TRIVIA CONNECTION
Mother’s Day Trivia appy Mother’s Day, ladies! This day is commemorated annually on the second Sunday in May; we will observe it this year on May 9. Mother’s Day not only honors our mothers but also all special women in our lives who have been there for us. Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia is credited with the founding of Mother’s Day. On May 10, 1908, she held a memorial service at her late mother’s church in Grafton, West Virginia. Within five years, virtually every state was observing the day, and in 1914, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson made it a national holiday. Ironically, Jarvis never became a mother herself, and she became horrified by how flower, chocolate, and greeting card companies exploited Mother’s Day for financial gain. Jarvis advocated boycotts of Mother’s Day and tried to sue companies that were commercializing the holiday. This May celebration almost had earlier roots. In 1870, after the Civil War, writer Julia Ward Howe first proposed a Mother’s Day to recognize peace and protest war. Howe is famously known for penning the lyrics to The Battle Hymn of the Republic. She organized annual events in Boston to honor mothers, but despite her work (and her moving “Mother’s Day Proclamation”), nothing official came of her efforts. Mother’s Day has flourished over the past 107 years. In 1934, a stamp was released commemorating this special day. It is a great time to pamper mom and take her out for a bite since it is the biggest day of the year for the restaurant industry. Mother’s Day sees around one-quarter of all flowers purchased throughout the year falling on this holiday. Carnations are popular flowers for this occasion and are thought to be made from the tears of Jesus’ mother Mary when she wept at his feet the day he was crucified. Pink and red carnations are given to mothers who are still alive, while white ones are for those who have passed away. The average American buys 2.8 Mother’s Day cards, so most people buy more than just one for their mom. Many folks opt to buy Mother’s Day cards for grandmothers, sisters, and their mother-inlaw. Jewelry is another prevalent gift item. It is estimated that 36% of Americans plan to buy their mother some bling. Beauty salons see a boost at the beginning of May. According to the National Retail Federation, this Mother’s Day, people will spend $2 billion on personal services like spa treatments for their mothers.
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MAY 2021 | www.northernconnectionmag.com
Since we’ve highlighted some noteworthy Mother’s Day facts, we must now delve into this maternal query; get set to don those thinking caps because it’s time to get a little trivial. 1. According to the Bible, who is the Mother of all the Living? 2. What is the most popular day of the week for a mother to give birth? 3. Name the artist who created a famous painting of his mother. 4. Although she never gave birth, this woman won a Noble Prize for her missionary work in India. 5. Name the musician who sings the motherly songs – Mama and Rock & Roll Lullaby. 6. Many of the sweaters that were worn by this TV show personality were actually knitted by his mother. 7. Nacre is more commonly known as what? 8. In 1765, John Newbury published a famous book of children’s rhymes under this motherly theme. 9. Who is the most powerful mother of all time? 10. What mother was the first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court? 11. This mother, Anna Lee Fisher achieve distinction for what? 12. Mama’s Song is a tune recorded by which American country music singer? 13. Mary was the mother of Jesus, but what was her mother’s name? 14. Name the Apollo 11 astronaut whose mother’s maiden name was Moon. 15. Eric Clapton, Luciano Pavarotti, and the East London Gospel Choir sing this inspirational song. n Sources: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mothers-Day, http://www.riversongs. com/happy/mothers_day.html, https://triviachamp.com/Mothers-Day-Trivia-Quiz. php, https://www.mothersdaycelebration.com/mothers-day-trivia.html, http:// www.dayformothers.com/mothers-day-quiz.html, https://patch.com/new-jersey/ fairlawn-saddlebrook/bp--mothers-day-history-and-quiz, quiztimeul.2012. wordpress.com, https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/ g19561312/mothers-day-facts, https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/79143/25historys-greatest-moms Answers: 1. Eve 2. Tuesday 3. James Whistler 4. Mother Teresa 5. B.J. Thomas 6. Fred Rogers on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood 7. Mother of the Pearl 8. Mother Goose 9. Mother Nature 10. Sandra Day O’Connor 11. first mother in space 12. Carrie Underwood 13. Saint Anne 14. Buzz Aldrin 15. Holy Mother
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By Paula Green
