Happy Mother's Day From Costa Rica!
- marthaengber
- 14 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Since I’m still in Costa Rica for Mother’s Day, I thought I’d share what people do in this country on this day…Nothing! That’s because El Día de la Madre is celebrated on Aug. 15th (the government shifts the date each year so it coincides with a weekend).
What I didn’t know is that Mother’s Day began in the US thanks to Anna Jarvis.
An activist and professional woman, she established the holiday during a service at the St. Andrew’s Methodist Church in Grafton, WV, on May 10, 1908, during which Anna honored her mother and all mothers.
She encouraged people to present their mothers with something white, like a carnation “to symbolize the truth, purity and broad-charity of mother love.”
Not surprisingly, the floral industry, along with the greeting card and candy industries, flourished as a result. Such commercialization discouraged Anna. In 1943 she began a petition to rescind the holiday, but soon after was placed in a sanitarium, i.e. nursing home. Members of the floral and greeting card industry apparently paid her bills until she died in 1948.
In any case, I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day filled with what you most want.
Which is what?!
Me? Hugs, kisses and calls from my kids!
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SCATTERED LIGHT, a novel, sequel to WINTER LIGHT (Nov. 2025)
THE FALCON, THE WOLF AND THE HUMMINGBIRD a historical novel
BLISS ROAD, a memoir
WINTER LIGHT, a novel, in paperback and audiobook
THE WIND THIEF, a novel
GROWING GREAT CHARACTERS, a resource for writers
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