Mother's Day Fast Facts

CNN Library

Updated 6:40 PM ET, Wed May 15, 2019

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By <a href="www.twitter.com/laurenmoorhouse" target="_blank"><strong>Lauren Said-Moorhouse</strong></a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/tarakelly" target="_blank"><strong>Tara Kelly</strong></a>, for CNN. <br /><br />In honor of Mother's Day, CNN asked some of the world's remarkable leading ladies: "What is the greatest lesson your mother taught you?" <br /><br />Michelle Obama has made her family a priority despite her demanding role as First Lady of the United States.To aid her and her husband in raising their children Malia and Sasha, the First Lady's mother, Marian Robinson moved into the White House. <br /><br />Robinson is often seen at public family events such as turning on the lights of the National Christmas Tree during a ceremony on the Ellipse near the White House in Washington, DC, December 9, 2010 (pictured).

Photos: Famous daughters: 'What I learned from my mom'

Michelle Obama – By Lauren Said-Moorhouse & Tara Kelly, for CNN.

In honor of Mother's Day, CNN asked some of the world's remarkable leading ladies: "What is the greatest lesson your mother taught you?"

Michelle Obama has made her family a priority despite her demanding role as First Lady of the United States.To aid her and her husband in raising their children Malia and Sasha, the First Lady's mother, Marian Robinson moved into the White House.

Robinson is often seen at public family events such as turning on the lights of the National Christmas Tree during a ceremony on the Ellipse near the White House in Washington, DC, December 9, 2010 (pictured).

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<a href="www.twitter.com/melindagates" target="_blank">Melinda Gates</a> is a distinguished American businesswoman who is well-known for her philanthropic efforts as the co-chair of the <a href="http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Who-We-Are/General-Information/Letter-from-Bill-and-Melinda-Gates" target="_blank">Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation</a>. She is pictured here with her mother and grandmother in 1978.

Photos: Famous daughters: 'What I learned from my mom'

Melinda Gates – Melinda Gates is a distinguished American businesswoman who is well-known for her philanthropic efforts as the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She is pictured here with her mother and grandmother in 1978.

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Venezuelan-American designer <a href="www.twitter.com/Houseofherrera" target="_blank">Carolina Herrera</a> has become a household name through her luxury fashion house, which she started three decades ago. A former guest on Leading Women, she revealed <a href="/2012/03/13/business/herrera-fashion-business" target="_blank">how she turned being chic into a business</a> with admirers including Jackie Onassis, Renee Zellweger and Tina Fey.

Photos: Famous daughters: 'What I learned from my mom'

Carolina Herrera – Venezuelan-American designer Carolina Herrera has become a household name through her luxury fashion house, which she started three decades ago. A former guest on Leading Women, she revealed how she turned being chic into a business with admirers including Jackie Onassis, Renee Zellweger and Tina Fey.

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As one of the leading women of tech, <a href="www.twitter.com/sherylsandberg" target="_blank">Sheryl Sandberg</a> is the COO of Facebook. As a <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/business/2013/04/09/leading-women-sheryl-sandberg-feminism.cnn" target="_blank">recent guest of the show</a>, she told CNN how she is <a href="/2013/04/17/business/sandberg-gender-equality" target="_blank">pushing for female empowerment</a> within the workplace by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/leanincommunity" target="_blank">"leaning in."</a>

Photos: Famous daughters: 'What I learned from my mom'

Sheryl Sandberg – As one of the leading women of tech, Sheryl Sandberg is the COO of Facebook. As a recent guest of the show, she told CNN how she is pushing for female empowerment within the workplace by "leaning in."

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Elif Shafak is a renowned award-winning writer from Turkey. She has been described as "one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Turkish and world literature" and has received the honorary distinction of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters.

Photos: Famous daughters: 'What I learned from my mom'

Elif Shafak – Elif Shafak is a renowned award-winning writer from Turkey. She has been described as "one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Turkish and world literature" and has received the honorary distinction of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters.

