What Does Mother’s Day Mean to You?

With only a little over a week until Mother’s Day, it seemed appropriate to discuss Mother’s Day in the Social Fabric community this week. We focused on what Mother’s Day means to our members and the things that make it special. Of course, we also wanted to know what gifts they’re planning to purchase this year and where they like to shop for those gifts.

We had 48 responses to our theme survey this week. Take a look at the results….

The first question we asked was what type of gifts members like to give to their own mothers. 65% answered flowers and plants, 53% answered handmade items, 48% answered photo gifts, and 43% answered gift cards. Smaller percentages answered that they like to give things like candy, home decor, spa packages, and jewelry. Next we asked how they plan to celebrate Mother’s Day this year. 66% answered they plan to spend it with their kids, and 24% will be spending time with Mom. Other answers included spending it with both Mom and the kids. Our next question pertained to how far in advance they plan for Mother’s Day. 45% answered they plan a couple weeks in advance; 12% said they don’t plan for it at all. So, where do members shop for Mother’s Day gifts and cards? 68% answered a mass retailer (like Walmart, Kmart or Target), while smaller percentages answered places like a card/gift shop, specialty store, a craft store, a nursery/greenhouse, online, and even a home improvement store. Finally, our last question asked how much is typically spent on a gift for their mother. 40% answered $20-$40.

We had a great discussion going on in the Social Fabric community about just what Mother’s Day means to each person, and bloggers also shared links with us of special Mother’s Day posts they’ve written. Enjoy some excerpts from that discussion, and take a trip over to a few of their blogs….

Alicia, from Making Time for Mom, has written a post that will tug on your heartstrings, Sending a Balloon to Heaven. She also shares a great Mother’s Day craft idea for Picture Flowers, as well as a top 10 list of things she’d like for Mother’s Day.

I always get my Mom a card with one of the hundreds of free card offers that pop up during the holidays.  My favorite gift to give would be a photo gift.  She doesn’t have enough frames for all of the pictures of her grandchild.  She asks that we don’t spend a lot of money on gifts for her because she would rather see us than get a gift. I am having a hard time deciding how I will spend the day between Grandmas, Mom, MIL and myself.  That is the dilemma in my head… ~ Mallery from Mallery’s Deals.

Hanan, from Lilac City Momma, has a Mother’s Day Gift Guide for 2012.

Mother’s Day means even more to me than I’d ever realized it would when I started having children. My own mom is no longer with us so I spend every mother’s day, not only with my own children but also with my husband’s mother, step-mother and his sister. We have a big cookout to celebrate us all together. His mom and step-mom’s birthdays are right around Mother’s Day, as well, plus they both get along! (Strange, but true. We all even vacation together!!!) So we combine it with their birthdays too. Aside from the cookout, I try to get them all a nice little gift, usually a plant or a gift card or gift bag with a few goodies inside. When my mom was still here, we would celebrate together and I always made sure to get her something personal. One year, we bought each other matching mother/daughter necklaces, you know, the hearts that you are to break in half. One person gets one half, and the other gets the other. Only we didn’t want to break them up so we each wore the entire heart. It said mother on one half and daughter on the other. Now, I have both our necklaces and a son and three daughters of my own! Losing my mom when I was having my own children really hit hard and drove home the need to celebrate everything. That’s why we include everyone and do it together. No one is left out ~ Crystal from Cinnamon Hollow.

Tonia, from The Gunny Sack, has a beautiful handmade gift idea in {Washi Tape} Book Page Pillow Boxes for Mother’s Day Gifts.

I’m so excited about Mother’s Day this year!  I’m taking my Mother, my Mother-in-Law, my Sister-in-Law {who’s a Mama to two young boys}, and my 2 year old daughter for a Girl’s Day!  We’re starting with brunch at The Melting Pot – it will be the first time for all of them to go – and a day of fun, girly shopping!  I hope it becomes a tradition!!! ~ Lindsey from So Easy Being Green.

Anna, from Random Handprints, shares her own personal Mother’s Day Reflections.

Now that I am a mom, I love the homemade gifts! I keep every one of them! For my mom, I help my kids make her something and then I usually do something creative. One year I made her a video from old family photos. This year I am ordering a canvas with a pic of all the grandkids ~ Heather from Living on Love and Cents.

Olfa, from Our Family World, has a few Mother’s Day Craft Ideas for Kids.

I don’t have any tried and true traditions as a mom, but in the past 4 years it has really just been about making sure we do something nice and relaxed as a family. Quite often it ends up being real family friendly (kiddie restaurant or even kiddie attraction) to make sure we all enjoy it. This is the first year in about 8 years that I will be close to my mom, still not in the same city, but at least in the same continent. She is getting a photo album full of pictures of my kids. It seems that it has been all about the grandmothers getting the flowers, cards and painting from our kids. I guess they started the legacy so they deserve it, right? ~ Ghada from Mama Goes BAM.

Another post that may tug on the heartstrings is from Melissa at Home Grown Families, Dearest Mother.

My water broke on Mother’s Day night last year. Gave birth to my 2nd daughter the next night. Mother’s Day will never be as great as that! Celebrating her birthday is the greatest Mother’s Day gift ~ Caroline from Smarty Pants Mama.

Kim, from Fashion Cents, shares Mother’s Day Gifts that She Will Truly Love.

For me, Mother’s Day is all about tradition!  Since I was a child, my mom would take my brothers and me to a local berry farm each year to pick strawberries and blackberries, picnic, and to take our haul home to make pies and jam.  When I became a mother, I decided to carry on my mom’s tradition and show her how much it meant to me by making Mother’s Day our family day to pick strawberries at the same local farm we went to in my childhood. Every year my husband, our two girls and I pick up “Grandma” and head out to the farm.  We pick tons of big, juicy, sweet berries, then enjoy a slice of homemade pie back at  the farm’s barn.  We then take off for a local market that cures their own meats where we pick up a picnic lunch.  We picnic, then return home to make pies, jam, and chocolate dipped strawberries.  My mom and I enjoy sharing the love by bringing the chocolate dipped strawberries to our co-workers the next day ~ Jennifer from Rook No. 17.

It means I get to celebrate the best things in my life… my kids! ~ Lori from A Day in Motherhood.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms reading this…. may your day be filled with love and relaxation.

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