What's In a Celebration?
By the end of March, children and adults alike look to celebrate their mothers. It is traditional to give gifts and make mum feel extra special on this day, and flowers often play a significant part.
In the UK, we have Mothering Sunday, which follows the Christian calendar and occurs on the fourth Sunday of Lent. In the Middle Ages, a custom developed that on this day, Laetare Sunday, whereby Christians would travel back to their ‘Mother Church’ in their home parish, and as time went on when servants and apprentices returned home to see their mothers after extended periods away. Laetare, mid-lent, or ‘Refreshment Sunday’, was also a time when the restrictions of Lent were relaxed a little, and Simnel cakes were consumed. These rich fruit cakes are still baked and consumed today and tend to be associated with Easter, with the top decorated with 11 small balls of marzipan, supposedly signifying the 11 loyal apostles of Jesus. If 12 are used, the extra is to represent Jesus, not Judas.
In the US, Mother’s Day is held in May and has its origins in a women’s group from the late 19th century. The mother of Anna Jarvis, a woman from Philadelphia, tried to establish a ‘mother’s friendship day’ in an attempt to reunite families after the US civil war. This didn’t prove successful beyond her local area, but two years after the death of her mother, Anna held a memorial celebration. This took place inside the West Virginian church Anna’s mother taught Sunday school, on May 12th, 1907. The event became the precursor to what is now Mother’s Day (held annually on the second Sunday in May).
Give the Gift of Flowers
Both versions of this celebration feature the giving of flowers: In the UK we very often see bouquets of varying contents, perhaps reminiscent of the spring flowers that offspring may collect as they returned home to visit their mothers, in the Middle Ages. As for the US, it’s traditional to give carnations, as Anna used in that memorial service for her mother all those years ago.
Traditions aside, and irrespective of which day you observe, most mothers appreciate the gift of flowers on their special day - or any day for that matter! When it comes to dried and preserved flowers, you can rest assured that your gift will last right up to the next Mother’s Day celebrations, and beyond! We have a variety of ready-to-retail options and all the ingredients to build your own perfect designs for customers wishing for a long-lasting floral gift.
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References
En.wikipedia.org. n.d. Mother's Day (United States) - Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother%27s_Day_(United_States)> [Accessed 8 February 2022].
The Church of England. 2019. Mothering Sunday, what are its origins in the Church?. [online] Available at: <https://www.churchofengland.org/news-and-media/stories-and-features/mothering-sunday-what-are-its-origins-church> [Accessed 8 February 2022].
The Editors, E., n.d. Laetare Sunday | Christianity. [online] Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: <https://www.britannica.com/topic/Laetare-Sunday> [Accessed 8 February 2022].
The Editors, E., n.d. Mother’s Day | Description & Facts. [online] Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: <https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mothers-Day> [Accessed 8 February 2022].