Happy Mother's Day 2007

[MRD]

I saw the 2006 thread and figured that it wasn't really relavant due to the date, so I hope its ok if I start this one.


I have a question.

Growing up and until we moved to SC, on Mother's day, most people in our church wore flowers to honor their Mother's. Usually it was not a complete coursage, Just a rosebud and pin. No bow or other adornments.

EVERYONE did this, including the men and children, not just the mother's.

A red flower symbolized that your mom was still alive.
A white flower symbolized that your mom was no longer alive.

I love this as it does give a way to honor our mom's even if they are gone.

However, no one I've talked to outside of that church knows anything about this. I always thought it was a kind of Southern thing, but I guess not.

My mother told me that she always remembered doing that every year from the time she was a child and I remember it too. I always felt sad for my grandmother as she had to wear a white flower while my mom and I got to wear red.

Anyway, I'm trying to find out if anyone knows anymore about this tradition or if it is even a tradition in other places and how it got started.


Happy Mother's Day to all you mom's out there.

[Newfherder]

Shortly before we were divorced, my ex took me to a Buddhist temple on Mother's Day, and they had the same red rose/white rose symbolism.

[MRD]

Interesting Newf. Presbyterian/Buddhist. I can see the similarities!

I doubt in my small town church when my mom was a child during the depression that anyone even knew what a Buddhist was.

Let me add that I visted a Buddhist temple in San Fran that was so beautiful it took my breath away. We were not allowed to take photographs, but it was just amazing.

I asked someone at our church here and they love the idea and want to take it and run with it next year as a fundraiser for the Youth Group or mission work. Have everyone pre-order and pre-pay, then order the appropriate number of flowers of each color and have everyone pick up their flower before services.

This year, they sold Mother's day cards and the money was going to fund mission work in Dafur or is it Darfur? (I can never remember).

[MamaC]

I remember this tradition when I was growing up in NYC. I remember my parents doing that when we moved upstate. But I don't think many people still wear the red and white flowers on Mother's Day anymore.....or the church we go to never heard of it. I'll have to check to see if anyone has any flowers on for Mother's Day.

[ScoutMom]

I grew up in PA and I never heard of it. I live in NJ now and still haven't seen it.

[veejer]

My mother, from Saskatchewan with her mother from England, taught me growing up in Michigan that you wore flowers to honor your mother. White if she was deceased and anything non-white if she was alive.

eta: I live in Ohio now and from what I've observed it isn't followed too much anymore. My mom and I quietly chuckle over women wearing white corsages to church when we know perfectly well that their mothers' are alive and well.

[katgib13]

Hmm...my old church (which was Methodist) did something similar. On Mother's Day, they pass out the flowers to the mom's only. Red carnations for every mom at the service. Also, the mothers with younger children always got a little something extra....whatever their child made in their Sunday school class. One year, it was handprints in clay.

BTW....Happy Mother's Day to all of the Mom's on the board!

[FORTFanGirl]

Born & raised in So CA & they did it every year at my Southern Baptist church. I can't attest to wheather they do it now, since I don't regularly attend any longer.

[SuperBrat]

we just got my grandma a corsage every year.

This year, I am pondering making my mom homemade strawberry shortcake, with homemade shortcake, since that is one of her favorite foods.

[misskitty]

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE FORT MOMS AND MOMS-TO-BE!!
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Oh, that is a very nice tradition of the red and white corsages! Maybe I'll get my mom a white one as this is the first year she doesn't have her mom, my Baba. Would I get a white one for my Dad as well because his Mom passed a very long time ago? Then all 3 of us girls would wear red? Is that how it works?

We're going out for Szechuan tomorrow night at her favorite place. She doesn't like to do too much anymore.