make this mother’s day special

In anticipation of next Sunday, display racks across the country are filled with flowers, perfumes, balloons, greeting cards, and jewelry any mother would love.

Many of us have already purchased gifts to present to our mothers, grandmothers, and godmothers this Mother’s Day, but if you are a part of the group still struggling to decide how to uniquely show your appreciation for the mothers in your life, keep reading! Keys to Abundant Life is here with advice on ways to make your mom and motherly figures smile in a different way this year.

The tradition of Mother’s Day as we know it dates back to the early 1900s. It became a national holiday when Anna Reeves Jarvis, social activist, and community organizer campaigned for the celebration she inherited from her mother to become a national holiday dedicated to honoring the sacrifices mothers made for their children.

She believed that American holidays were overwhelmingly male-focused and was inspired to write to newspapers and politicians across the country to adopt the special day for mothers.

With the help of her persistence and the support of the Mother’s Day International Association, Mother’s Day finally became a national holiday in 1914.

Not-so-fun Fact: By the time of her death in 1948, Anna Reeves Jarvis had completely disowned Mother’s Day. She was so disappointed by the transformation of the holiday’s focus from a personal celebration between families to a day of buying flowers, cards, and candles that she wasted almost all her wealth campaigning against the holiday she spent decades promoting.

Mother’s Day, like many other commercial holidays, was never intended to be celebrated with store-bought gifts. So this year, why not celebrate Mother’s Day a different way? Don’t know where to start? Try one of these free heartfelt expressions of love to get back to the root of what Mother’s Day really means.