Mother's Day is about celebrating the wonderful woman who brought you into this world and all her wonderful. Here are some reasons to make it the best Mother's Day she's ever had.
It’s over 100 years old.
Well, at least its American incarnation is. Mother’s Day in the US, celebrated on the second Sunday in May, was proclaimed an official national holiday in 1914 by President Woodrow Wilson, making it 101 years old this year. Its founder Anna Jarvis never had children of her own, but was inspired to organise the first Mother's Day observances in 1908 after the death of her own mum three years earlier. However, when the holiday became a commercial phenomenon, Jarvis gave everything (including a sizable part of her inheritance) to have it removed it from the calendar.
It has different origins in different countries.
In 19th century Bolivia, a group of women banded together on the 27th of May to fight the Spanish Army for independence, resulting in hundreds dead. As a legacy to their bravery, a national law was passed in the 1920s marking that historic day as the country’s national Mother’s Day. In Ethiopia, Mother’s Day isn’t tied to a specific date. Instead, people wait out the wet season to gather for a large, three-day celebration known as Antrosht, in which the mother plays a key role in preparing traditional meals for the festival. And most countries in the Middle East celebrate Mother's Day on March 21, the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. It is said journalist Mustafa Amin first introduced this holiday in his book “Smiling America” (1943). However, Mother's Day in this region dates back decades, perhaps even centuries, as far as the ancient Egyptians, who dedicated a day in a year to celebrate Isis, the mother of Pharaohs.
It’s the perfect occasion to immortalise your mum.
Every life and every story begins with a mother. So, on this special day, why not take the opportunity to get a bit more personal and eternalise her story? Ask yourself: How much do you really know about her past, her present, her fears, her successes, her loves, her dreams? Mother’s Day is not only a time for you to really bond; it can also be the perfect opportunity to offer generations in your family access to the one woman who ties you all together.
Sit down with your mum for a few heart-to-heart conversations this Mother’s Day and offer to record each one of them. Look through old albums, letters, and other memorabilia together, work on digitising select items such as old photographs or a special note, by scanning or photographing them, and have her tell you about each item while recording these stories using a Dictaphone or your mobile phone.
To get motivated, grab a few mother-inspired books for both of you to read such as Hanan Al-Shaykh’s “The Locust and the Bird: My Mother's Story” and “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou.
It’s a time to realise you are your mother.
As Oscar Wilde put it, “All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That’s his.” Whether this rings true for you or not so much, Mother’s Day can be the perfect time to really reflect on how much your mother is a part of who you are today. Do you find yourself saying things like, “You should listen to some real music!” to your own kids? Or do you trust that your mum will be there cheering you on just minutes after you post something on Facebook or Instagram because she just likes everything you do? Do you appreciate all the years she has spent giving you unconditional love, offering unwavering faith, and sacrificed for you? And if you think about it, you’re probably picking up some of her mannerisms, or maybe you have even taken on some of her personality traits, both the good and the not-so good. So, this year, take some time to really see how much your mother is a part of who you are and how much you are thankful for her, and cherish every moment while you still have it.
It’s the perfect day to really spoil her.
Inject some love and laughter into your Mother's Day celebration this year. Show your mum that you truly value everything she’s done for you, and give her a real reason to dress up. Along with the usual gifts of flowers, chocolates and perfumes, get a little bit more practical with a day of pampering that will surely bring a smile to your mother’s face. Whether she’s the traditional, sporty, artsy or career type, you can rest assured that your mother will appreciate a little R&R. Why not save up a bit and hire a professional cleaning company to tackle the entire house from top to bottom, and send your parents off together on a romantic day out? Or just simply arrange for a full spa day for your mum to spend by herself, or maybe with her closest friend or sister, and make sure it has massages, facials, makeovers, hair and nails, the full body works!
