21 throwback ideas for Mother’s Day cards, gifts, recipes & fun

Have you ever wondered about Mother’s Day — like how it got started? In the early years of the 20th century, Anna Jarvis started a movement that spread throughout the world: the custom of observing the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.

In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made it official! Henceforth, the 2nd Sunday in May would be designated in the United States -- officially -- as Mother's Day. Check out the original proclamation!

Here’s a look back at some sweet vintage Mother’s Day cards from the 20th century, including a few of the 240 million greeting cards for mom that were sold in just one year, back in 1959.

Here are some cute and free printable Mother’s Day cards with flowers — already in color, so they’re ready to print! There are 12 designs in all, in three different floral themes.

For a fun Mother's Day celebration theme, what could be more perfect and quaint than a Victorian garden party brunch? Party like it's 1899 with these set-up tips straight from the era.

These flower pot sandwiches are pretty and appealing, and would make for lots of conversation at a Mother's Day luncheon!

Here are a couple recipes for petits fours – along with ways to make the frosting, fondant and decorations for these tiny cakes, all in the 1950s style!

Four thin yellow cake layers tower upward – separated by thick creamy whipped cream with fresh berries – in this delicious classic strawberry torte recipe from the 60s!

A sweet Mother's Day treat direct from Loretta Lynn.

This fresh and zesty raspberry champagne punch is a fruity cocktail that is easy to make, tastes delicious, and looks gorgeous. Here’s how to do it, with a cool retro recipe from the 80s!

...and it's not like mom would turn down a box of chocolates today, either. Always in style!

What a cute way to create flowers that will last for years!

If you want to learn how to macrame with the classic technique to create some vintage-style projects — including a macrame plant hanger, a macrame belt, basket-style macrame coasters & a macrame owl wall hanging — we have the details for you right here!

This retro Mother's Day gift-wrapping technique looks like a giant poufy flower. Get the how-to here!

This may be the first recorded case in the US of a mother who didn't even know she was going to be a mother until the baby arrived, but it's certainly not the last. And 100+ years later, the phenomenon remains no less baffling!

Parenting theories and admonishments have been around probabably as long as there have been parents. Here's a taste of how moms were advised to raise their kids in the 19-teens.

In some ways new parenthood looks just like it did in the 1940s… and in other ways, it’s pretty different. Here’s a little peek.

When it came to parenting Baby Boomers, were moms too easy on their kids? Was being a parent harder than the generation before? Here’s what everyday “people on the street” said back in the day.

If you think fashions in the 80s were bad in general, just wait until you see the tent-like outfits pregnant women were wearing.