| On the occasion of Mother's Day tomorrow, this column is devoted to grandmothers, mothers, mothers- to-be, stepmothers, adoptive moms and mothers-in-law. org,tells us the history of Mother's Day goes back to just after the American Civil War and to Ann Jarvis, who in 1868, "created a committee to establish a 'Mother's Friendship Day,' whose purpose was 'to reunite families that had been divided during the Civil War. ' She wanted to expand it into an annual memorial for mothers, but died in 1905 before the celebration became popular. Her daughter, Anna Jarvis, continued her mother's efforts. ca,as of 2006, the total number of mothers in Canada was 9. Mother's Day 2012 celebrations range from Feb. 22 in Indonesia. 2 million. That included biological, adoptive and stepmothers. On May 8, 1914, the U. On May 9, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation declaring the first national Mother's Day. com,"after Christmas and Valentine's Day, Mother's Day is the most popular festival in Canada. An explanation of the association of carnations with Mother's Day is found at the Wikipedia website, which states, "Carnations have come to represent Mother's Day since Anna Jarvis delivered 500 of them at its first celebration in 1908. This also started the custom of wearing a carnation on Mother's Day. Jarvis campaigned to establish Mother's Day, first as a U. "Fresh flowers were the top floral gift of choice, with two-thirds of buyers choosing them, while outdoor bedding or garden plants were favoured by one-third. The average amount spent was $42. Flowering houseplants were selected by 28%, while 15% chose green houseplants as gifts. The same website tells us that of that 9. 9 million -- had children under the age of 18 living with them. org,more than a third of Americans bought fresh flowers and plants for Mother's Day, last year. Jarvis chose the carnation because it was the favourite flower of her mother. In time, florists began promoting wearing a red carnation if your mother was living, or a white one if she had passed away. com,the unpaid work performed by mothers each year is valued in excess of $61,000. The same article states that Mother's Day related sales in the U. In 1 year alone -- 2009 -- an estimated $2. and several other countries, all celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May, around the globe celebration of the day varies. 3 billion was spent on Mother's Day jewelry. |
Monday 14 May 2012
An ode to flowers
