Sunday, October 28, is Mother-in-Law Day, a time for celebrating and honoring the woman who raised your spouse. Some might be surprised to learn that a figure so frequently vilified and accused of meddling or controlling–often unfairly, of course–gets a holiday all her own. Created in 2002 To celebrate those special in laws, here are two stories of the most notorious mothers-in-laws in history. These famously difficult ladies might just give you an extra dose of appreciation for your own mother-in-law on her special day.
When Franklin Roosevelt fell for his distant cousin Eleanor, his mother Sara took him on a cruise to dissuade him from pursuing the shy, orphaned debutante. Nevertheless the couple married on March 17, 1905. As a wedding present, Sara built her only child and his bride a townhouse on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, designing and furnishing it herself. What the Roosevelts didn’t realize when they accepted her generous offer was that the plan included an adjacent home–complete with connecting doors on every floor–for Sara to inhabit. During the early years of her marriage, Eleanor lived in the shadow of her domineering mother-in-law, who ordered the future first lady to abandon her charity work, managed the household and spoiled the Roosevelt children. Eleanor finally gained some independence when her husband got elected to the New York State Senate and moved the family to Albany, leaving Sara behind
In her mother’s opinion, at least, Bess Wallace could have done much better than Harry Truman, a farmer’s son who never graduated from college and couldn’t seem to hold down a job. At least Madge Gates Wallace could look after her daughter and son-in-law during the early years of their marriage, since they couldn’t afford a home of their own. When Harry entered politics, Madge belittled him constantly, questioned his policy decisions and expressed doubt that he could ever succeed; she famously expected that Thomas Dewey, to whom she’d taken a shine, would trounce President Truman in 1948. Though Madge often declared that Bessie’s influence alone had put Harry in the White House, she didn’t mind moving with the couple to the executive mansion, where she continued to chide her son-in-law for his failings.
Wether your Mother in Law is special or not so special, why not suprise her with a beautiful floral arrangement from your local florist, watch the smile on her face, at least for a day!! Maybe.
