Mother’s Day is a special day dedicated to honouring and celebrating mothers. It is a day when people all around the world stop and reflect on the selfless love and care that mothers have given to their children and families. In this blog post, we will explore the history and traditions of Mother’s Day and provide a range of Mother's Day gift ideas to help you celebrate your mother in style.
How Mother's Day started
The origins of Mother’s Day can be traced back to ancient civilisations, where mothers were honoured and celebrated as goddesses. This was because mothers were considered the givers and nurturers of life, and their contribution to society was valued and respected. However, as history progressed and home life evolved, a mother’s role quickly shifted to being the head of the household, labouring away often without much recognition at all.
In 1905 after her mother’s death, American activist Anna Jarvis decided to change this and started a campaign to honour mothers and the sacrifice they make for their children and families. She argued that holidays were biased towards male achievements, and that women, particularly mothers, should receive their well-deserved recognition as well. After years of lobbying, President Woodrow Wilson declared the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day in 1914. Since then, Mother’s Day has become a popular holiday celebrated in many countries around the world, including here in Aotearoa.
How is Mother's Day celebrated around the world?
Mother’s Day is celebrated differently around the world, with unique celebrations influenced by countries, cultures, and heritage.
For instance, in India, Hindus honor Durga, the goddess of mothers, in a ten-day festival held during October. In Ethiopia, the Antrohst festival observed at the end of the rainy season is dedicated to celebrating mothers, where families come together to sing, dance and tell stories of their ancestors. In Brazil, Mother’s Day is a multi-generational celebration of all mother figures, including mothers, grandmothers, and aunts.
How is Mother's Day celebrated in New Zealand?
Here in New Zealand, like many Western countries, we often celebrate Mother’s Day by giving cards, flowers, and Mother's Day gifts to symbolise our appreciation for Mum. However, there is no one set way to celebrate.
To celebrate your mum this Mother’s Day, you can choose to follow the popular options of giving Mother’s Day gift baskets or flowers, or you could forge your own tradition by creating a special celebration just for your mum.
How to know what to give Mum as a Mother’s Day Gift?
Every mum is unique with individual preferences. Before deciding what to give her or do with her, take a step back and ask yourself a few questions:
- What does Mum like when she treats herself to something nice?
- How has Mum reacted in the past when I’ve given her certain gifts - has she liked some more than others?
- What is she interested in - does she have any particular hobbies or interests?
- Has she mentioned anything recently that she would love to do?
- How has she been seeming lately - happy, tired, stressed?
Answering these questions should give you a starting point to brainstorm ideas for the perfect gift.
Mother's Day Gift ideas
Here are some Mother’s Day gift ideas to inspire you:
Mother’s Day Flowers
Flowers are the traditional Mother’s Day gift and for good reason; they are beautiful and one-of-a-kind, just like Mum. You can get flowers that match her favourite colours, or if you know her favourite flower you can spoil her with a tailored bouquet. We have a small range of Bouquets and Flower Gift Boxes available on our website here, or checkout our friends at The Wild Rose who have an impressive range of flowers available for delivery nationwide.
Mother’s Day Gift Baskets
Gift Baskets are a great for when you’re not sure what to get Mum, or when you want to spoil her to a bit of everything. We’ve designed a range of beautiful Gift Baskets especially for Mum, that encourage her to relax, unwind and indulge. Including luxurious candles, champagne, premium chocolate and more there’s something that she’s sure to love. Options starting from $99.95 - checkout our Mother's Day range here.
Candles and Diffusers
For many Mum’s their home is their sanctuary, it’s where they raised their family and it’s also where they nestle up to relax and unwind. Add a touch of beauty to her home with a gorgeous candle or diffuser, which not only smell gorgeous, they look it too! With options starting from $25 with a burn time of 25hrs, this is a great low-cost gift that will bring her joy with a long time. Check out our beautiful range here.
Personalised Cookies
Want a unique Mother’s Day gift that she’s sure to remember for years to come? Why not create personalised cookies with photos of her and you on them, and a message letting her know how much you love her? For a fun, low-cost gift checkout our friends at Hello&Cookie.
Mother's Day is a special occasion to celebrate the love and sacrifices that mothers make for their families. While the history and traditions of the holiday vary across different cultures and countries, the sentiment remains the same - to show appreciation and gratitude towards the incredible mothers in our lives. Whether it's through a bouquet of flowers, a thoughtful Mother's Day gift basket, or a simple homemade treat, there are many ways to make Mother's Day special for the amazing women who have given us so much. So let's take this opportunity to honour and celebrate our mothers, not just on this special day, but every day of the year.
Shop our Mother's Day collection here
Blog sources:
history.com - Mother's Day 2023
scholastic.com - Mother's Day Traditions Around The World
