SC - Mother's Day

[Christine A Seelye-King]

Now, Father's Day is a recent invention (relatively) but Mother's Day is
actually period!  Enjoy! (Have you sent your Mother's Day Cards?)
	Mistress Christianna

Mothering Sunday* -Feudal Europe- On Laetare Sunday (mid-Lent) in spring,
"fostered" children would go to visit their own families. A sweet cake
called a "simnel"- named for simila=fine flour, plum cakes or cakes with
almond paste baked inside were taken to their mothers. (There is a
recipie for " A Simnel Cake for Mothering Sunday" in "How to Cook
Forsoothly")
Origins in the Greek Goddess Cybele, the goddess of nature (whom the
Greeks got from the Phrygians) and Roman festivities held to honor
motherhood.  
England-In the 17th cent. Christians went once a year to pay their
respects to the Cathedral or 'Mother Church' of their religion. The huge
gatherings gave so many people a chance to have family reunions that they
began to call it "going a-mothering", and they brought their mothers
flowers and cakes for the occasion. The custom died out in the 18th cent.
But American soldiers stationed in England during WWII, who observed the
U.S. Mother's Day, reminded the English of their own tradition and
contributed to its revival. 

Mother's Day* -United States- (Second Sunday in May) When Anna Jarvis'
mother died in 1907, the Philadelphia woman decided that one day every
year should be dedicated to mothers. She held a memorial service and
asked those who attended to wear white carnations. By 1914 she had
convinced Congress to proclaim a National day. Some people still wear
carnations- red (or pink) ones for living mothers and white ones for
those who've died. 

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