Mothers Day 101

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs... since the payment is pure love.
                                                                       -Mildred B. Vermont

It's almost here! The one day of the year moms around the world get to sit back and be pampered without feeling guilty! Who was the inventor of this great idea and what is the history behind it? You may even be wondering how you can make this mother's day more meaningful and fulfilling than normal. Luckily we have all the answers here! Read on to find out about the history of Mother's Day and how you can make this year extra special by giving to mothers across the world. Plus a few ideas for great gifts to your favorite mom!

HOW DID IT COME TO BE?

Mothering Day began in the 1600's in England. Servants and trade workers were allowed to travel back to their hometowns to visit their mothers in England and was very popular among the working classes. Mother's were given cakes and flowers as a sign of appreciation.

The American tradition of Mother's Day began in 1908 when a proposal was made to create a national Mother's Day by Elmer Burkett who was a Senator from Nebraska. Unfortunately his proposal was turned down. However, 46 states were already celebrating their own form of mother's day just one year later. By 1912 Woodrow Wilson declared it a national day of observance on the second Sunday of May and mothers around the world have been showered with gifts ever since!

EASY MOTHER'S DAY GIFTS FOR CHEAP!

Paint Bucket Flower Pot- Have old gallon paint cans lying around and some extra wallpaper? Wrap the paint can with your choice of wallpaper and drill a few small holes in the bottom. Then pot up your bucket with soil and a few flowers and you've got one creative flower pot for practically nothing out of your pocket!

Breakfast in Bed- this one is a classic that will cheer up any weary mom! Mix up some French toast or scrambled eggs and bacon and serve it on a tray with a delightful spring flower to brighten her morning.

Coupon Book- Moms might not need much but a coupon book is the greatest gift! Write up a few coupons for your mom giving her a few services that you know she loves but hardly ever gets! You can also help other children do this for their moms and maybe the act will be done in return for you!  

 MAKING MOTHER'S DAY EXTRA SPECIAL

If you are looking for a way to make this Mother's Day a bit more meaningful there are plenty of ways to do so. A great way is to look online for Mother's Day programs like Mothers2Mothers. They are a foundation that takes your donations and helps pregnant mothers who have HIV and provide them with much needed medicine that helps prevent their unborn children from contracting the virus. You can make a donation on behalf of another mother and they receive a special card letting them know a donation has been given in their honor.

There are tons of programs like this online that allow you to make a difference in the lives of a mother who may not be as fortunate as you. Just be careful and do some research on the organization before making a donation to make sure that your donation is being used correctly.

Resources:

http://holidays.kaboose.com/mothers-day/

http://www.m2m.org/how-to-help/mothers-day-2010-2.html

http://www.mothersdaycentral.com/about-mothersday/history/