关于母亲节的来历，我们似乎并不陌生——一位名叫安娜·贾维思的女性在她母亲去世一年后，用自己的行动使这一具有悠久历史的纪念活动上升为官方节日。不过，在这之前，母亲节最早可追溯到古希腊的众神之母瑞亚，她是主神宙斯和天后赫拉的母亲。另外，不同国家，庆祝母亲节的日期也不尽相同，比如：我们熟悉的“五月的第二个星期日”实际上是采用了美国的习俗，而在英国，母亲节则定在四旬节的第四个星期日。

Jewish Proverb: God could not be everywhere and therefore be made mothers. 

    Ancient celebrations of motherhood

Rhea, Mother of the Greek gods

People in many ancient cultures celebrated holidays honoring motherhood, personified as a goddess. Here are just a few of those:

Ancient Greeks celebrated a holiday in honor of Rhea(Photo), the mother of the gods, including Zeus.

Ancient Romans celebrated a holiday in honor of Cybele, a mother goddess.

In the British Isles and Celtic Europe, the goddessBrigid(Photo), and later her successor St. Brigid, were honored with a spring Mother's Day.

    Motherhood honoured in modern times

Mothers' Day is not celebrated on the same day throughout the world, for instance, in America Mother's Day occurs on the second Sunday in May while in Britain it is honored on the fourth Sunday in Lent(For more information on Lent, please check out Lent in "Easter's dictionary" or Carnival in "Word & Story").

** Mother's Day in Britain (March 21st, 2006 )

simnel cake, a rich fruitcake sometimes covered with almond paste

Mothering Sunday was celebrated in Britain beginning in the 17th century.

It began as a day when apprentices and servants could return home for the day to visit their mothers. Traditionally,   men went home with a gift of "mothering cake" -- a kind of fruitcake or fruit-filled pastry known as simnel cake (Photo ).

** Mother's Day in America (May 14th, 2006)

Thanks to Anna M. Jarvis, Mother's Day has become an official holiday in the United States.

After a year when her mother died on May 9, 1905, Anna M. Jarvis attended a memorial service at their church. Inspired by the service, she thought it would be wonderful if people set aside a time to pay personal tribute to their mothers. Then, the daughter began using some of her inheritance to promote a day that would honor all mothers.

She and others staged a letter-writing campaign to ministers, businessmen, and politicians in their quest to establish a national Mother's Day. They were successful in the end. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day a national observance that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May. 

    Carnation: the symbol of Mother's Day

It was Jarvis who originated the custom of wearing a carnation on Mother's Day because carnation was her mother's favorite flower.

A pink carnation is to honor a living mother and a white carnation is memory of a mother who passed away.

Rhea: 瑞亚，希腊神话中Zeus（宙斯）的母亲

Cybele: 西布莉(小亚细亚神话中的众神之母，与希腊女神Rhea等同)

Brigid: 布里奇德，凯尔特神话中的橡树之神，同时也是诗歌的保护神，因为产于沼泽的橡树是凯尔特民族的象征，所以Brigid被认为是爱尔兰国的国母。

simnel: 一种含油丰富的水果蛋糕，有时上面浇有杏仁糖浆，传统上在大斋节期间、复活节和圣诞节食用

Anna M. Jarvis: 安娜·贾维思

英文版的母亲节祝福语送给我的妈妈,以及天下的妈妈,祝母亲节快乐,健康!

To the world's number one mom!

　　给世界上最好的妈妈!

　　You are the best mom that a son ever had.

　　您是儿子心中最好的妈妈。

　　Here's a little token of my appreciation for all that you have done for me over the years.

　　这是我一点小小的心意，感谢您这么多年来所付出的一切。

　　Sometimes it may not seem like it, but I really do love you.

　　有时候好像不是这样，但是我真的爱您。

　　There may be moms all over the world, but you're the only one that matters to me.

　　全世界也许到处都有妈妈，但您是我惟一最在意的。

　　I want to wish you a happy Mother's Day.

　　祝福您母亲节快乐。

　　Thank you for everything over the years, mom.

　　妈妈，谢谢您这些年来所做的一切。

　　Moms should get more than a special day, they should get a medal of honor.

　　妈妈们应该得到的不只是一个节日，她们该获得荣誉勋章。

　　This card is to let you know that you have done a super job raising us children.

　　这张卡片是想告诉您，在教养子女方面，您做得棒极了。

　　This is the day that we appreciate all the things that moms do for us. Thank you .

　　在这个日子里，我们感谢妈妈为我们所做的一切。谢谢您。

　　Roses are red, violets are blue. This card on Mother's Day is especially for you.

　　玫瑰是红色的，紫罗兰是蓝色的。这张母亲卡是特别给您的。

We may not be angels all of the time, but we do appreciate what you do.

