Mother’s Day is celebrated every May on the second Sunday of the month, with traditions such as brunches and flower-gifting to show appreciation for mothers. The holiday has been an official holiday in the United States since 1914. The day originated from ancient Greek and Roman festivals honoring mother goddesses and was modernized in the early 20th century by peace activist Anna Maria Jarvis in honor of her deceased mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis. Despite creating the holiday, Jarvis later turned against it due to its commercialization, advocating for its removal from calendars. However, her efforts were unsuccessful, and Mother’s Day remains a highly commercialized holiday today.
Mother’s Day in the United States is associated with significant consumer spending, with an estimated average of $254 per person in 2024 and a total spending of $33.5 billion on the holiday. Restaurants often stay open on Mother’s Day to cater to visitors looking to treat their mothers or grandmothers to brunch or lunch. Popular traditions in the U.S. include giving sentimental gifts, flowers, or spending time with family by hosting cookouts in the backyard or at the park. Mother’s Day precedes Father’s Day, which is celebrated the following month in June. The day remains a popular occasion for expressing love and gratitude towards maternal figures.
The origins of Mother’s Day can be traced back to festivals honoring mother goddesses in ancient Greece and Rome. The modern version of the holiday was established by Anna Maria Jarvis to honor the sacrifices that mothers make for their children. The first official Mother’s Day events took place in West Virginia in 1908, and by 1912, many other states had adopted the tradition. In 1914, President Wilson signed a bill designating Mother’s Day as an official holiday nationwide on the second Sunday of May. Despite its origins as a day to honor mothers, Jarvis turned against the holiday due to its commercialization, particularly the focus on gift-giving.
Popular Mother’s Day traditions in the United States include brunches, flower gifting, and spending quality time with family. The occasion is widely celebrated around the world, but in the U.S., it is one of the most popular consumer spending holidays. Jarvis, the founder of Mother’s Day, spent her later years campaigning against the commercialization of the holiday, but her efforts to remove it from calendars were unsuccessful. Despite her disapproval, Mother’s Day continues to be widely celebrated and remains a prominent occasion for expressing love and gratitude towards mothers. The day is characterized by various traditions and activities aimed at honoring maternal figures and showing appreciation for all that they do.
