Ahhh, May. This time of year is all about April showers bringing budding flowers while also paving the way for the brutal Summer heat to come. The month of May also brings about an important holiday: Mother’s Day.
A Mother’s Day history lesson
Do you know how this holiday honoring the joys, tribulations, and honor of motherhood came to be? It’s actually quite a touching story…
Mother’s Day was first celebrated in 1908, but it was a long and hard road to become the nationally recognized holiday that it is today. It all started when a daughter, Anna Jarvis, overheard a prayer that her mother said aloud when she thought no one was listening: “I hope that someone, sometime, will found a memorial Mother’s Day commemorating her for the matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life. She is entitled to it”.
Young Anna never forgot this prayer. When her mother died in 1905, Anna vowed to honor her mother by making her fervent prayer a reality. In 1907, she started a long and arduous campaign advocating setting aside a day for a nationwide recognition of all Mothers, living or deceased. After a year of activism on this topic, with Jarvis and supporters writing letters to government officials, a bill was passed on to Congress who denied Jarvis’ notion, saying that if they were to make a holiday for all Mothers, then they would have to make a holiday for all the Mother-in-Laws too” which no doubt came as a frustrating joke of answer to Jarvis. Two years passed. After seemingly hopeless campaigning, Jarvis held an honorary memorial service for her Mother- if she couldn’t get the nation to honor its mothers, she certainly was going to honor hers.
One year later, 45 states (plus Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico) nationally recognized and celebrated Mothers’s Day. By 1911, almost every state in the union celebrated the holiday; in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made the official announcement which solidified Mother’s Day as a national holiday every year on the second Sunday of May.
This special holiday started with honor. Let’s keep the tradition alive. Whatever you do, honor your mom this Mother’s Day. Let her know how much you love and appreciate everything she has done for you.
Let Delysia help you celebrate
The owner is a Mom to two boys, so this holiday means a lot to us here at Delysia Chocolatier. We have a few ideas on how we can help celebrate the irreplaceable mom in your life. If you’re in the Austin area, bring your beloved Mother to our Culinary Center on Sunday, May 14th to receive a special gift for every mom who walks in the door, compliments of Delysia Chocolatier (while supplies last). We will also be holding a special Mother’s Day themed chocolate tasting that day. Because we know that Mom is worth it.
Can’t make it in? Delysia has an online shop for all your Mother’s Day gift needs, including our seasonal Mother’s Day collection! Get yours today!
Happy Mother’s Day to you and yours from Delysia Chocolatier!