Mother's Day is a fake holiday (someone had to say it)

Come on.  We all know that Mother's Day is a fake holiday.  I've written about this before.  About not really being a fan, even as the mother of 3 adult kids who I love dearly and believe they love me.  But could this year be different as I think about my daughter Jenny who will celebrate her first Mother's Day as a mother?  Will that soften my view?


Hell no.


I still am not a fan.  I am a jaded social worker for sure.  Maybe if we called it Good Mothers Day.  Or call it Mothers Who are Just So-So Day.  Or even Mothers Who Did The Best They Could Day might work.  All moms are not created equal and there are many who have not earned this special day.  It's tough on their kids to be reminded every second Sunday in May that they were cheated out of good childhood.


For the record, I am not talking about my own mother.  She gets a gigantic package from Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, Tx. 


Mother's Day started out as a real holiday in 1908.  Young Anna Jarvis so loved and honored her own mother she began the process for setting aside an official day for "the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world."  Her mother, Ann Jarvis, cared for soldiers in the Civil War - from both sides of the conflict.  Ann Jarvis also advocated for public health issues.  The idea in the beginning was to simply communicate to your mother the reasons she is important.


It didn't take long before Hallmark and others (candy makers, florists) hijacked poor Anna Jarvis' holiday.  She began protesting the idea of profiting from Mother's Day, even getting herself jailed.  Hmm.  She really loved her mother, I think, who by that time had died.  In the end, she lost her fight to keep it real.  Sad fact.


Paul will be glad to know I'm not that invested in a Mother's Day protest.  In fact, I am part of the problem as I will be receiving gifts (I am told) and have (as previously mentioned) purchased a gift.  But NO Hallmark card!  Gotta draw the line somewhere.