Mother's Day 2013: Holiday Facts and How to Celebrate

Mother's Day is upon us once again. This holiday has had quite an impact on our world's culture — it strengthens relationships within families and gives people feelings of positivity. It stimulates the economy with gifts and cards we buy. It indirectly leads children and their siblings to get their rear ends off the couch and do something for Mom. Last but not least, it allows mothers — the most important people in our lives — to feel how they should: happy.

Mother's Day is something to constantly celebrate, but what is it exactly? It's a celebration of those who took care of us while we were growing up — a celebration of life and true labor — and the meaning of sacrificing one's time and energy for another human being. While this might sound like a lecture on the importance of motherhood, there certainly isn't a place like home, and there's certainly nothing like a mother to take care of us. Celebrating them once a year certainly isn't enough, so most sons and daughters do something to make this day truly wonderful.

We have Anna Jarvis to thank for this. She started with a celebration of her own mother in 1908 and began a campaign to increase awareness. Jarvis decided to set the official celebratory date as the second Sunday in May. As the movement spread worldwide, it merged with similar traditions in other countries — like "Mothering Sunday" in the British Isles. This led to the present day "Mother's Day."

So what should you do or get your mother?  

A new possibility has emerged with some of the customized gift sites now available on the internet. You can now say "I personalized Mom's gift" with an item emblazoned with various options — including her picture or yours, a photo of your kids, the family dog, a scene from last year's vacation — the sky's the limit! On Spreadshirt, you can customize t-shirts, baseball caps, tote bags, and so forth. CafePress also has customizable clothing plus a much wider variety of non-clothing items, ranging from wall posters to tableware. Crystal Custom will imprint the lens of a pair of sunglasses with a message for mom to wear — which may drive her crazy when she's trying to see out of the lenses, but, hey, it's the thought that counts, right?

Of course, personalizing Mom's gifts has been around since the days of Anna Jarvis. Her personalized gift was something especially nice for mom — starting a worldwide movement to honor mothers. Hey, it's the thought that counts!