Mother’s Day

MOTHER’S DAY

Written By: Camille Hord

Mother’s Day is always the second Sunday in May.  It is a celebration honoring the mother of the family and  in the United States, the celebration of Mother’s Day began in the early 20th century.  In many countries, Mother’s Day is synonymous with the Greek cult of Cybele and the Roman festival of Hilaria, just to name a couple.

I can remember Mother’s Day always being a special day for me.  Being the oldest child in the family I would have to choose a gift for Mom.  I can remember going down to Starbuck’s Department store on Broadway, and perusing everything to come up with the perfect gift. Starting at about ten years old we were allowed to go “downtown” on our own.  It was a different world then.  I would gather my “savings” from chores, also with a little help from my father, and off I would go.  I can remember some of the things I bought, such as Jean Nate’ after bath spray, a set of three bowls that had red tulips on them, a perfume called Muguet, that smelled like lilies of the valley and a pastel colored scarf.  I still have one of the tulip bowls.  My mother always acted so excited when she opened our gift, and it made me feel very special.

As I got older and became an adult then the gifts got bigger and better; lavish brunches, beautiful flowers, and expensive chocolates that she was so fond of.  The funny part is that I always equate the fragrance of Jean Nate’ with my mother and Mother’s day, so anytime I could find it in a drug store or online, I would always pick up a bottle of their “splash” as well.  I have to say, she always seems more excited about that then the expensive gifts.

I can remember as kids, she would put us in the car on a Sunday and drive for miles just because she loved to go about the countryside and point out farms, foliage and anything and everything that interested her.  At the end she would always find a place to have ice cream.  That was our pay off for not whining.

The bottom line is cherish your Mother, keep in touch regularly if you don’t live close and just spend time with her.  My Mom would live with me in the Summer as she usually returned from Florida or California, by the first of May.  Later in life,  on Mother’s day she’d say, “let’s just sit out on the patio and drink some wine or a Manhattan.  She loved those Manhattans ( a little cherry juice for sweetness).  I am thankful that she taught me to be an independent woman.  I miss her and those times.