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Mother’s Day 2020

Published : Monday, 11 May, 2020 at 12:00 AM  Count : 622

Mother’s Day 2020

Mother’s Day 2020

In the USA, every year people celebrate Mother's Day on May 10. In Bangladesh this day is also observed on the same day. It's a very important day for Americans. On this day, they honour their mothers, as well as the mother of their children, aunts, grandmothers, stepmoms, or would be mothers. Despite their busy schedules, they spend time with their mothers and buy them lavish gifts. Those who live faraway, they send gifts by mail, make sure to call their moms or if possible come home to be with them.

In the beginning, Bangladeshi Americans were not familiar with Mother's Day. They regarded it as an American tradition and stayed away from celebrating it. They were somewhat in awe to see Americans chose a specific day of the year to honour their mothers, whereas they shower their moms everyday and care for them until the end of their lives. Gradually, Bangladeshi Americans became accustomed to this tradition, and have embraced this day as their own. Now, they too celebrate Mother's Day just like all the fellow Americans. Even in Bangladesh, Mother's Day now became quite popular among young generation.

Mother's Day might be new to Bangladeshis, but it is not a new concept. Historians traced it back to 16th century, when Christians used to go to 'Mother Church' on the fourth Sunday of their religious celebration Lent. On this day, wealthy Britons let their maids and servants take a day off to be with their mothers. That's how this day got a nickname of "Mothering Sunday". Gradually, this day lost its religious aspect and became a day of celebration for all. Everyone spent this day with their mothers and gave them gifts.

As the industrial revolution begun in Europe, people left their jobs as household maids or servants and started to work at the factories. As their lifestyle changed, they did not need to take a day off on Sundays and "Mothering Sunday" weaned down and eventually disappeared. In the 20th century, British people started to celebrate Mother's Day, after the revival of this day in the USA.

Mother's Day became a national holiday as a result of the hard work and relentless pursuit of Anna Marie Jarvis, a school teacher from West Virginia. After Anna Jarvis lost her mother on May 10, 1908, she wanted to have a special day for mothers to honour her own mother as well as all the mothers. She wanted them to be recognised for their hard work and sacrifices for their children. To create a public awareness in favour of Mother's Day, Anna Jarvis tirelessly kept writing letters to various newspapers and to the Members of Congress.

As a result of her perseverance, the Governor of West Virginia signed a proclamation in 1910, declaring May 10th as a Mother's Day holiday. Soon after that, other states started to follow the suit. In 1912, many states declared Mother's Day holiday. Finally, in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation to celebrate Mother's Day as a national holiday. From that day on, Mother's Day has been celebrated in the USA on the second Sunday of May.

Not only in the USA, Mother's Day now is being celebrated all over the world, but not on the same day. France celebrates it on the fourth Sunday of May, United Kingdom in March followed by Easter, Mexico on May 10th, Russia on the last Sunday of November, and Thailand on August 12th. Most of the countries celebrate Mother's Day on the same day as the USA.

Flowers are considered as the most popular gift for Mother's day, especially carnations. Carnation was Anna Jarvis' mother's favorite flower. The year after her mother's death, she sent 1,000 carnations to the church. Since then, carnation flowers became a symbol of Mother's Day. Red carnation is for living mothers and white carnation is for dead mothers. Though, people buy all kinds of flowers on this day.

Mother's Day is the most celebrated day after Christmas in America, and people spend money generously to buy gifts. In recent years, Americans spent approximately 19.9 billion dollars on gifts. About 133 million Mother's Day cards wre being sold. Stores carry flowers, candies, cards, jewelries, clothes, household items and various other things for this day. Business owners make a huge profit out of these sells. Famous restaurants are crowded on this day.

At the end of her life, Anna Jarvis, the founder of Mother's Day, was devastated to see the commercialization surrounding "Mother's Day", which hurt her very much. She envisioned Mother's Day to be a nice, quiet and intimate time between a mother and child. She wanted people to give handmade gifts to their mothers, be it a poem, a craft, knitting something for her, an artwork, an old photograph, a flower from their own garden or cook her favorite meal.

Anna Marie Jarvis, the founder of Mother's Day, unsuccessfully tried to ban the Mother's Day. By then Mother's Day has been embedded in the hearts of all the Americans. They keep celebrating it in whatever way they can. When I came to the USA about thirty-two years ago, I was taken aback by this idea of honouring our mothers on only one day in the year. Gradually, I realized, Americans do care for their mothers, but this is a day for showing extra appreciation to their mothers. It's just a special day like a birthday or Eid.

When my children were little, they gave me handmade cards, crafts. As they were growing up, they cooked and served me breakfast in bed. When they got older, they bought me expensive gifts and took me out to dinner. I enjoyed it just like they enjoy extra love and affection on their birthdays. My mother is still alive. When she was away, I made sure to call her on this day. Now, she is with me and I make sure to buy her something nice. She, too, got accustomed to Mother's Day and looks forward to this day.

Even though, the United States is currently under lockdown for Corona virus epidemic, people will still be celebrating Mother's Day. Its not going to be as spectacular as before. There will be very few family dinners or hugs. It would be more virtual this time. Along with phone calls, many will have a live video chat with their mothers.

Whoever is living together, they will go back to Anna Jarvis' original theme to celebrate Mother's Day. They will have a special home cook meal or give a handmade gift to their mother. I know, I would have a virtual Mother's Day with my daughter who lives only a few miles away. Also, I would cook something special for my 84 years old mother, who lives with me under the same roof.

Happy Mother's Day to all the    mothers.
The writer is an author, columnist, teacher and activist living in NY, USA










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