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<a href="www.twitter.com/camanpour" target="_blank">Christiane Amanpour</a><strong> </strong>is CNN's chief international correspondent and anchor of nightly foreign affairs show, <a href="http://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/" target="_blank">Amanpour</a>. She has reported from every major world news event and hotspot, including Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea as well as having interviewed most of the world's leaders, including Moammar Gadhafi, Hosni Mubarak, Tony Blair, Jacques Chirac and Hamid Karzai.

Photos: Famous daughters: 'What I learned from my mom'

Christiane Amanpour – Christiane Amanpour is CNN's chief international correspondent and anchor of nightly foreign affairs show, Amanpour. She has reported from every major world news event and hotspot, including Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea as well as having interviewed most of the world's leaders, including Moammar Gadhafi, Hosni Mubarak, Tony Blair, Jacques Chirac and Hamid Karzai.

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A woman of many talents, <a href="www.twitter.com/ariannahuff" target="_blank">Arianna Huffington</a> is best known for the internet-based news website, <a href="/2013/03/07/business/arianna-huffington-leading-women/index.html" target="_blank">The Huffington Post</a>. However, not content with roles as president, chair and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group, the <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/business/2013/03/12/leading-women-huffington-week-2.cnn" target="_blank">Greek-American has also had success</a> as an author and columnist.

Photos: Famous daughters: 'What I learned from my mom'

Arianna Huffingon – A woman of many talents, Arianna Huffington is best known for the internet-based news website, The Huffington Post. However, not content with roles as president, chair and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group, the Greek-American has also had success as an author and columnist.

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<a href="/2012/09/11/world/africa/alek-wek-south-sudan-journey" target="_blank">Sudanese-born supermodel Alek Wek</a> has taken runways by storm since emerging on the world's fashion scene in 1994. Since 2002, she has been an ambassador for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. <br /><br />She told CNN: "My mother had nine children, and raised us through two civil wars and raised us through exile, she has always had great strength and has always been so resilient, and her resilience when I look back is humbling. She always made us feel safe, she always just got on with things and protected us."

Photos: Famous daughters: 'What I learned from my mom'

Alek Wek – Sudanese-born supermodel Alek Wek has taken runways by storm since emerging on the world's fashion scene in 1994. Since 2002, she has been an ambassador for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

She told CNN: "My mother had nine children, and raised us through two civil wars and raised us through exile, she has always had great strength and has always been so resilient, and her resilience when I look back is humbling. She always made us feel safe, she always just got on with things and protected us."

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<a href="https://twitter.com/klustout" target="_blank">Kristie Lu Stout</a>, one of the hosts of CNN's Leading Women, is an award-winning anchor/correspondent based in Hong Kong. She is also the host of the nightly news program News Stream and CNN's monthly feature On China.

Photos: Famous daughters: 'What I learned from my mom'

Kristie Lu Stout – Kristie Lu Stout, one of the hosts of CNN's Leading Women, is an award-winning anchor/correspondent based in Hong Kong. She is also the host of the nightly news program News Stream and CNN's monthly feature On China.

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Breaking on to the world stage at <a href="/2012/10/11/world/gallery/international-day-of-the-girl" target="_blank">15 years old</a>, Vanessa Mae is an internationally-renowned musician who is currently training to compete in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. While she does not have a close relationship with her mother, Vanessa remains extremely close with her grandmother Kim Chua (pictured together in Zermatt, Switzerland).

Photos: Famous daughters: 'What I learned from my mom'

Vanessa-Mae – Breaking on to the world stage at 15 years old, Vanessa Mae is an internationally-renowned musician who is currently training to compete in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. While she does not have a close relationship with her mother, Vanessa remains extremely close with her grandmother Kim Chua (pictured together in Zermatt, Switzerland).

