“YLK has helped my daughter immensely to develop her social skills. In just a couple of months I can see her transformation from being an extremely clingy baby to a toddler who now loves the company of people. YLK has a great set up for infants too...” Show Juilee Ogale – Desai ( Ira’s mother) “ We have been raising Meera with certain specific ideas in mind and YLK seems like the perfect partner in our endeavour. I'm particularly happy with the values that Poorva and her team try to instill in the children. It has been a fun-filled enriching experience...” Manasi Mathkar (Meera’s Mother) “I am Neerav Mulye’s mother. We are extremely happy with Yellow Lily Kids. The main things that I would like to specially mention are the personal attention, timely updates about the food and activities that take place everyday...” Shweta Mulye (Neil & Neerav’s Mother) “My search for a clean and colourful activity centre ended at Yellow Lily Kids!! Kaveri has always liked being around people so I thought that adjustment would be very easy! But children have to prove you wrong!! Kaveri used to cry all through the ride to YLK. I times i lost patience... ” Anupama Chidgupkar (Kaveri’s Mother) “Like any other day, I went to pick up my son kushal at yellow lily kids. I found his lil older friends Malhar and Jidnyasa helping him were his shoes so eagerly, that it reassured me about my decision of opting for YLK. The seed of friendliness and helping attitude...” Sonal Patil (Kushal’s Mother) Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, May 8, this year. It may surprise you to know that celebrations honoring mothers are ancient traditions, not a Hallmark invention. Discover more about Mother’s Day—plus 10 fun ideas to celebrate mom! When Is Mother’s Day?In the United States, Mother’s Day is celebrated annually on the second Sunday in May, therefore the date changes each year. Although Mother’s Day is a national holiday widely observed in the U.S., it is not a federal or public holiday (when businesses are closed). Mother’s Day Dates
The History of Mother’s DayA day to honor mothers has existed for as long as, well, there have been mothers. Festivals honoring mothers in ancient times were often tied to gods and goddesses and maternal symbols of fertility, birth, creativity, and cycles of growth. The mother is the protector and nourisher of children and, by extension, of all humanity. The Phrygians held a festival for Cybele, the Great Mother of the Gods. The Greeks and Romans also honored the mother figure of their gods. Even today, an important festival in India, Durga-puja, honors the goddess Durga. During the Middle Ages, people would return to their home or “mother” church once a year during the middle of Lent. (Back then, children would often leave to work at the tender age of 10!) Historians theorize that it was the return to the “mother” church that led to the tradition of children getting the day off to visit their mother and family. In 16th-century England, this celebration became “Mothering Sunday.” Children—mainly daughters who had gone to work as domestic servants—would be given the day off on the fourth Sunday of Lent to return to their mothers and home parish. The eldest son or daughter would bring a “mothering cake,” which would be cut and shared by the entire family. Family reunions were the order of the day, with sons and daughters assuming all household duties and preparing a special dinner in honor of their mother. Sometime during the day, the mother would attend special church services with her family. Mothering Sunday was also known as Refreshment Sunday; the fasting rules were relaxed for that day. (Often, the gospel for the day was about Jesus feeding the crowd with loaves of bread.) The traditional cake, called a Simnel cake, is a fruit cake with two layers of almond paste. The cake was made with 11 balls of marzipan icing on top, representing the 11 disciples. (Judas is not included.) Traditionally, sugar violets would also be added. In the United States, three women were most instrumental in establishing the tradition of Mother’s Day: Ann Reeves Jarvis, Julia Ward Howe, and Ann’s daughter, Anna M. Jarvis. Learn more about these three great women who fought for children’s welfare, health and peace. → Read our article about the History of Mother’s Day in the United States. 10 Ways to Celebrate Mom This YearThis covers the big stuff, but here are 10 creative ways to reach out to mom to show her a little extra comfort, love, and recognition. After all, moms are always there for us! 1. Offer yard and garden services.
2. Decorate your mom’s door or give flowers! If you’re nearby, you can have fun decorating your mom’s front door with streamers, special signs, a wreath, and flowers! If you have kids, get them involved! Mom or grandma will love the surprise. Of course, flowers and plants are always a delight. If you’re local, deliver plants to her porch in person. If you’re not local, there’s always delivery in most places (but order well enough ahead!).
3. Cook for Mom or set up a brunch date.
4. Give your mom a long phone call or put on a virtual talent show!
5. Watch a movie or show together, side by side.
(Did you know? Netflix also has a way to watch together online. If you and your mom have a Netflix account and Chrome installed on her laptop or desktop, you can watch a movie together! There is even a group chat function for commenting live during the movie from wherever you are in the world. See Netflix Party.) 6. Get creative: Make Mom a video, a music playlist, or a piece of art!
7. Get outside! Go for a stroll in the park or how about packing mom a picnic?
8. Make a homemade gift! You don’t need to go out to a store and buy a gift. Mothers love gifts from the heart. Here are some fun craft projects—including gifts from the kitchen as well as DIY beauty products for a home spa basket!
If you wish to buy a gift online, how about jewelry with her child’s birthstone?
9. Travel virtually to a museum or garden! Even if you’re not together, the wonders of technology make so much possible today. More and more museums are opening up their “walls” to offer virtual tours!
10. Make your own card.
Memories of MomHere at the Almanac, we asked around the office to share some of the happiest or funniest memories of their own mothers. We welcome your happy memories and stories, too! (Please share in the comments below.) My mom sang a lot around the house and I thought she made up all of the songs. When I got older, I started to hear those same songs on the radio and was like “Hey, … !” When I was a teenager, my mother went back to college to get her Master of Library Science—studies that required her to learn how to program computers. This put me in the unique position of being able to help my mother with her
homework. When I was young and all of my older siblings were in school, my mom and I would have breakfast by the kitchen window and watch the hummingbirds. We loved watching the hummingbirds! We went to Ocean City, Maryland, every summer for a week on the beach. My mom went out on the beach every sunny day and sat there, under a big umbrella. She never got a tan (she had very fair skin
and burned easily). No one can remember her ever going into the water. Not once. Some of my happiest memories are singing songs with Mom as she played the piano. She also encouraged me to play. Even though it was a struggle at times, I am glad to have had lessons, not only because I discovered how to play an instrument but also because I learned how to read music and how the notes worked together to make a melody. My Mom and I have what we’ve always kind of called “our psychic connection” because it always seems like she will call me when I’ve been thinking of her a lot that day, or I’ll call her and she’ll say she’d been thinking of me. It seems like my daughter and I also have the “psychic connection”! Before I started school, Mom took me to the library every week to take out five books and return the five books from the prior week. We’d
read together almost every day. Together, let’s honor the women who raised us—making sacrifices for us every day and nurturing our families and greater communities. Of course, if you are a mother, all of us at The Old Farmer’s Almanac wish YOU a very Happy Mother’s Day! |