saint John Climacus, but the services tended to gear toward Mary, the mother of Jesus. The day has been celebrated since the 16th century.
The American version of its origin was quite different. It started with a churchgoer named Anna Jarvis who invented the idea at one of her Sunday School lessons in the 18th century.
By 1912, she trademarked the day and by 1914, President Woodrow Wilson declared it a national holiday.
During World War II, American and British troops celebrated the day together as British and American troops lived and fought in unison.
Instead of wishing mom was still here to celebrate, I thought I should instead think of ways to honor her by doing something in honor of her. It has a soothing effect.
Write a letter to your mother. Write all the things you have been wanting to tell her. Things that you wished you could say, or catch up and tell her what’s been going on in your life. You can throw it away or keep it; it’s just for your viewing.
Donate to her favorite charity. Think of things that your mom cared about when she was alive and donate to that cause in her name.
Post your favorite pictures of mom on Facebook. Other family members will post their pictures, too, or like your pictures.
You will find that doing one or all of these things will have a soothing effect when you are missing mom on Mother’s Day.
Sharon is editor for The Manning Times and likes to keep old traditions going.
