Mother's Day is a great way to take a moment and remember the person who probably gave you more than you ever realize, from food and warmth to emotional support and friendship.
And while many of us love and celebrate our moms everyday, Mother's Day gives us an opportunity to do something unique for that special lady.
What's nice about it is that it can be celebrated in any way you like to reflect the one-of-a-kind relationship we have with our moms. They can be fun-filled and silly or truly touching displays of love, like the young Marine who surprised his mom with a beautiful serenade.
Mothers hold a special place in hearts all over the world and have long been celebrated in a variety of ways, but as an official holiday, Mother's Day didn't come to be in the U.S. until 1914. Many other countries have their own days for celebrating moms, usually in the spring.
In the States, Mother's Day was started by peace activist Anna Jarvis, who believed that a mother was "the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world."
To celebrate, we're looking back at some of the gorgeous Mother's Day cards that were put out in the early half of the 20th century. They're truly works of art!
In 1914, Mother's Day became an official holiday in the U.S., thanks to the efforts of Anna Jarvis, who wanted to celebrate the often overlooked hard work and generosity of mothers everywhere.
The holiday quickly became popular, as people immediately recognized that moms work hard!
And soon, greeting card companies were creating all kinds of beautiful images celebrating moms.
Photo studios got busy, too, producing photo portraits that celebrated the bond of mothers and their children.
Jarvis didn't like the commercialization of her holiday, though, and urged people to remember that the real spirit of Mother's Day is about loving and honoring your mom, not just buying things!
But people loved the cards, and frankly, they're beautiful.
These beautiful, artistic cards would have been a beautiful surprise for any mother, just like they are today.
And these vintage cards are really works of art!
It's also fun to look at how fashion, art, and style evolved over the years.
This card from the 1920s shows the popular bobbed hair and beautiful dressing gowns that women loved.
Mothers were associated with soft colors, flowers, and feminine beauty, and the cards often celebrated their tenderness and gentleness.
Mother's Day also came to be a day where instead of working, moms would relax and rejuvenate, taking a day off from their many chores.
Today, many moms are treated to breakfast in bed and spa days.
Later, many of the cards also showed moms working hard at home, like this mother with her apron and broom, to remind people how much mothers did for their families.
And by the 1950s, Mother's Day cards were a solid business, as seen in this ad.
The nice thing about Mother's Day is that there's no one right way to celebrate it. In fact, back in its early days, Anna Jarvis intended for it to be a family celebration honoring individual moms.
And today, families celebrate the moms, grandmothers, stepmothers, and other maternal figures that make their lives special.
SHARE these beautiful vintage cards with someone you know, and maybe you'll inspire some unique Mother's Day creations too!
