The IP Battle behind Mother’s Day

Most people don't know that the creator of Mother's Day died penniless — bankrupted by her own IP battles.

Anna Jarvis founded Mother's Day in the early 1900s in honour of her own mother. But like many holidays, intellectual property quickly became part of the story.

Jarvis envisioned Mother’s Day as a simple, heartfelt occasion: visit your mother to thank her for all the sacrifices she has made for you. If you couldn’t visit your mother, send her a handwritten letter.

By 1912, Jarvis felt the holiday had been overtaken by the flower, stationery, and candy industries. Instead of lengthy and thoughtful letters, people were sending greeting cards and expensive bouquets. To Jarvis, this shift undermined the day’s original purpose.

Believing Mother’s Day to be her intellectual property, she fought back with every IP tool she could find. She copyrighted her own photo, claimed rights in the phrase “Second Sunday in May, Mother’s Day,” and incorporated the Mother’s Day International Association. At one point, she reportedly had more than 30 active lawsuits against companies using the pluralized “Mothers’ Day” to sidestep her IP rights.

Jarvis spent her life fighting the commercialisation of the holiday she created and defending her IP rights. She died in 1948, penniless, with her final bills paid by the greeting card companies and florists she despised.

This year, Mother’s Day spending in the U.S. is expected to reach a record $38 billion, with most purchases going toward flowers, cards, jewelry, clothing, electronics, and special outings.

If you forgot to send your mother a card this year, you can always tell her: it’s what Anna Jarvis would have wanted.

#MothersDay #IntellectualProperty #Copyright #IPLaw