　　我们也许不是一直都像天使那样乖巧，但我们确实感谢您的教诲。

　　Thanks for being there, mom. Happy Mother's Day.

　　谢谢您不断地扶持我。祝您母亲节快乐。

　　This card comes from the whole family. Happy Mother's Day.

　　这张卡片是我们全家合送的。祝您母亲节快乐。

　　Today is your day to relax and let us take care of you. Happy Mother's Day.

　　今天是您休息的日子，让我们来照顾您。母亲节快乐。

　　We will try to make this your best Mother's Day ever.

　　我们将努力使今天成为您过得最愉快的母亲节。

　　On this day we honor you, dear mother.

　　亲爱的妈妈，我们向您致敬。

            On this day we all sit back and think about how much our mothers do for us.

　　在这一天，我们将会抽空休息一下，想想妈妈们帮我们做了多少事。

　　I've tried many times to tell you, but I'll say it again: I love you mother.

　　我已经告诉您许多次了，但是我将再说一次：我爱您，妈妈。

Though it is hard to tell you sometimes, I do love you dearly, mom.

　　虽然有时要告诉您并不太容易，但是我真的非常爱您，妈妈。

　　I may not often say it, but I do love you.

　　我也许并不常挂在嘴上，但我真正爱您。

　　There are little things that I should have said and done to show my gratitude, but it is appreciated what you do.

　　尽管我为表示谢意所说的和所做的都那么少，但同样也是表达对您所做一切的感激之情。

　　I don't take the time to tell you this often, but I love you, mom.

　　虽然我经常没有时间告诉您，但我真的爱您，妈妈。

　　Sometimes I cry and make you sigh, but you know that I love you so.

　　有时候我哭泣而使您叹息，但您却知道，我是如此地爱您。

　　To mother on Mother's Day: Thank you for all of the wonderful things that you h ave done for me.

　　母亲节给妈妈：谢谢您为我做了那么多奇妙的事。

　　This card is from all of us. It may not be the greatest, but it's from the heart.

　　这张卡片是我们合送的。它也许不是最棒的，但却是出自内心的。

　　Mother, I just want to let you know that you are always in my thoughts.

　　妈妈，我只是想让您知道，您一直都在我的心中。

　　On this Mother's Day I just want to say: I'm proud to be your daughter.

　　在这个母亲节里，我只是想说：我以身为您的女儿为荣。

　　To the most patient and understanding person I know. Thanks for being there. Happy Mother's Day.

　　给我所体会到的最有耐心、最明理的人。谢谢您一直在那里支持我。母亲节快乐。

　　I will be thinking of you on this Mother's Day. Thanks, mom.

　　在母亲节里，我会一直想念着您。谢谢妈妈。

　　We all love you very much, mom.

　　妈妈，我们都非常地爱您。

　　We wish you the best of health on this Mother's Day.

　　在母亲节，我们祝福您身体健康。

　　This card is a token of my love for the dearest mother in the world.

　　这张卡片，代表着我对世上最敬爱的母亲所有的爱。

　　Mom, thank you for being you.

　　妈妈，谢谢您的一切。

Roses are red, violets are blue. This card on Mother’s Day is especially for you.
玫瑰是红色的,紫罗兰是蓝色的.这张母亲卡是特别给您的.

We may not be angels all of the time, but we do appreciate what you do.
我们也许不是一直都像天使那样乖巧,但我们确实感谢您的教诲.

Thanks for being there, mom. Happy Mother’s Day.
谢谢您不断地扶持我.祝您母亲节快乐.

This card comes from the whole family. Happy Mother’s Day.
这张卡片是我们全家合送的.祝您母亲节快乐.
Today is your day to relax and let us take care of you. Happy Mother’s Day.
今天是您休息的日子,让我们来照顾您.母亲节快乐.

We will try to make this your best Mother’s Day ever.
我们将努力使今天成为您过得最愉快的母亲节.

On this day we honor you, dear mother.
亲爱的妈妈,我们向您致敬.
Today is your day to relax and let us take care of you. Happy Mother’s Day.
今天是您休息的日子,让我们来照顾您.母亲节快乐.

We will try to make this your best Mother’s Day ever.
我们将努力使今天成为您过得最愉快的母亲节.

On this day we honor you, dear mother.
亲爱的妈妈,我们向您致敬.
Today is your day to relax and let us take care of you. Happy Mother’s Day.
今天是您休息的日子,让我们来照顾您.母亲节快乐.

We will try to make this your best Mother’s Day ever.
我们将努力使今天成为您过得最愉快的母亲节.

On this day we honor you, dear mother.
亲爱的妈妈,我们向您致敬.