People in the United States honor their parents with two special days：Mother’s Day，on the second Sunday in May，and Father’s Day，on the third Sunday in June．

 

Mother’s Day was proclaimed a day for national observance by President Wood row Wilson in 1915．Ann Jarvis from Grafton，West Virginia，had started the idea to have a d ay to honor mothers．She was the one who chose the second Sunday in May and also began the custom of wearing a carnation1)．

 

In 1909，Mrs．Dodd from Spokane，Washington，thought of the idea of a day to honor fathers．She wanted to honor her own father，William Smart．After her mother died，he had the responsibility of raising a family of five sons and a daughter．In 1910，the first Father’s Day was observed in Spokane．Senator Margaret Chase Smith helped to establish Father’s Day as a national commemorative2) day，in 1972．

 

These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents．They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens．They give love and care．

 

These two special days are celebrated in many different ways．On Mother’s Day people wear carnations．A red one symbolizes a living mother．A white one shows that the mother is dead．Many people attend religious services to honor parents．It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery3)．On these days families get together at home，as well as in restaurants．They often have outdoor barbecues4) for Father’s Day．These are days of fun and good feelings and memories．

 

Another tradition is to give cards an d gifts．Children make them in school．Many people make their own presents．These are valued more than the ones bought in stores．It is not the value of the gift that is important，but it is “the thought that counts”．Greeting card stores，florists5)，candy makers，bakeries，telephone companies，and other stores do a lot of business during these holidays．