Although Mother's Day as it is known in the United States dates back approximately 100 years, ancient polytheistic civilizations honored mothers through the celebration of gods that represented mothers. Isis was the mother goddess of the ancient Egyptians. The Greeks worshipped the mother goddess Rhea. The Romans celebrated Magna Mater (Great Mother). The holidays celebrating Rhea and Magna Mater both occurred in early Spring. Later in Christian Europe holidays developed honoring the "Mother Church." By the 17th Century, this evolved into Mothering Day in England which celebrated mothers. Mothers Day in the U.S.A. began in the early 20th Century through the efforts of a Sunday school teacher named Anna Jarvis after her mother's death. Her efforts resulted in President Woodrow Wilson proclaiming Mother's Day as an official holiday in 1914.
The Beadshaper offers a number of bead and jewelry items that would make great Mother's Day gifts on her web site at Beadshaper Gallery . Heart Shaped Beads are particularly popular for Mother's Day.
