Did you know???

Its quite commonly thought that the Mother's Day celebration is either an invention by the greetings card and restaurant industry, or something the US Servicemen brought over with them during World War 11.

In actual fact, the feast and celebration of 'Mother's Day' goes back to very ancient times. The ancient greeks held celebrations to Rhea Mother of the gods and in ancient Rome the 3 day celebration in March for the goddess Cybele was so notorious that it was banned.

Here in the British Isles the feast and celebration was for the goddess Brigid later for St. Brigid and was connected with the first milking of the ewes.

Christianity turned these pagan festivals into an allowed version in which the Virgin Mary was the 'Mother' to be celebrated at springtime.

In the 17th century of old rural England the day was a day for allowing the servants and apprentices a day off to visit their mothers
or at least to return to their original home.

By the 19th century thousands of years of regular festvities had all but died out and then in the USA a woman called Anna Jarvis decided to mark a day to celebrate the role of the Mother and the work she has to do.
The day celebrated in the USA is I believe the 2nd May and has
absolutely nothing to do with the ancient pagan reasons we celebrate it here in March. Its no less pertinent though. However, the US Servicemen here did have an influence in the re-awakening of the interest in our ancient historical 'Mothers Day'.

Why does OUR Mothers Day fall on different days each year?

The reason is very interesting.(But a bit complex)
The date of Mothers Day moves about because it isnt based on the Gregarian Calendar which follows the movement of the sun and seasons. It is based on the lunarcalender. Easter is the celebration which is chartered and then the other dates such as Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday and Mothers Day can be worked out from.

In 325 at the first council of Nicaea it was decided that Easter would be allowed to be celebrated on the 14th day of the 1st lunar month of spring. So the sunday after the 1st Full Moon on or after the day of the vernal equinox. Thats why there is a difference between Eastern and Western Orthodox Faiths date-wise.

I'll leave it there I think. I'll be posting some ideas for Mothers Day Gifts Floristry-wise on here soon so do visit back. I just thought you might like to know that its not a purely commercial venture, its a deep seated celebration to life!! The new life of Spring after Winter brought into existance by the 'Mother' 'Life Bringer' if you like, in all its forms.
An interesting link I found follows that lets you type in the year and find out when festivals for that year will fall,