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Everything You Need to Know About Mother’s Day — Including the Date

Most folks know that Mother’s Day falls in May, but sometimes the holiday can sneak up on us when we least expect it. More often than not, it’s a happy surprise — especially if it involves getting breakfast in bed from your kiddos. But if you’re interested in doing something special for a mom in your life, it’s good to be prepared.

This year, Mother’s Day is on Sunday, May 12. Although the exact date of the holiday varies slightly from year to year, it’s always held on the second Sunday of May. Sunny weather is always a bonus for a Mother’s Day brunch, but the holiday didn’t come about simply due to the high possibility of spring sunshine around this time.

The concept of celebrating motherhood dates back as far as the ancient Greeks and Romans, as the History Channel reports, who often held festivals in honor of mother goddesses. But Mother’s Day as we know it in the United States came about in the early 1900s thanks to a woman named Anna Jarvis. The businesswoman  (a rarity during this time) and social activist wanted a day to honor the sacrifices women made for their children. Although she never had children of her own, following the death of her own mother in 1905, Jarvis organized the first successful Mother’s Day celebration at a church in 1908. 

After the festivities, Jarvis spent the next few years tirelessly campaigning to get Mother’s Day added to the calendar. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure that officially established the second Sunday of May as Mother’s Day. However, Jarvis was later disappointed with what she saw as a commercialization of the holiday. After all, florists and other companies began to make lots of money off of the occasion — and of course still do today.

But whether you celebrate Mother’s Day with a heartwarming card or a nice trip to a restaurant or simply a quiet day at home, it’s crucial to remember the true meaning of the holiday. It’s a great time to reflect on how important mothers are and to appreciate how much they bring to the table.

And if you ask us, we think every day should be Mother’s Day!

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