Mother’s Day Gifts with Aileen Avery

A sure bet this Mother’s Day is that most of us will struggle to find the perfect gift. Holiday historian Aileen Avery, who has studied and written about both the psychology and history behind gift giving in her popular book GIFT RAP: The History and Art of Gift Giving, uses her unique expertise to provide gift suggestions for choosing gifts that every mom will appreciate.

Did you know Mother’s Day originated in ancient Greece with spring festivals that honored Rhea, the mother of all gods and men? It wasn’t until 1908 when Anna Jarvis of Grafton, West Virginia, convinced her church to honor mothers on the death of her own mother. That simple gesture took off, and six years later Mother’s Day was declared a national holiday celebrated on the second Sunday in May.