The Day We Celebrate Mothers

With Mother's Day right around the corner we got to thinking - what is the true origin of this holiday? Where and when did it start? So I did some digging. Of course mothers have been celebrated around the world since ancient times. But what about right here in the United States? Turns out the story of Mother's Day is a really interesting one! 

Anna Jarvis is the woman credited with starting Mother's Day in the US. Inspired by the death of her own mother, Anna conceived of Mother’s Day as a way to honor the sacrifices mothers made for their children. In 1908, Anna organized the first official Mother's Day celebration at a church in her home state of Pennsylvania. It was a success! Believing that most US holidays at the time were focused on men, she then spent several years campaigning (mostly through letter-writing) for Mother's Day to become an official holiday. Her efforts paid off. In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson made Mother's Day a national holiday. 

Sidenote: can the Church say Amen for sister Anna??? She had a vision, put in work and saw it come to fruition! Yaaasssssss Anna! Yes! 

Alas, this is where the story takes a turn. Once it was declared a national holiday, Mother's Day started to become the highly commercialized day that we now know. Think card companies, florists, stores: both big and small, etc. tugging on the heartstrings of children across the nation to persuade them to purchase the "best" for their mothers, aunts and grandmothers - biological or otherwise. Anna was not a fan. She spent most of her later life and personal wealth campaigning against companies who profited from Mother's Day. For more of Anna's story visit her profile and the history of Mother's Day. 

We support Anna's ideas about celebrating moms in an uncomplicated way. Maybe you can wear a white carnation on Mother's Day to celebrate the maternal figures in your life as she advocated . Maybe you can write your mom a lovely note of appreciation. Maybe you can tell her how much she means to you. I think these gifts would all receive a stamp of approval from Anna Jarvis and most moms out there.

If, however, you want to give the mom(s) in your life a purchased item consider a gift that is both beautiful and practical from Oloo Farms. We have several handcrafted options from natural soaps to heart-shaped bath bombs to lotions to wooden gift boxes with a hand-carved "I love you Mom" message. 

Whatever you decide, we wish you moms, soon-to-be moms, mothers who are not yet moms, honorary moms, and all of your loved ones a happy Mother's Day! Let us know how you plan to celebrate down in the comments.

                                                   This Natural Life   

Hello and welcome! We are Adams and Winetta – a husband and wife team who handcraft natural bath and body products. Often, we incorporate life-giving ingredients, grown in our own organic garden, into the items we make. Join us as we share our adventures in soaping, gardening and growing a family while living a life as close to natural as possible.

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