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Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock (pictured right) is a well-known space scientist from England. The photograph she has provided to Leading Women was taken at Buckingham Palace when she was awarded a Member of the British Empire by the queen in 2009. She says: "As an adult it was wonderful to have my mom beside me as I was given a medal from the Queen of England for services to Science and Education."

Photos: Famous daughters: 'What I learned from my mom'

Maggie Aderin-Pocock – Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock (pictured right) is a well-known space scientist from England. The photograph she has provided to Leading Women was taken at Buckingham Palace when she was awarded a Member of the British Empire by the queen in 2009. She says: "As an adult it was wonderful to have my mom beside me as I was given a medal from the Queen of England for services to Science and Education."

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Photos: Famous daughters: 'What I learned from my mom'

Caroline Mutoko – Caroline Mutoko is an influential radio presenter on Nairobi's Kiss 100 FM radio station, part of the Radio Africa brand. She is pictured with her young daughter Nduku.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/ftaylorCNN" target="_blank">Felicia Taylor</a> is an anchor and correspondent for CNN International. She is also one of the hosts of Leading Women.

Photos: Famous daughters: 'What I learned from my mom'

Felicia Taylor – Felicia Taylor is an anchor and correspondent for CNN International. She is also one of the hosts of Leading Women.

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Yoko Ono is a Japanese musician and artist who was married to John Lennon. She has spent many years as an active campaigner for peace and women's rights.

Photos: Famous daughters: 'What I learned from my mom'

Yoko Ono – Yoko Ono is a Japanese musician and artist who was married to John Lennon. She has spent many years as an active campaigner for peace and women's rights.

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Photos: Famous daughters: 'What I learned from my mom'

Indra Nooyi – Indian-American business executive Indra Nooyi is the present chairperson and CEO of PepsiCo. Last year, Forbes ranked her 12th in their Power Women list.

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Leading Women ONLY Michelle Obama Mothers Day

(CNN)Mother's Day is observed on the second Sunday in May in the United States. It is also celebrated in many other countries.

May 10, 2020 - Mother's Day.

Facts:
In 2017, 26.8 was the average age in the United States for first-time mothers.

In its early days, people observed Mother's Day by going to church, and by writing letters to their mothers. Eventually, sending cards and giving gifts and flowers were added to the tradition.

More people purchase fresh flowers and plants for Mother's Day than for any other holiday except Christmas/Hanukkah.

In 2019, the National Retail Federation (NRF) estimates that US consumers will spend $25 billion celebrating Mother's Day. Shoppers will spend an average of $196.00 on Mom.

Most consumers will give cards (75%) and flowers (67%) to their mothers or take her out to eat (55%) in 2018, but more money will be spent on jewelry ($5.2 billion) than any other category, according to the NRF.

According to the Insure.com 2018 Mother's Day Index, the various tasks moms perform at home would be worth $68,875 (up from $67,619 in 2017) a year in the professional world.

Anna Jarvis started the tradition of wearing a carnation on Mother's Day. A colored carnation means that a person's mother is living. A white carnation indicates that a person's mother is deceased.

While many countries celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May, a tradition which began in the US, it's celebrated annually on May 10 in Mexico. Similar celebrations of mothers are held on various days of the year in other countries, often following ancient or religious traditions.

In Britain and some parts of Europe, the fourth Sunday of Lent was often celebrated as Mothering Day, but that has been replaced by Mother's Day, for the most part.

Timeline:
1872 - Julia Ward Howe, who is a pacifist, suffragette, and writer of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," first suggests Mother's Day in the United States. She suggests the day as a day mothers could rally for peace and for several years, she holds an annual Mother's Day meeting in Boston.

1908 - Anna Jarvis begins a campaign for a nationwide observance of Mother's Day in honor of her late mother, a community health advocate. Anna Jarvis was deeply dismayed over the commercialization of Mother's Day. Before she died in 1948, she admitted that she regretted ever starting the holiday.

May 9, 1914 - President Woodrow Wilson signs a bill recognizing Mother's Day as a national holiday.