The balance of messages from the heart and mental blocks that come with the idea of celebrating mom arises from these words– Mother’s Day. A celebration that is in over 50 countries for people to carry on but not all on the same second Sunday in May. Mother’s Day in America became an annual and official holiday by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914.
There are traditions you might have growing up, like making her breakfast that morning and handing over a craft you made in school. Being able to give it to her on that day meant hiding it for a few days before “the day.”
That was always exciting for me. I can be really bad about keeping a secret I’m passionate about for any amount of time. I get a little impatient. However, my patience has definitely grown since becoming a mom 18 years ago.
Looking back, holidays like this can be a little more exciting as a kid because more of our moms were alive back then, or life was simpler, and days to celebrate something were always fun. Those were the good ol’ days when simple handmade, free or inexpensive gifts we made in school were the best gifts, and making a trip to see her meant walking down the hall to her room.
As adults, we are fed numerous commercial ideas of what “Mom Wants” for that one Sunday that comes around once a year. We might wonder if we keep out-gifting ourselves from the year before because now we can afford more, or just keep it as the usual: flowers and a card gift. Nothing creative, but still sweet. What did that commercial just suggest or that blog listed mom wants you to get her, you suddenly ponder. But what does your mom want, really? Anything?
Then we become mothers ourselves if we’re lucky. Becoming a mom is one of my greatest life accomplishments- making it through the nine months of nurturing the unborn and then spending a day in labor to bring a child into the world officially. Then doing it all over again because I thought that kind of love and cuteness was worth the pain.
I’ve always been the type of person where physical presence and acts of service are my love language. Those are the kind of gifts I’d want on Mother’s Day. In simpler terms, hang out with me and help me. I’ve spent so many days invested in my children’s health, academics, joy and serving them in general that the gesture of getting that back is always appreciated. Mother’s Day or any day.
For Mother’s Day this year, my husband, kids and I plan on making the 40-plus mile trip up the mountain to the high desert to see my mom and grandma at my Dad’s request. He’s probably spent the past couple of weeks with my Mom getting the backyard beautiful and the house cleaner than clean for our arrival. We’re bringing a strawberry shortcake from Portos (because I’m not a baker) and a couple of gifts (I am a maker). I’ve been enjoying sewing banners made of fabric in my free time lately and have made her a couple to hang around the house and her garden to match her decor. I also bought her a candle that is the scent of her favorite flower.
We are a little crafty group of women, so making things is special and fun for us. Being the homemaker type of woman, gifts to cheer up and decorate a place where we spend a lot of time is a good gift. What kind of mom do you have? That’ll let you know how you can celebrate her.
Of course there are moms who just want a day in bed doing nothing but reading, sleeping, watching TV and not having to lift a finger for anything laborious. Then we have some moms who want to dress up, take a trip to a botanical garden and have tea. It’s a “me” day. They want to call the shots and they want us there for some pictures. Say cheese!
On the other hand, some might ask, “When do we stop showing up for Mother’s Day?” Offhand I indelicately say, “When she’s dead or you move out of state.” But I’ve seen a cemetery dressed with flowers for moms in many cities, so that sometimes tosses that idea out the window. Mom is gone but not forgotten. Having a picture of mom out on a table at home could be enough when she’s gone over the rainbow, too.
I think that’ll be the day when I will have a day in bed, going nowhere unless someone wants me to or I’ve got something I’ve had in mind and will use the holiday as an excuse to go.
I also know that many times, life gets a little less picturesque and a relationship with mom is strained (I’ve experienced that too, I’m 41) or non-existent. Maybe another mother-like figure has been a part of your life that you’d like to celebrate, and that is special, too. You can always send a text to someone you appreciate and want to express that you’ve thought of them.
Then again, if the thought of reconciling a relationship or starting anew that you’d like to have with Mom, choose this day and take it one day at a time. We always need some kind of excuse or push to get things going, so here it is– Mother’s Day 2026.
