We are now in the second
week of May, which means one of the most heavily commercialized holidays of the
year is coming up – Mother’s Day. As a kid, I loved this time of the
year. After a whole month of gloomy April showers – along with muddy
puddles and heaps of crawling worms on the asphalt – May emerged, carrying a
colorful array of flowers with it. In addition to the warm rays of
sunshine, the activities we did in school in preparation for Mother’s Day also
brightened my days. I remember making handmade gifts, one after another.
First was the foam picture frame, decorated with messily glued sequins
and glitter. Then it was a wooden-stick
pin, which I tried making into a mini version of my mom, complete with a set of
googly eyes and markered-in clothing. And
who could forget all of those painted and glazed clay bowls from years of
elementary school art classes?
Nonetheless, my favorite activity was making cards. On every Mother’s Day, I loved watching my
mom’s eyes crinkle as she smiled, reading my childish scribbles in between stick-figure, flower, and rainbow drawings.
It was the best feeling in the world.
But throughout the
years, I've come to the realization that Mother’s Day, or more specifically the
concept of it, doesn't really make sense to me. Beginning with the one in 1908, every Mother’s Day observance has been an effort to recognize the role of mothers and maternal
figures. Today, the celebration has
become a day of appreciating these motherly figures with gifts, such as cards,
flowers, and candy (which all can be picked up at a local Hallmark or grocery
store). Often times, many people spend
their second Sunday of May at a restaurant for a meal with their mothers. I’m not saying that these modern customs, so
to speak, aren't pleasant – because they are.
I guess I just feel that the essence of the holiday has been lost. Maybe it has something to do with not
spending the time making heartfelt hand-crafted gifts each year, but I think it
also has something to do with commercialization. Countless businesses have made huge bucks off of this single holiday throughout the past years, capitalizing on it as a source of revenue. Even Anna Jarvis, the woman who arranged that very first celebration in 1908, believed that Mother's Day was being abused, and protested the commercialization of the holiday in the mid-1950s.
 |
| Mommy and me |
More importantly, I
think the idea of openly expressing appreciation to mothers on a single day
each year has led to misconceptions regarding a child and mother’s
relationship. I think this annual
celebration allows people to generally believe that it's okay to show their love to maternal figures in their lives for one day, and that it's okay to not show their love for the other 364 days. Ultimately, an annual holiday shouldn't be perceived as an obligation to show love.
It's funny how perspectives can change over time. One of the holidays I used to always look forward to now seems trivial. But I hope that I can internalize the adoration I expressed when I was younger and make everyday a Mother's Day.
If you have any thoughts or comments about Mother's Day, feel free to e-mail me.
