Mother’s Day 2025 : How a simple letter sparked a global celebration of moms

Every second Sunday of May, inboxes flood with e-cards, florists cash in, and restaurants are overbooked. But Mother’s Day didn’t start with brunch reservations and hashtags—it began with a handwritten plea from a daughter to honour the woman who raised her.

How did Mother’s Day begin?

The modern version of Mother’s Day has surprisingly heartfelt—and humble—origins. While ancient Greeks and Romans had spring festivals honouring mother goddesses like Rhea and Cybele, and the UK’s ‘Mothering Sunday’ (linked to church visits) dates back to the 16th century, what we now celebrate as Mother’s Day truly began in the United States.

Enter Anna Jarvis, a woman from West Virginia who, in 1908, organised a memorial service for her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis—a social activist and wartime caregiver. Anna’s mission? To create a formal holiday that recognises the quiet, often unseen sacrifices of mothers everywhere. She wrote letters. She petitioned politicians. She nagged editors. And in 1914, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson officially declared the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day—a national day to honour mothers. It caught on like wildfire, spreading to Canada, Australia, India, and eventually around the globe.

In a plot twist worthy of a Netflix special, Anna Jarvis spent the rest of her life fighting against the commercialisation of the holiday she created. She despised florists, card companies, and profit-pushing promoters who turned her pure tribute into a marketing machine. In her own words, she wanted ‘a day of sentiment, not profit’. Ironically, she died penniless and childless, as brands raked in millions off her invention.

Why do we still celebrate it today?

Whether it’s breakfast in bed or a WhatsApp video call across time zones, the instinct to honour our mothers transcends borders. The traditions may have changed, but the emotion behind the day remains the same: appreciation, affection, and at least one passive-aggressive comment about how little you call. Mother’s Day wasn’t invented by a brand—it was invented by a daughter. And that makes it personal.