Moms in the United States have been honored on Mother’s Day for over 100 years thanks to the efforts of Anna Jarvis, considered to be the “creator” of Mother’s Day. However, the holiday in the
United States isn’t actually the invention of
Anna Jarvis.
Julia Ward Howe first established Mother’s Day in 1870 but it didn’t really catch on. Enter Anna Jarvis and her attempt to honor her mother, and all mothers, beginning in 1908.
Anna Jarvis was born in West Virginia in 1864 to Ann Marie and Granville Jarvis. She was one of eleven children. The Jarvis family moved from Webster to Grafton when Anna was an infant. She grew up and attended Augusta Female Academy where she earned her teaching credentials.
As a child, Anna often heard her mother pray that God would lead someone to found a memorial mother’s day to commemorate a mother’s “matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life.” It seems the words twelve-year-old Anna heard struck a chord within her and at her mother’s graveside in 1905, Anna Jarvis promised to work toward achieving that prayer.
Gifts that are like a frozen moment in time are surely to be memorable. Create any number of gifts using the handprint or footprint of the children. Mom will be delighted with these gifts.
