Mothers' Day: gift etiquette

Pollycat

queen_of_cheap wrote: »

My mum would be happy with anything I did for her. In previous years, I've bought her several bunches of flowers and annoyed her because she didn't have enough vases :rotfl:

This year is a bit different because I have no job and zero income so I'll make her something nice, which she'll love regardless.

Whereas my brother and his wife will go all out to buy her the tackiest nastiest stuff ever that will sit in a cupboard until the enth of never *sigh*

Bless you.:T

I'm sure your Mum will appreciate your gift, whatever it is.

itsanne

I'd rather my kids didn't get me anything. I know they care about me for lots of reasons other than a card or gift on Mothers Day. I don't get my mother anything for the day either, but I spend enough time doing things for her that there would be a big problem if she didn't know I cared.

I like flowers - but my kids or OH can get them afterwards, when they come down in price (or I can get them then myself).

Bah humbug!

Grumpygit

Slightly off topic but why is it that the adverts all point to flowers and chocolates yet when Father's Day comes around, it's all rock CDs and power tools!

At least they last longer than some manly old flowers

onlyroz

I think mother's day is a load of nonsense and I would ignore it totally if I thought I could get away with it. But considering that I don't want to get disowned I've bought my mum some potted flowers. I've never expected my kids to do anything for my - my daughter has threatened to make me breakfast but I've told her the nicest thing she could do for me would be to let me have a lie-in.

Mrs_Ryan

My mum lives a long way from me so it's difficult to find stuff that I can buy her and send through the post. I bought her a Pandora bracelet for her 65th in 2014 and she's had so many gifts of charms and bought so many on her travels that it's nearly full, I bought her a charm for Christmas so I thought I would do something different for Mother's Day. I bought her a nightie from Sainsbury's with 'Amazing Mum' on the front. Easy enough to send through the post with a card.

Elsewhere

It's an American import, like Coca Cola and the modern Halloween and was brought over by US soldiers in WW2

" UK-based merchants saw the commercial opportunity in the holiday and relentlessly promoted it in the UK; by the 1950s, it was celebrated across all the UK."

My mother didn't believe in it and I never encouraged my children to either.

borkid

Grumpygit wrote: »

Slightly off topic but why is it that the adverts all point to flowers and chocolates yet when Father's Day comes around, it's all rock CDs and power tools!

At least they last longer than some manly old flowers[/QUOTE]


My daughter's already given me my present ( we're away for the actual day). An infinite number of white roses and if I take care of it , it will last forever, actually a white rose bush because I need more roses in the garden.

GwylimT

Unless someones mother is materialistic and can be 'bought' by her children then you don't have to spend a lot, or anything. My children think their mums worth is far more than a bottle of shower gel thats for sure.

Normally they make her breakfast in bed, the two younger ones make her a card and do an extra job in the house that day that she would normally do. They however do things for her throughout the year, not just on one day.

BNT

Elsewhere wrote: »

It's an American import, like Coca Cola and the modern Halloween and was brought over by US soldiers in WW2

" UK-based merchants saw the commercial opportunity in the holiday and relentlessly promoted it in the UK; by the 1950s, it was celebrated across all the UK."

My mother didn't believe in it and I never encouraged my children to either.

The American/international one is in May. I usually mark that one, as my mother's birthday is in March and there's only so many flowers she needs in the house at any one time.

The commercialisation comes not from America, but more from people turning a religious holiday (which comes from Europe ) into a secular one. A bit like Halloween or Christmas.

Person_one

Lunar_Eclipse wrote: »

As with all gifts, money really doesn't come in to it. It's always the thought that counts.

Well, it is and is isn't, I'd say.

I think gift giving generosity or lack of can depend on how much you spend on goodies and 'stuff' for yourself.

If you are somebody who always treats themselves to the latest phone/tablet/football season ticket/expensive clothes/meals out/events/cosmetics etc. then it seems a bit disingenuous to declare that 'stuff' is unimportant and its all about the thought when the time comes to put your hand in your pocket for other people!