Throughout history and across cultures we have venerated and celebrated motherhood. Particularly the mother’s role in bringing forth and nurturing new life.
The first greeting cards were designed by the ancient Chinese and early Egyptians. Much much later in the 20th century, we began to see the design of Mother’s Day cards celebrating motherhood in a commercial way.
At a time of year when many are seeking the best designed Mother’s Day cards, we know little about the history of Mother’s Day card designs. What might they tell us about social and cultural perceptions and expectations of mothers?
An exception is the Hallmark website which includes a brief history of the design of Mother’s Day cards from the more formal cards of the 1920’s through various depictions of the mother’s roles in the home and the workplace during subsequent decades to today’s pretty and humorous designs.
Many of the designs over the last century focused on the diverse working roles of the mother. By the 1970’s these designs reflected the expansion of the mother’s roles beyond the family and home to paid work in the office.
Happy Mother’s day Sunday, 11th March – don’t work too hard!!
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