In the early 1900's Anna Maria Jarvis, the woman who made Mother's Day
a national holiday in the U.S. passed out her mother's favorite flower,
the white carnation, at her church service to honor her mother. This gesture
later became the premise for the customary wearing of carnations on Mother's
Day. The white carnation symbolizes purity, sweetness, patience and love.
Wearing a white carnation also symbolizes honoring your mother who has
passed away, whereas wearing a pink carnation symbolizes honoring your
living mother.
At first, people observed Mother's Day by attending church, and writing
letters to their mothers. Now it is also common and traditional for people
to give or send their mothers, grandmothers and other mothers they know
cards, flowers, and/or gifts to show their love and appreciation.
Phone calls to mothers, special visits and celebratory meals are also
ubiquitous on this special day. In fact, the second Sunday of May has
become the most popular day of the year to dine out, and telephone lines
record their highest traffic, as sons and daughters everywhere take advantage
of this day to honor and to express appreciation of their mothers.
Mother's Day
In the early 1900's Anna Maria Jarvis, the woman who made Mother's Day
a national holiday in the U.S. passed out her mother's favorite flower,
the white carnation, at her church service to honor her mother. This gesture
later became the premise for the customary wearing of carnations on Mother's
Day. The white carnation symbolizes purity, sweetness, patience and love.
Wearing a white carnation also symbolizes honoring your mother who has
passed away, whereas wearing a pink carnation symbolizes honoring your
living mother. 
