She’s the one that helped you move house 100 times, not so gently told you that dying your hair was a mistake, that a credit card was a bad idea, she taught you how to make the perfect puttanesca, the benefits of beautiful lighting, and to be kind to people, oh and she pretty much gave you life. What to do for Mother’s Day then? No pressure. As we stumble through life, busy with work, the gym, children, pets and Broadchurch, it’s easy to take the people who have really got your back for granted. These days, it might be considered a bit of a shiny Hallmark Holiday, and it’s a shame that we sometimes have to be reminded, but Mother’s Day is the perfect time to stop and take a moment to appreciate everything that our mums do for us. You don’t need to throw lots of money at the day, if she’s far away then a bunch of beautiful spring flowers, a seasonal scented candle, such as our Spring Couture Gift Box candles (there’s currently free standard delivery on all UK orders - Quote FREEDELIVERY at checkout) or her favourite beauty product, is a lovely way to let her know that all that she does for you is appreciated. If mum is close by then it’s a great opportunity to spend some quality time together just the two of you, why not book a brunch date, cook for her or treat her to a spa day. If money’s tight then stay in and enjoy an old movie and some fizz, or do a DIY manicure and pedicure – have some quality catch up time. That is after all, what it’s really all about. Now for a teeny bit of history. Mother’s Day in the UK has its origins in Mothering Sunday, the middle Sunday during lent, when historically, people would return to their home church or cathedral to spend time with their family, bringing specially baked almond cakes for their mothers. The usual rules of lent were relaxed and servants were released from service for the day, giving the day a family orientated celebratory feel. Fast forward to 1914 America, when Mother’s Day was recognised as a national holiday by the president Woodrow Wilson. This holiday had nothing to do with Mothering Sunday, but was the result of a campaign by devoted daughter Anna Jarvis, whose mother had died on 9 May 1905, leading her to call for a day to honour, not just her own, but all mothers, ‘"the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world.” This maternal action across the pond didn’t go unnoticed and British woman Constance Smith launched her own campaign to celebrate Mother’s Day in the UK, inspired mostly by religious Mothering Sunday traditions of the past but she didn’t want to limit it to one Christian denomination. By 1938 the day was being celebrated across Europe. Sadly, over in America, things weren’t going as Anna Jarvis had hoped. Hallmark had jumped on the bandwagon and started commercialising the day by producing cards, while companies were selling their products off the back of the holiday. So horrified by the direction that her day was taking, Jarvis actually tried to stop Mother’s Day altogether. What can we take from this? We’re going to celebrate the day in the spirit that it was originally intended, by spending time with family, taking some time to think of all the wonderful things that our mum does for us and thanking her for always being there. Of course, this may also involve almond cake, a scented candle, something special – and a card, but maybe we’ll try a homemade effort this year. Kind Regards Shearer Candles
