Firefly Creative Design: Mother's Day: Commercialization Of a Sentiment?

Monday, April 23, 2012

Mother's Day: Commercialization Of a Sentiment?

Anna Jarvis, a West Virginia native, is credited with launching the campaign that resulted in the tradition of Mother's Day. At first, people celebrated Mother's Day by attending church and writing letters to their mothers, but as time went by the increasing retail activity associated with Mother's Day enraged Jarvis. She felt that the day's true sentiment was being sacrificed at the expense of commercial profit. Before her death in 1948, Jarvis is said to have admitted that she regretted having started the Mother's Day tradition.
The second Sunday of May became officially Mother's Day, and it is now the most popular day of the year with the highest telephone, restaurant and retail activity. Sons and daughters use this day to honor and to express appreciation of their mothers by purchasing everything from chocolate and flowers to the coveted designer handbags and diamond jewelry.
Do you think we should go back to Anna Jarvis' original intent and stay true to the Mother's Day sentiment; or, should we indulge our mothers by purchasing gifts instead?
Personally I think any gift (no matter how expensive) accompanied by a handmade note, card, picture or letter is the perfect balance of both ideas. I have received many beautiful gifts on Mother's Day from my husband and children, but I must admit that my collection of Mother's Day handmade items is for me the real treasure!
Here are a few cute handmade ideas to inspire you to make your own...