In response to my Australian friends questioning whether Americans celebrated Mother's Day, I gave them a quick history lesson that Mother's Day was founded by Anna Jarvis, an American, in 1914 to honor her mother, who had conducted the Mother's Friendship Day during the Civil War. In 1908 she had first unofficially celebrated the day with white carnations and florists became very supportive of the movement (and its commercial appeal).
And now for the other side to the tale...
It didn't take long for Jarvis to regret how the celebration went from a day of sentiment to a day of profit. She later referred to florists, card companies and confectioner as "Charlatans, bandits, pirates, racketeers, kidnappers and termites that would undermine with their greed one of the finest, noblest and truest movements and celebrations."
Here was some of her advice:
A maudlin, insincere printed card or ready-made telegram means nothing except that you're too lazy to write to the woman who has done more for you than anyone else in the world. [...] Any mother would rather have a line of the worst scribble from her son or daughter than any fancy greeting card.
Eventually Jarvis' crusade against the commercial monster that she had inadvertently birthed took its toll and she ended up as a "recluse and a hoarder" who lived out the end of her days in a sanitarium, unaware that a group of florists paid part of her asylum tab.
Here is the link to Mental Floss' article regarding Jarvis: The Founder of Mother's Day Later Fought to Have It Abolished
And now for the other side to the tale...
It didn't take long for Jarvis to regret how the celebration went from a day of sentiment to a day of profit. She later referred to florists, card companies and confectioner as "Charlatans, bandits, pirates, racketeers, kidnappers and termites that would undermine with their greed one of the finest, noblest and truest movements and celebrations."
Here was some of her advice:
A maudlin, insincere printed card or ready-made telegram means nothing except that you're too lazy to write to the woman who has done more for you than anyone else in the world. [...] Any mother would rather have a line of the worst scribble from her son or daughter than any fancy greeting card.
Eventually Jarvis' crusade against the commercial monster that she had inadvertently birthed took its toll and she ended up as a "recluse and a hoarder" who lived out the end of her days in a sanitarium, unaware that a group of florists paid part of her asylum tab.
Here is the link to Mental Floss' article regarding Jarvis: The Founder of Mother's Day Later Fought to Have It Abolished
Comments