Celebrating Mother's Day without the cash splash.

We often take the people in our lives for granted, and none more so than our parents. Together they’re the people who feed us, clothe us and guide us into adulthood. But there is something special about the connection a mother has with her child. You may argue like cats and dogs, you may be comfortable in silence together or you may be chatty best friends; whatever the case, there is nothing quite like that unique bond.

With this in mind I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s only fitting that at least one day a year is dedicated to the women who bear us, who raise us and who make a huge contributing factor to the people we become.

Since time immemorial there have been celebrations based on mothers and motherhood. Just take into consideration the Greek cult dedicated to Cybele, the Roman festival of Hilaria or the Christian Mothering Sunday celebration. But the Mother’s Day we celebrate today has its roots in fairly recent history.

The tale of the modern day Mother’s Day is also the story of daughter’s love and respect for her mother. In 1868, in the U.S. state of Virginia, Ann Jarvis created a committee to establish a "Mother's Friendship Day", a day to reunite families torn apart by the American Civil War, with the potential to become a special day to honour all mothers. Sadly she died in 1905 before she saw her dreams fully realised. Her daughter, Anna Jarvis, took up the helm on the day of her mother’s memorial. She pledged that she would continue in the efforts, allegedly saying, “by the grace of God, you shall have that Mother’s Day”. She campaigned tirelessly, writing letters to people in positions of power, finally finding an ally in a Philadelphia merchant John Wanamaker who supported the cause. Meanwhile, Anna also held a yearly memorial for her mother that grew year after year. By 1911 most of the States celebrated the day and in 1914 President Woodrow Wilson finally declared it a national holiday.

The idea caught on internationally too. Mother’s Day is now observed all around the world. Different countries honour their matriarchs on different days of the year, but the underlying sentiment is the same. The Jarvis’ story doesn’t have particularly happy ending. Although Anna Jarvis achieved what she and her mother set out to do, she ended her life fighting against the very thing she created. She abhorred the commercialisation of the day saying, “a printed card means nothing except that you are too lazy to write to the woman who has done more for you than anyone in the world. And candy! You take a box to Mother—and then eat most of it yourself. A pretty sentiment”. She died after spending her inheritance campaigning against what the day had become.

So, Mother’s Day…what’s it all about? Is it really about commemorating the enduring bond between mother and child or is it simply another reason to head out to the shops and splash some cash (all in the name of love of course)? You may agree with Anna Jarvis or you may think the whole day is just made up to boost the revenue of card companies, flower shops and restaurants. But flowers, chocolates, other gift items, even cards, aren’t really necessary. Being grateful and showing it doesn’t cost any money at all. This Mother’s day why not think inside the box? Instead of buying a fancy card why not make one with a nice little note inside? Why not substitute store bought flowers with ones handpicked from your garden? Instead of splashing out on a meal at an expensive restaurant try making a homemade one with Mum right next to you. Sure these suggestions are much harder than the prepackaged options, but they will show that you care enough to give up the most valuable commodity we have in our busy modern lives: time. And who better to give that up to? Mother’s Day is about giving credit to and honouring the woman who gave you life. After all, you only get one of them.