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Show Volume I, Issue VII Page 5 The Ogden Valley News April 1999 Mother’s Day by Sabrina Peart Why do we celebrate Mother’s Day? With countless occasions upon which to spend our few dollars—birthdays, Christmas, Valentines Day, Halloween, Easter, Thanksgiving, anniversaries, etc. why did we feel the need to create yet another holiday? Did the fiendish fellows at Hallmark, in their Machiavellian way, devise a Holiday through which unsuspecting folk may exhaust their pocketbooks? Actually, not really. Joyce Hall and his brothers ( that’s right, HIS) started their “Hallmark” enterprise in 1910 pioneering the sale of the inexpensive card-plusenvelope. He and his brothers were very successful, however, the innovative Halls brothers had little or nothing to do with the origins of the celebration of Mother’s Day which began centuries before they were born to their mother. In fact they began production of Mother’s Day cards in 1920, some three years after President Wilson signed the joint resolution of congress recommending the observance of Mother ’s Day by government offices. And though Mother’s Day is the third-largest card-sending holiday, with 147 million cards having been mailed last year, (according to the folks at Hallmark) commercialism was definitely not a culprit in the creation of this esteemed holiday. Mother’s Day stems from celebrations traced back to Grecian spring celebrations to honor Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. During the 1600’s England celebrated a day called “Mothering Sunday,” which was celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent and honored the mothers of England. On Mothering Sunday servants, who worked for the wealthy and were located far from their homes, were encouraged to go home and spend the day with their mothers. With the spread of Christianity throughout Europe the celebration was changed to honor the “Mother Church.” Over time the church festival blended with Mothering Sunday celebrations and Europeans began honoring their “MUFFINS FOR MOM” MOTHER’S DAY CONTEST mothers as well as the church. Julia Ward Howe first suggested a day of celebration for mothers in the United States as early as 1872. Her suggestion to observe a day of peace possibly had something to do with the many mothers who lost their sons in the Civil War which ended seven years prior. You may remember Mrs. Howe as the author of the Battle Hymn of the Republic and founder of the American branch of the Woman’s International Peace Association. However, the first “Mother’s Day” in America was observed in churches in Grafton, West Virginia and in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 10, 1910 as a result of much effort on the part of Anna Jarvis. Jarvis began the campaign to establish a national Mother’s Day not long after her own mother died. She was reportedly “concerned over mothers being neglected by their adult children.” According to “Celebrations: The Complete Book of American Holidays,” which, interestingly enough, is co-authored by the editors of Hallmark Cards( Hmmmm). Jarvis and her supporters began a tireless letterwriting campaign directed at ministers, businessmen, state governors and legislatures. Their campaign was successful; by 1911 Mother’s Day was celebrated in almost every state. Congress got into the act in 1913 when the House of Representatives voted to request that the President, the Cabinet, members of the House and Senate, and government officials wear a white carnation on Mother’s Day. However, etiquette mavens suggested that one wear red or pink carnations for mothers who are living and white carnations for mothers who have died. President Woodrow Wilson in 1914 issued the official announcement proclaiming Mother’s Day a national holiday, to be held each year on the second Sunday of May. The creation of a special day to honor mothers may have been especially poignant to Americans as we became a world power and watched the events which led to our becoming involved in World War I in 1917. Picture of the Month Why my mother is so special to me It’s no secret: Mothers are Rainbow’s most important asset, so this spring season we would like to hear why the mother in your life is so very special. Please describe to us why this lovely lady means so much to you. Everyone entering the contest receives free muffins for their party for your next lunch or dinner at the Greenery Restaurant. REWARDS: All four winners receive a complimentary lunch or dinner for themselves and the mother of their choice (mom, grandma, auntie, etc.), plus: Grand Prize: $100 shopping spree Gift Certificate at Rainbow Gardens 1st Prize: $75 shopping spree Gift Certificate at Rainbow Gardens 2nd Prize: $50 shopping spree Gift Certificate at Rainbow Gardens 3rd Prize: $25 shopping spree Gift Certificate at Rainbow Gardens RULES: 1. Entries must be 200 words or less and in the form of prose, poem or short story. 2. Entries must be submitted to the front desk at Rainbow Gardens Gift Shop Continued on page 6 Photograph taken by Eden resident Rosemary Waite The Ogden Valley News would like to print a winning “Picture of the Month” in each month’s newspaper edition. At the end of the following year, we would like to print a Valley calendar using the winning pictures. The calendar will be made available for sale. So get your cameras ready and start shooting! Or, if you already have a favorite photo, send it in. Your pictures may be black & white or color, and should depict a Valley theme. The pictures may also be historical photos of the Valley. Send your picture to: THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS P.O. BOX 130 EDEN, UTAH 84310 Be sure to include your name, address, telephone number, and the name of the person – if known – who took the picture. Also, we would like to know something about the picture, possibly the approximate date, and who, what and when about it. Please note, collected pictures will become the property of The Ogden Valley News, so be sure to keep a copy for yourself! |
