Do you celebrate Mother’s Day in your country? When is it?

What did you do for your mother on Mother’s Day?

-OR-

What are you going to do for your mother on Mother’s Day?

 

Throughout history, mothers have been celebrated for giving us life and taking care of us until we are ready to go out into the world on our own. Mothers dry our tears when we’re hurt and love us unconditionally. In Canada and the U.S., we celebrate Mother’s Day on the 2nd Sunday in May. This year it is on May 13. It’s a day to thank our moms for everything they have done for us. People spend so much money on phone calls and gifts on Mother’s Day, that it’s the second biggest holiday next to Christmas in terms of how much money is spent! Can you believe that?

I always thought Mother’s Day was invented by Hallmark to sell more cards, but it was actually invented by an American woman named Anna Jarvis. In 1907, she decided to have a ceremony to honour her mother who had died a couple years earlier. It probably would have been better if Ms. Jarvis had honoured her mother while she was still alive, but better late than never! They’d had an argument, and Ms. Jarvis felt guilty that she was not able to make up with her mother before she died. She later campaigned tirelessly for the day to be recognized across America, and in 1914 American President Wilson declared Mother’s Day a national holiday on the 2nd Sunday in May! The funny thing is, Ms. Jarvis never became a mother herself! At some point in history, Canada decided to observe Mother’s Day on this day too.

My mother likes our family to have dinner together on Mother’s Day. Last year we had dinner at home, but this year she would like to go out to a restaurant. I will give my mother her gift before we go out for dinner. I bought her the complete DVD set of her favourite TV series! She has wanted this for a long time, so I am happy that she’ll finally have it!

Vocabulary
Hallmark
I always thought Mother’s Day was invented by Hallmark to sell more cards
= an American company that has many stores throughout the U.S. and Canada, and sells cards for every occasion.

a holiday
= a day of celebration; a ‘public holiday’ means no one has to go work.
= it could also mean a vacation.

to make up (with someone)
..and Ms. Jarvis felt guilty that she was not able to make up with her mother before she died.
= Ms. Jarvis was not able to apologize to her mother or correct whatever was wrong between them; she was not able to make their relationship better

tirelessly (adverb)
She later campaigned tirelessly …
= someone who does something with a lot of energy, without stopping and without getting tired