Each year in May, we shower our mothers with flowers, gifts, and gratitude but how much do we really know about the origins of Mother’s Day? Beyond the greeting cards and brunches lies a rich and sometimes surprising history.
Here are six fascinating facts about Mother’s Day that might just change how you see this heartfelt holiday.
1. Mother’s Day has ancient roots
Although the modern celebration of Mother’s Day as we know it began in the early 20th century, the idea of honouring mothers dates back thousands of years. Ancient civilizations such as the Greeks and Romans held festivals dedicated to mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele celebrating motherhood and fertility. These festivals involved offerings, feasts, and rituals to honour maternal figures.
2. The modern Mother’s Day was started by a peace activist
The Mother’s Day we know today was championed by Anna Jarvis in the early 20th century. After her own mother’s death in 1905, Jarvis campaigned to create a national holiday to honor mothers for their service and sacrifice. Interestingly, her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, had organized “Mother’s Day Work Clubs” to improve health and sanitation, and even promoted peace after the Civil War.
3. Mother’s Day was initially a religious observance
Before becoming a secular holiday, Mother’s Day was originally a religious observance. In the United States, it was linked to church services and prayer. Anna Jarvis herself wanted Mother’s Day to be a day for churchgoing, prayer, and quiet reflection on the importance of motherhood, rather than commercial festivities.
4. Anna Jarvis later fought against the holiday’s commercialization
Ironically, Anna Jarvis grew to despise the very holiday she helped create. She was dismayed by the commercialization of Mother’s Day greeting cards, floral arrangements, and candy sales felt like an insult to the sincerity she intended. She even filed lawsuits and organized boycotts, hoping to return the holiday to its original purpose.
5. Mother’s Day became official in 1914
After years of campaigning, Anna Jarvis finally saw her dream realized when President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation in 1914, declaring the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day in the United States. It quickly gained popularity and was adopted in various forms around the world.
6. It’s celebrated differently around the world
Although the sentiment is universal, Mother’s Day is celebrated on different dates and in unique ways across the globe. In Ethiopia, families gather for a multi-day festival called Antrosht, filled with food, dancing, and storytelling. In Thailand, Mother’s Day is observed on August 12, the birthday of Queen Sirikit, and includes parades and public ceremonies.

​White Hall, originally called Rosenweg, the largest of the private homes on Maraval Road, was built in 1904 by Joseph Leon Agostini, a cocoa planter. Construction commenced in 1904 in accordance with Mr. Agostini’s own design, influenced by a Moorish Mediterranean style and reminiscent of the architecture of Corsica from where the Agostini family originated. Construction took three years.
After J. L. Agostini's death in 1906 his family remained in residence until 1910. Unable to meet mortgage payments, the mortgagee, William Gordon Grant, foreclosed. Thee property was then sold to Mr. Robert Henderson, an American businessman from Venezuela. During his ownership, a delightful variety in the furnishings of the interior was added to the refined dignity of the exterior. The Henderson family renamed it White Hall after the white coral stone from which it is built.
During the Second World War, with the arrival of the United States Forces in Trinidad, White Hall was commandeered from the Siegert family, heirs of Robert Henderson, as the headquarters of the Air Raid Precaution. In 1944, the British Council rented the building as a cultural centre. Later, the Trinidad Central Library, Regional Library, National Archives, Government Broadcasting Unit, Trinidad Art Society and the Cellar Club all rented or occupied space in the building. From 1949, the building remained empty until 1954, when it was purchased by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.
In 1957 White Hall was occupied by the Pre-Federal Interim Government prior to the establishment of the West Indies Federation in 1958. In 1963, it became the Office of the Prime Minister occupied by the Hon. Dr. Eric Williams, Trinidad and Tobago's first Prime Minister after Independence.
Restored in 2000, White Hall continued to be occupied by the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago until 2009.
Further restoration was completed in August 2019 . (Source: Angelo Bissessarsingh's Virtual Museum of Trinidad and Tobago, May 10, 2025. Credit to author Geoffrey MacLean)

Trinidad and Tobago’s junior athletes wrapped up their campaign at the 2025 Carifta Athletics Championships on home soil with a total of 25 medals.
Over the course of three days, the athletes secured nine gold, six silver, and ten bronze medals—just shy of last year’s tally of 27 (four gold, 11 silver, and 12 bronze).
Trinidad and Tobago’s best finish at the regional athletics championships came in the 2005 edition, held in Tobago, when the team captured 13 gold, 14 silver, and nine bronze medals.

Jamaica finished atop the medal table with 78 medals, including 30 golds, while The Bahamas claimed 37, mirroring last year’s top three standings.
Some standout performances for Team TTO included Christopher Sammy, who claimed gold in the Boys Under-17 1,500 metres and 3,000 metres. Tobagonian junior distance runner Oshéa Cummings won gold in the Girls Under-17 1,500 metres and bronze in the 3,000 metres.
Tyrique Vincent made history by becoming the first Carifta champion in the Boys Under-20 decathlon. He amassed 6,522 points across ten events, narrowly edging out Grenada’s Jurel Clement, who earned 6,510 points for his efforts. 
Vincent’s sister, Tenique, also delivered a strong performance, winning the Girls Heptathlon Open with a total of 4,019 points.
Dylan Woodruffe stormed to a silver medal in the Boys Under-20 100 metres, clocking a personal best of 10.30 seconds.
In the 4×100 metre relays, Trinidad and Tobago earned three bronze medals and one silver. (Source: The Loop, April 22, 2025)