Mother’s Day is May 8th
Mother’s Day became an official U.S. holiday in 1914, but it is a time honored tradition with a long cultural and political history which remains unknown. Honoring motherhood goes back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele. One modern precedent for Mother’s Day is the early Christian festival “Mothering Sunday” the fourth Sunday in Lent when the faithful returned to their “mother church”—the main church in the vicinity of their home—for a special service.
Mother’s Day became political during the 19th century. In the years before the American Civil War, Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia started “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” to teach local women how to properly care for their children and in 1868 Jarvis organized “Mothers’ Friendship Day,” at which mothers gathered with former Union and Confederate soldiers to promote reconciliation. Abolitionist and suffragette Ward Howe in 1870 wrote the “Mother’s Day Proclamation,” that called mothers to unite in promoting world peace.
Mother’s Day around the World
Versions of Mother’s Day are celebrated worldwide with traditions that vary depending on the country. In Thailand, Mother’s Day is celebrated in August on the birthday of the current queen, Sirikit.
母親節 Mother’s Day in Hong Kong this year falls on the same day as the U.S. and Canada, which is also a holiday for Buddha’s Birthday, Sunday May 8th. We love to lavish Mother and our favorite mother figures with gifts such as flowers, teas, and kitchen ware. Among our favorites are
rose bud tea, flower and blooming teas, and kitchen appliances to ease Mother’s work load.
Wing Hop Fung Celebrates Mothers
Pearl of Jasmine Green Tea #1401
For your mother who is a precious pearl, we have Pearl of Jasmine, a delicious, relaxing tea made with tender silver leaves tightly rolled into a pearl shape and expertly scented with Jasmine flowers. The blending process usually takes three rounds, each starting with a fresh batch of flowers for optimal fragrance and aroma. Once these pearls are brewed, the leaves unfurl to release an aroma of citrus and jasmine orchards. The tea contains antioxidants that are great for the body and complexion beauty.
Soothe Mother’s nerves and feast the senses with our beautiful Red Rose tea. The roses, originally from France, are rich in vitamins A, C, B, E, K, and anthocyanins important for anti-oxidation and anti-aging. Tea tannins help prevent cardiovascular diseases. Long-term enjoyment of rose tea helps relieve depression, promotes qi and blood circulation, and beautifies the face. The dark red rose tea’s fragrance is rich and the taste is smooth, sweet and pure.
For your beautiful Mother we have a special tea made with white tea and carnation flowers. It brews an aromatic and delicate floral blend that is soothing and refreshing. Entice the senses with these small rosettes that are individually hand-crafted by skillful artisans. Each one blooms right before your eyes into a beautiful bouquet of tea leaves and flowers, bringing along a myriad of flavors unique to each floret.
West Lake Longjing Green Tea Gift Set
We have special tea gifts for all occasions. Longjing translated as “Dragon’s Well” green tea originates from the mountains surrounding West Lake in the Zhejiang province of China. According to legend, the tea was named because a dragon that lived in a well near West Lake Village saved the village by bringing rain after a long drought.
The leaves are hand-fired in a large wok immediately after picking and have an appearance of smooth flat green leaves with pointed ends. The tea color is clear not cloudy. The brewed tea is very fragrant, mild tasting and bright yellow green. The taste is refreshing, sweet and nutty, smooth and rich with slight vegetal undertones.
The fine art of Chinese tea culture is typically enjoyed with a few friends in which the tea is steeped and poured at the table with an elegant ritual. The Yixing [E-Shing] clay teapot, first designed during the Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644), came from the area of the great lake in the Jiangsu province around 100 miles from Shanghai. Yixing teapots are intended for pu-erh, black, and oolong teas. A famous characteristic of Yixing teapots is their ability to absorb trace amounts of brewed tea flavors and minerals into the teapot with each brewing. Over time, each Yixing teapot its own unique interior coating that flavors and colors future brewed teas.
Tiger Electric Rice Cooker & Warmer JNP-S15U (8 cups)
Surprise Mom with a gift that makes her housework easy and fun. This high-tech stainless steel Japanese-made rice cooker frees her from worry and fuss so that she can make perfect rice every time and keep it warm for up to 12 hours. She will have more leisure time to do the things she loves—shop, garden, relax, drink tea and pay loving attention to you.
