Monday, May 9, 2011

May 10th. Mothers' Day in Mexico. Congratulations!

Happy Mothers´ Day

Mother’s Day - May 10

By: Slade Ogletree
In Mexico, Mothers Day is always celebrated on May 10 as opposed to the Mothers Day in US that fall on the second Sunday in the month of May. Mothers Day in Mexico is celebrated in a colorful fashion. Children honor their mothers and thank them for their efforts in bringing them up. According to a custom in Mexico, sons and daughters come to the Family Home on the eve of Mothers Day on May 9.Recognition of Día de las Madres” or Mothers Day began in 1922 when a journalist, Rafael Alducín wrote an article advocating the celebration of Mother's Day in all of Mexico. Though the practice had already spread to parts of Mexico, Alducín’s article led to widespread observance of the holiday, and May 10 became the universal day of celebration in Mexico.On Mother's Day people in Mexico send gifts of flowers and cards to their mothers. There is also a tradition of giving gifts on Mothers Day. While the older children generally buy gifts from the store, the younger ones may prepare handmade gifts to honor their mothers. In several schools Mothers Day functions are organized where little ones present skits and songs to their Moms to express their gratitude and love.
You can read the full article at Baja Insider Magazine

http://www.bajainsider.com/baja-life/holidays/mothersdaymexico.html
Watch this video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taZzqFznpGw

The History of Mother's Day



Celebrating motherhood is a historical tradition dating back almost as far as mothers themselves. A number of ancient cultures paid tribute to mothers as goddesses, including the ancient Greeks, who celebrated Rhea, the mother of all gods. The ancient Romans also honored their mother goddess, Cybele, in a notoriously rowdy springtime celebration and the Celtic Pagans marked the coming of spring with a fertility celebration linking their goddess Brigid together with the first milk of the ewes.
During the 17th century, those living on the British isles initiated a religious celebration of motherhood, called Mothering Sunday, which was held on the forth Sunday during the Lenten season. This holiday featured the reunification of mothers and their children, separated when working class families had to send off their young children to be employed as house servants. On Mothering Sunday, the child servants were allowed to return home for the day to visit with their parents. The holiday's popularity faded in the 19th century, only to be reincarnated during World War II when U.S. servicemen reintroduced the sentimental (and commercial) aspects of the celebration American counterpart.
In the United States,
Mother's Day experienced a series of false starts before eventually transitioning into the "Hallmark" holiday that we celebrate today. In 1858, Anna Reeves Jarvis was the first woman to hold an official celebration of mothers, when in her home state of West Virginia, she instituted Mothers' Work Day to raise awareness about local sanitation issues. During the Civil War, she expanded the scope of Mothers' Work Day to include sanitary conditions on both sides of the battlefield.
Meanwhile Julia Ward Howe, author of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," attempted to institute a national celebration of mothers that honored women's inclinations toward peace (rather than cleanliness). In 1872, she initiated and promoted a Mother's Day for Peace, to be held on June 2, which was celebrated the following year by women in 18 cities across America. The holiday continued to be honored by Bostonian women for another decade, but eventually phased out after Howe stopped underwriting the cost of the celebrations.
Then in 1905, Anna Reeves Jarvis passed away and her daughter, Anna Jarvis, took up her mother's torch. Anna swore on her mother's gravesite that she would realize her lifelong dream of creating a national day to honor mothers. In 1907, Anna launched her campaign by handing out white
carnations to congregants at her mother's church in Grafton, West Virginia. In 1908, her mother's church acquiesced to Anna's request to hold a special Sunday service in honor of mothers - a tradition that spread the very next year to churches in 46 states. In 1909, Anna left her job and dedicated herself to a full-time letter-writing campaign, imploring politicians, clergymen and civic leaders to institute a national day for mothers.
In 1912, Jarvis' efforts met with success: Her home state of West Virginia adopted an official Mother's Day; two years later, the U.S. Congress passed a Joint Resolution, signed by President Wilson, establishing a national Mother's Day emphasizing the role of women in their families - and not, like Julia Ward Howe's campaign, in the public arena. Ever since, Mother's Day has been celebrated by Americans on the second Sunday in May.
Perhaps the country's greatest proponent of motherhood, Anna Jarvis ironically never had children of her own. Yet that didn't stop her from making the celebration of Mother's Day her lifelong mission. In fact, as the holiday took on a life of its own, Jarvis expressed frequent dismay over its growing commercialization. "I wanted it to be a day of sentiment, not profit," she is quoted as saying.

Taken from:
Mothers’ day
Mother's Day on the Net - The History (AKA Her-story) of Mother's Day

Tips & Tricks for Mom

Finding your mother a nice gift for Mother's Day can be a hard task but have no fear as I found some inexpensive treats for mom. Here are some ideas on how to make the day special:

Tell your mother how much you love her and give her a big hug. She will see and feel your sincerity and love.
Buying a cheesy card is lame but making one for her with pictures of you and her or the whole family is a treasured memory forever. You can never go wrong with this and I doubt it will cost you much or anything at all.
Bring her breakfast in bed, volunteer to watch your siblings and let her enjoy a quiet bubble bath to relax. She will definitely feel special and grateful.
A Spa Day is an ultimate treat. No woman likes not to be pampered so send her to the spa to get a facial, manicure, pedicure and massage or whatever you think she would like. Give her the ultimate treat mom will absolutely be glad for a little R & R (Rest & Relaxation) especially if she is a little stressed.
If a spa day is a little out of your budget then nothing is wrong with creating your own home spa. Volunteer to give her a pedicure and manicure and make a bubble bath so that she can relax and unwind. Also you can make her a gift spa basket if this is easier to do and less time consuming.
Make mom or grandma a nice pretty picture frame and put a picture of the two of you together in it. Nothing beats having those special memories cherished.
Another great idea is to make her a personalised gift basket. Put things in it that she would definitely enjoy eating or making. This is costs much less than buying a gift basket and she will be thankful for all the time and effort you put into it.
My mother loves my brother's art works and last year he drew her a rose(which is her favourite flower) and she loves it and up to this day the painting is still hanging in our family room amongst other paintings that he did over the years. If you have artistic and creative skills then draw or paint her one of her favourite things in the whole entire world or make her a scrap book of your favourite artworks that she loves.
A Conair Massaging Heating Pad is great for any mom but more so the stressed - out one. This pad "both heats and vibrates to relax tight muscles and help heal damaged ones. A control switch permits adjustment of the massage function between high and low. And either the vibrations or heat can be turned off so the pad can deliver one without the other". It can be used to massage and heat and relieve muscle aches and pains. This wonderful gift is going for US$30 on amazon.
Cleaning or tidying up the house for her and doing your own laundry is a great surprise for her. Let her know how much you value you her and things that she does for you and on her special day you are giving her the day off..lol.. Trust me this will make her smile and most importantly do not forget to wish her a Happy Mother's Day.
Go out and get her favourite flowers. She will love it, sometimes it is the small gifts that mean the most and are more sentimental.

I wish you all the best and truly hope that you make this Mother's Day a very special one for mom. Also remember that some of these ideas can be applied to your grandmother and there is nothing wrong with calling your aunt or a relative to wish them a Happy Mother's Day they will appreciate it.