Happy Mum's Day!

In celebration of Mother's Day in North America, it's probably very appropriate to give a shout out to Anna Jarvis, the Mother of Mother's Day.

Back in 1907, following the death of her mother Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis, Anna launched a campaign to make Mothers Day a nationally recognized holiday, encouraging families everywhere to honor their own mothers. Her efforts were greeted with the implementation of Mother's Day as a nationally recognized holiday in 1914.

Unfortunately and somewhat inevitably, Mother's Day quickly turned into a cash-in for most businesses. Anna herself was quite put off when she began to see just how much greeting card companies were benefiting from the sale and distribution of Mother's Day greeting cards.

I commend the fact that she was pissed off enough to point out that a "printed card means nothing except[...] you are too lazy to write to the woman who has done more for you than anyone in the world", and that buying candy to accompany these cards is even more ridiculous since you end up eating most of it yourself. True that - as much as we may hate to admit it.

Anyway, props to Anna Jarvis and her moms, Ann Jarvis (Sr). In their honor, please skip the Hallmark cards, maybe even the flowers too. Instead, get together with your mom, if possible, or break out those DIY craft books you keep untouched on the bookshelf so you can whip up something cute, useful and handmade.

Happy Mother's Day!