Growing up in the Midwest, mothers got corsages for Mother's Day to wear in church. We (well, Dad) always got my mother an orchid corsage.
I always felt sorry for the ladies that didn't have one...it never ocurred to me that they may not have been mothers. Kids don't always think too clearly...LOL
Growing up our church passed out red and white carnations. There were special corsages for certain mothers like the mother with the most children, the mother who traveled the farthest, the oldest & the youngest. If I remember correctly there was also a corsage for the mother who had most recently given birth.
Janet, I am glad you remember this. I don't remember if the church handed out the carnations, not sure, but probably. I remember the special corsages, too. Yes, one for mother who had most recently giving birth. It is a nostalgic memory now. Thanks for helping me remember and know I remembered correctly.
I was lucky to be raised a secular humanist, and my parents spared us dogma and organized religion, so I didn't learn of the red/white carnation tradition on Mother's Day until much later from a southern friend.... She wasn't a church-goer either, so I thought it was just a southern thing, and not specific to a sect.
Meg, Even people who are not churchgoers know things that go on in church. Sect? Why such a derogatory term, even if you don't believe? Most are/were mainstream.
Sect=various type of churches (in this case, Christian.)Since she never attended a church, yet her family knew about the carnations, I didn't associate them with, say, Methodists or Presbyterians, just southerners.
Actually, Meg--a sect is an offshoot of a larger, more well-know religion. And is considered to be subversive and espouse dangerous beliefs. Like those polygamists who are offshoots of the Church of Latter-Day Saints.
I've not heard of that tradition before, but it is quite lovely.
ReplyDeleteBelinda,
DeleteIt was quite common when I grew up in Memphis and many people in the Mid-South honored this tradition, too. Thanks for the response.
That really is a beautiful tradition!
ReplyDeleteGrowing up in the Midwest, mothers got corsages for Mother's Day to wear in church. We (well, Dad) always got my mother an orchid corsage.
I always felt sorry for the ladies that didn't have one...it never ocurred to me that they may not have been mothers. Kids don't always think too clearly...LOL
Sue,
DeleteI think so too, especially now that I am older and my mother is dead. Orchids were never worn for Mother's Day, maybe for Easter.
Even a woman without children had a mother, so she would wear a white carnation or corsage.
Oh, and a very Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there! <3 <3 <3
ReplyDeleteSue,
DeleteHappy Mother's Day
That is a nice tradition.
ReplyDeleteHere in the UK we celebrated our Mothers Day in March.
All the best Jan
Jan,
DeleteI loved it, but it seems to have died out. Maybe I have been in the wrong churches.
Growing up our church passed out red and white carnations. There were special corsages for certain mothers like the mother with the most children, the mother who traveled the farthest, the oldest & the youngest. If I remember correctly there was also a corsage for the mother who had most recently given birth.
ReplyDeleteJanet,
DeleteI am glad you remember this. I don't remember if the church handed out the carnations, not sure, but probably. I remember the special corsages, too. Yes, one for mother who had most recently giving birth. It is a nostalgic memory now. Thanks for helping me remember and know I remembered correctly.
I was lucky to be raised a secular humanist, and my parents spared us dogma and organized religion, so I didn't learn of the red/white carnation tradition on Mother's Day until much later from a southern friend.... She wasn't a church-goer either, so I thought it was just a southern thing, and not specific to a sect.
ReplyDeleteMeg,
DeleteEven people who are not churchgoers know things that go on in church. Sect? Why such a derogatory term, even if you don't believe? Most are/were mainstream.
Sect=various type of churches (in this case, Christian.)Since she never attended a church, yet her family knew about the carnations, I didn't associate them with, say, Methodists or Presbyterians, just southerners.
ReplyDelete"Sect" is a pejorative term.
DeleteI had to look it up and gee--I guess "sect" IS a pejorative term. Not that I use it, but...it seems I ALWAYS learn something new here!
DeleteActually, Meg--a sect is an offshoot of a larger, more well-know religion. And is considered to be subversive and espouse dangerous beliefs. Like those polygamists who are offshoots of the Church of Latter-Day Saints.
DeleteDaddy's church did that also.
ReplyDeleteChef,
DeleteThanks for that confirmation. I knew I was not the only one whose church had this bittersweet practice.