She helped you learn to walk, taught you about the birds and the bees, and drove you to soccer practice, scout meetings and birthday parties.
Mother's Day gives you a chance to show Mom how much you care. Whether it's watching a movie, serenading her with a song or serving her breakfast in bed, we offer a few suggestions for celebrating, along with a brief history of the day, how to say "mother" around the world and a short quiz.
HISTORY
A celebration that began with the Greeks and Romans, Mother's Day has been around for centuries in one form or another.
The Greeks celebrated Rhea, the mother of the Gods, while early Christians had festivals on the fourth Sunday of Lent for Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ.
A religious order then created Mothering Sunday in Britain to celebrate all mothers, a tradition that was lost when British settlers formed the American colonies.
In 1907, however, Anna M. Jarvis, a schoolteacher from Philadelphia, went on a mission to create a day honoring mothers.
She sought help from legislators and businessmen, and in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson declared the second Sunday in May a national holiday in honor of mothers.
QUIZ
Think you know about mothers? How many are there in the United States, what days and months are most popular for giving birth? Test your knowledge of these facts from the U.S. Census Bureau.
1. How many mothers are there in the United States?
A. 60.2 million C. 80.5 million
B. 70.4 million D. 90.3 million
2. How many children on average can a woman in the United States expect to have in her lifetime?
A. 1.7 C. 2.4
B. 2.1 D. 1.9
3. What U.S. state has the highest average number of births per year per woman?
A. Utah C. Illinois
B. New York D. Nevada
4. What is the most popular month to have a baby?
A. November C. May
B. February D. July
5. What is the most popular day of the week to have a baby?
A. Monday C. Wednesday
B. Tuesday D. Thursday
MOVIES
Many mothers just want a day of relaxation, so pop in a DVD of one of these mother-daughter-related flicks.
n "Stepmom" (1998): Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon play the future stepmom and dying mother, respectively, of Ed Harris' children.
n "Steel Magnolias" (1989): Sally Field and Julia Roberts play a mother and daughter at the center of a tight-knit group of friends in Louisiana.
n "Terms of Endearment" (1981): This Oscar-winning movie chronicles the often difficult relationship between a mother and daughter, played by Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger.
n "Anywhere But Here" (1999): Susan Sarandon plays a mother who is tired of her small-town existence and decides to drag her less-than-willing daughter to Beverly Hills in hopes of a more glamorous life.
n "Freaky Friday" (1976) or (2003): Take your pick, Jodie Foster (the 1976 version) or Lindsay Lohan (2003) plays the ungrateful child who switches bodies with her busy mom.
n "Mommie Dearest" (1983): The perfect portrait of a nightmare mom, this campy film will make you appreciate that your mom didn't have such an aversion to wire hangers.
A SWEET TREAT FOR MOM
So you may not be the next Bobby Flay or Rachael Ray, but you can still make a simple meal for your mom. Here is a recipe from "Coffee Cakes," by Lou Seibert Pappas (Chronicle Books, $18.95), to get you started.
Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake
Juicy berries nugget this easy-to-bake cake that flaunts a crunchy sweet topping of toasted walnuts and brown sugar streusel.
Ingredients
-1/2 cup canola oil
-1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
-1/2 cup granulated sugar
-2 large eggs
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
-1 cup whole-wheat flour
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
-2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries or mixed blackberries, blueberries and raspberries
Streusel Topping
-2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
-1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
-1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
-1 cup (4 ounces) walnuts, chopped
To make the topping: In a medium bowl or a food processor, combine the butter, flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut the butter in with your fingers or process until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Stir in the nuts and set aside.
Directions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan.
Step 2: In a large bowl, combine the oil, sugars, eggs and vanilla and beat with a whisk or electric mixer until smooth. In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir to blend. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk or yogurt in two increments. Beat until smooth. Stir in the berries. Turn into the prepared pan and sprinkle evenly with the topping.
Step 3: Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the pan sides and let cool completely. Cut into wedges to serve.
Makes one 9-inch coffee cake; serves 10.
Quiz answers:
1. C; 2. B; 3. A; 4. D; 5. B
Courtesy of McClatchy Got a question or a comment? Send us an email.
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