Mother's Day | 5 Ways to Celebrate

With roots that stem all the way back to the Civil War, Mother’s Day could be considered almost as old as Bates … almost.  

The earliest precursors to the popular holiday came in the form of social gatherings initiated by Ann Reeves Jarvis.  Her “Mother’s Day Work Clubs” focused on teaching women how to parent, and post Civil War, the “Women’s Friendship Day,” strived to mend relationships between Confederate and Union soldiers.

Following her death in 1905, Ann’s daughter, Anna, began lobbying for a holiday to honor mothers.  However, shortly after being declared an official holiday by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914, Anna changed her tune.  She was against the commercialization of Mother’s Day and would spend the remainder of her life lobbying to have the holiday removed from the calendar.

Despite her efforts, Mother’s Day is now celebrated around the world and is one of the top ranking holidays for consumer spending.  Traditional gifts include flowers, cards and candy, but you truly do not need to spend a lot of money to show mom that you care.  Sometimes, just saying thank you is gift enough… and we’ve got some ideas on how to say just that.

Thank you, Mom…

…For helping me grow | Plant flowers with your mom as a symbolic representation of the fundamental role she played in making you the person you are today. <Photo Source>

… For being a sweet pie | Surprise your mom with a day of baking her favorite treats.

… For being a good listener | Pay it forward with an afternoon of drinking sangria and listening to her tell stories about the day you were born and all the crazy things you put her through growing up.

… For never giving up on me | Sign up to run or walk a 5k with your Mom.  Make sure to get together and decorate your team shirts before the race! <Photo Source>

… For being a winner | Enter to win your mom a Heart of Savannah Throw from Bates Mill Store! <Enter Now>