Did you know Anna Jarvis (founder of Mothers Day) spent the final days of her life fighting to reverse the holiday she so passionately desired? Now why would the founder of Mother’s Day want to reverse it? Well…once again, the answer is MONEY. The floral industry of course supported Jarvis’s Mother’s Day movement by inviting her to speak at their conventions and showered her with donations to keep up her momentum. Each Mother’s Day, the wearing of carnations became a high demand item. Florist across the country quickly sold out of white carnations around the new holiday. The floral industry later came up with an idea to diversify sales by promoting the practice of wearing red or bright flowers in honor of living mothers, and white flowers for deceased moms. Jarvis realized that the holiday was turning away from its original purpose of being sentimental to a profit driven holiday for big businesses. She decided to put a stop to it by reversing her promotions of Mother’s Day to promoting the banning Mother’s Day. Jarvis intention of Mothers Day was ‘to be a day of sentiment, not profit’. Jarvis later urged people to stop buying flowers and other gifts. In her own words she calls the florist, greeting card manufactures, and the confectionery industry as “charlatans, bandits, pirates, racketeers, kidnappers and termites that would undermine with their greed one of the finest, noblest and truest movements and celebrations”. We all want to show appreciation to our mother’s but, at the expense of who? How much money did you spend this Mother’s Day? Is every restaurant in your town booked to a max? Did you give the floral industry any profit this month by spending over 60 dollars on your loved one (Like I did)? I guess Anna Jarvis created a monster that is still alive and well today. Happy Mother’s Day!!….or should I say Happy Mothers PAY! Thoughts anyone?
Current FTD Report…will shock you: http://investor.ftdcompanies.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=969546
Wow makes since, I wonder what the current stats are for floral sales. I bet it’s sky high.
Here is a great link to review: http://investor.ftdcompanies.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=969546
You better believe they are! Not to count the media sales, jewelry sales, stuffed animal sales, and chocolate hearts. Rich getting richer, poor getting poor’er. But…they only get richer from OUR horrible and cultural conditioned spending habits.
It doesn’t matter really at the end of the day we all just want our mothers to know that they are loved and appreciated to the fullest. Therefore we do the things for them that we don’t always do to show them on that special day. I’m sure on father’s day sales explode too. Supports, hardware stores, and restaraunts as well. But don’t stop on my account, as a father I’ll get it where i can. Lol nice post man and very informative. This is great reading bro…
Thank you. please continue to share your knowledge and expertise on upcoming topics.
-G.D.D