Sunday, May 11, 2008

Mother's Day

Today is Mother's Day in the US. Somehow the American Mother's Day seems much more... serious than the Swedish one? The Swedish Mother's Day feels more... voluntarily. Some celebrate it, and some don't (or has this changed in the past years?). I remember making drawings for my mom on "Mors Dag", and maybe we gave her breakfast in bed, but I don't remember it as being a Big Day (hm... maybe she thought it was and wanted it to be...?).

Whereas here, it feels you more or less have to celebrate it. I found some statistics saying that 94% of all consumers participate someway in the Mother's Day celebration here - and somehow I'm guessing this is way more than in Sweden? Americans are anticipated to spend an average of $139.63 today this year and the total spending is expected to be $15,8 billion (National Retail Federation).

15,8 billion.

That's a lot of money.

The restaurants will be full today with children taking their mothers (and men taking the mother of their children) out for brunch, lunch or dinner. Every magazine have been full of possible gifts and the flower departments in the stores will be empty by closing time.

My under 4ft offspring are too small yet to understand that they are Americans and should come up with a hundred bucks to spend on their mama (despite her being Swedish born, I should be counted in the statistics, shouldn't I??) and if I know my Husband right, he will have totally missed the blast of retail promotion of this special day and tomorrow till be just a regular day in my house.

Oh, well. There is always microwave popcorn - and - the weather is always great on Mother's Day in California.

(Picture of Mother's Day bouquet for $69.99 from Interflora.com)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

hi maam,

ya we here also Celebrated Mother's Day.
But You know here the Second Sunday of May was Yesterday.

newayz You wrote that "should you be counted in the Statistics".

well i think You Must be counted and if fact You are counted.

regards.

Isle Dance said...

I think it's become much more commercial in recent years, though I do always remember making cards, etc. as a child. However, I really believe every day should be treated special...nobody need wait for that one day to say special things of gratitude. No?

JaCal said...

Anonymous - well I hope so! ;-) I don't know what part of the world you're in - but we had the second Sunday of May too yesterday - our time... ;-)

Isle Dance - you're so right. I never really "got" the Mother's Day or Father's Day. Even though I like having "special days" too - occasions and reasons to do something fun. It just seems a tiny bit too commercial these days...