“Mother knows best” is a popular saying in today’s culture. It’s even a song in Disney’s 2010 Tangled film. It may not be applicable in all situations, but nothing beats a mother’s love and sacrifices for her family. She works tirelessly and ensures that her family is healthy and safe, from calling an HVAC technician for their Salt Lake City home to preparing nutritious meals for school lunches. In other words, a mother never stops finding ways to keep her family’s life together.
In honor of mothers, Mother’s Day is an occasion celebrated annually across the globe. The most common form of celebration is in the United States, where children prepare cards, and the father buys the flowers and gifts to show how thankful they are. In other countries, such as Ethiopia, families honor motherhood through Antrosht, where “they gather each fall to sing songs and eat a large feast.” Although this occasion can even be traced back as early as the ancient Greeks and Romans, it was only in the 1900s that the occasion was made official through a movement by Anna Jarvis.
But due to the global health crisis, celebrating Mother’s Day this 2020 will be entirely different. Families can’t go out and enjoy lunch in a nice restaurant together. Some family members can’t be physically together as part of the social distancing protocols. As disheartening as this set-up may be, this shouldn’t stop anyone from celebrating Mother’s Day. Here are three ways to keep the occasion special.
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Take over the kitchen area.
Most of the time, it is the mothers who maintain the family household. They get up as early as the sun rises to cook breakfast and prepare other meals for the rest of the day. They’re also the last ones to leave the kitchen before going back to bed. One way to treat mothers on Mother’s Day is to be in charge of the kitchen. From cooking to cleaning, mothers deserve a break from their “usual” duties.
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Make DIY paper flowers.
Since flower shops are either closed or not accessible to everyone at this time of the pandemic, DIY paper flowers are surely the best alternative. Arts and crafts can save any day as there will always be art materials found around the house. Tutorials are everywhere online, so this shouldn’t be too difficult. Moreover, this is a good opportunity for siblings to bond. If you are an only child, you can use this opportunity to spend more time with your father.
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Livestream with other family members.
For families that are not physically together, they can surprise their mothers through a video call. Perhaps the best gift mothers receive at this time is knowing that her family is doing well despite the challenges. They can even play games through the video call, as some applications offer this kind of feature.
People will surely continue to celebrate Mother’s Day regardless of the disparities and hardships the world is currently facing. As long as families remember, the celebration doesn’t need to be grand. No matter, mothers deserve to know they are cherished on this special day.
