Mother's Day

Showing appreciation for our mammies.

So it seems Mother’s Day is approaching. Oh joy, so soon after Valentine’s Day we get another excuse to buy flowers, chocolates and jewellery, to prove that we really love the people in our lives.

As with “Saint” Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day hatched from a religious event. Falling in Britain and Ireland on the fourth Sunday of Lent, Mother’s Day has morphed into a huge advertising opportunity. I’m in no way religious but as with Christmas, Easter and Valentine’s Day, I think religious festivals should be left to be celebrated by the faithful, while the rest of us get on with our lives. Obviously we celebrate Christmas at home but not the religious aspect.

We don’t celebrate Mother’s Day either in our house. Usually my mum says something like “Just bring me a cup of tea in bed” but by the time I’m up on a Sunday, it’s well past the tea in bed stage. Do I feel bad? No, because I do stuff like that all year round.

I make my own dinner, put the fire on, empty the dishwasher, set the table, clear up dinner and make a dessert for the family around once a week. So I do enough to not have to buy into the consumerism that both my parents whinge about constantly. My Dad sends his mum flowers for Mother’s Day but that’s alright; he sends her flowers for everything!

So, what about the people who HAVE to buy something for Mother’s Day? Those who are guilted by under appreciated mothers or forced by worried fathers? Well of course there are flowers. I hear Statoil do a handsome bouquet for those who don’t want to be ripped off by florists. Chocolates? Next week she’ll be moaning about having to lose weight and about going for 10 mile walks. If you buy jewellery for Mother’s Day, you’re an idiot. Good jewellery is far too expensive to bother with and no-one is happy with cheap, crappy jewellery.

Personally, I find that all women (ok, a good 95%) think candles or soap are good. Indeed, many’s the Christmas that’s been saved by a dash to Habitat to pick up the strangest candle they have. One that’s around the size of your head and takes a lifetime to burn! Books are also good but in my experience it’s hard to buy books for middle-aged women. However, a good one, especially by an unknown author, will score huge brownie points.

Something simple too, like making the dinner on Mother’s Day or even just a simple dessert can be more appreciated than a lot of other things. I know there’s the weight argument but I don’t think people (ok, women) care so much about calories and points when the food comes from their own kitchen.

I’ve often wondered about the role of girls in the whole Mother’s Day thing. I come from a family of two boys and my Dad comes from one of six boys and one girl. I’ve never heard my mother speak about Mother’s Day from a daughter’s perspective. Is this frenzied card-and-flower buying something that is only forced upon men? I’m not trying to be sexist or anything here, it’s just that I’d love to know how Mother’s Day affects daughters, as well as sons.

I think Mother’s Day is, in the end, commercial nonsense but just to make life easier on yourself do something for it, if only a text or a quick hug. It pays off, trust me.

Got an opinion or story about Mother’s Day? Tell all in the forum!

By: Ciarán Leinster