Sunday 30 March 2014

Mothering Sunday

Today is the British version of Mother's Day, only they call it Mothering Sunday. The name alone makes me think of old fashioned prams and lacy Victorian blouses. Turns out it wasn't always to do with mothers, but with one's Mother Church, initially being a Christian rather than a Secular holiday.


File:Mrs. Herbert Stevens May 2008.jpg

I'm positive that had I not been writing this post, I would never have learned about the history of Mothering Sunday. Though not particularly religious myself, I'm thrilled to bits to learn that this observance didn't originate with the marketers at Hallmark.


3 comments:

Gam Kau said...

Thanks for sharing this - very interesting. And I agree, it's nice to know it isn't a Hallmark holiday. Or at least wasn't originally manufactured by Hallmark.

sanda said...

I didn't know this either. Thanks! The rose you picture is so lovely. When you were growing up, was it traditional to wear a red rose if one's mother was live, a white one if she was dead? Such was our tradition.

Shelley said...

Gam Kau - I was happy to participate in Hallmark events up until the time they started 'Grandparent's day'. I didn't have any grandparents left by then myself. Besides it all seemed very artificial to me. I expect it's pretty well a tradition by now?

Sanda - Yes, your comment did come up twice, annoying when your words disappear and you don't know where they went! Yes, this is why I put a white rose on the post. I'm thinking this may be a Southern thing?