When is Mother’s Day? Mother’s Day 2018 is this coming Sunday, May 13th. But before you rush out and buy the obligatory chocolates and order flowers for your mother, why not take a moment and reflect on this historical holiday. When there is a day marked on the calendar to celebrate your mother, it can be both a positive and a negative thing. It is a positive thing to set aside a day to let your loved one know how much you appreciate their role in your life. However, marked calendar dates such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day tend to become overly commercialized in a consumer culture such as ours.
Helium balloons, oversized cards, and artisan chocolates resemble more of a saccharine overload than a genuine tribute to motherhood. While it’s better to do this than nothing at all, it’s only a mild degree better. Mothers around the world surely deserve more than a last minute thought on this special day. The thought you put into the gift or experience you give them has absolutely nothing (or at least, very little) to do with money, and absolutely everything to do with thoughtfulness and understanding. The thought you put into a gift says much more than a handful of dollars ever will, and when you give your mom something that shows you know who they are and what they find meaningful, they will gain a greater sense of how much you love them than ever before.
Why do we celebrate Mother’s Day? Originally it’s founder, Anna Jarvis, petitioned the court for a holiday to celebrate and honor mom’s after the death of her own mother, she wanted to use the day to commemorate her mother’s passions and would protest and rally for causes her mother supported on the day. Jarvis said that Mother’s deserved a day of recognition, a day to celebrate our own mother’s, “the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world”.That’s why, for this upcoming Mother’s Day, we’re going to give you some innovative ways of showing your mother you care:
Spend Time Together
As we get older and move out of the family home, time with your mother becomes more and more valuable. This is even truer when you get married and have your own children. If you’re someone who only likes to spend time with your mother in small doses due to a personality clash, it’s much easier to just send a card in the mail or have some flowers delivered. Sacrificing your time to spend time together with your mother this Mother’s Day will show her that despite your differences, or despite the geographical or emotional baggage between the two of you, you can still prioritize her needs on this special day. Every mother loves their child, even if they don’t show it in a way you understand. Setting aside time shows her how much you truly care.
Write Her a Letter
There is no better time than Mother’s Day to tell your mom everything that you appreciate about her. A Mother’s Day card is one thing, but when we get someone a card we tend to just sign our name and maybe put a few thoughtless kisses at the end. It’s not often you see a long-winded letter inside a celebratory card. So, why not set some time aside and sit down and write your mother an actual letter? Pointing out specific positive memories or incredible experiences you had together will solidify the bond you have with one another, and she will have something to treasure and look back on. Children are generally the center of their mother’s universe, so a written account of how much she means to you will truly make her day this year.
Make Her Day Special
Everyone is different, and we all have our whims and idiosyncrasies. Perhaps your mother loves to paint or do embroidery. Maybe she relishes the most difficult crossword puzzles or Sudoku. Whatever it is, try to include her favorite things as part of the activities you arrange for her special day. It’s a cliche to say that ‘life is short’, but it really is. Think of every day as if you only have today to make the most of friends and family. Put this attitude into the celebrations that mark the calendar every year, and they will soon transform from commercialized obligations into genuine displays of love and affection.
Thank you mamas and I hope you all get celebrated in a way that feels authentic and real this Mother’s Day because let’s face it, “Who run the world?” Mom’s do, yes we do.
