by Nakonah Secatero, Administrative Coordinator
As I brainstormed ideas for ways to spend Mother’s day with your loved one, I thought to myself, “where did Mother’s day come from?” How did it become a holiday? It’s quite interesting, Mother’s Day was created by Anna Jarvis in 1908 after the passing of her own mother and it became an official U.S. holiday in 1914, she originally intended the day to be a personal celebration of motherhood and recognizing all the sacrifices that mothers make for their children. It was a day for mothers and their families to spend quality time and show love to one another. Although Anna was the founder of Mother’s Day, she regretted creating the holiday and eventually disowned it, as it became commercialized and centered around purchasing jewelry, flowers and cards. I agree, the spirit of Mother’s day is to show and give the same love a mother gives for her family, something that can’t be bought.
Many different countries and cultures have their own way of celebrating motherhood with singing songs and large feasts. The best way you can show your mum appreciation for all she does for you, is to think outside the box.
I believe the best gift you can give is quality time and being totally present. Having trouble coming up with Mother’s Day Activities or ideas? Honestly, it really depends on your mum! What kind of activities does she enjoy? What’s her activity level? How can I make her day easier and more relaxing? How can I show her how much I appreciate her? This can apply to folks who are supporting their mother-to-be partner as well! Just make sure you’re putting thought and planning into any of these activities so that she doesn’t have to lift a finger, only enjoy herself!
For those of us with Mums nearby you can:
- Make breakfast in bed – Serve her favorite breakfast items in bed, it’s traditional!
- Plan a movie date – Take her on a traditional movie date; have her pick the movie and snacks!
- Treat her out to Lunch/Dinner – Take her to her favorite spot!
- Go hiking together – For more adventurous/active mums, you can plan a beautiful hike with a picnic when you reach your destination!
- Go camping as a family – Make sure you plan everything and get all supplies together, remember we don’t want her to lift a finger! (This is if she enjoys being outdoors; make sure you get her preference)
- Plan a spa day – Sometimes a spa and self-care day with no responsibilities/worries can make all the difference
- Take her to a museum or art gallery – make a morning of browsing galleries and learning something new together
- Make all the meals for the day – so sweet and thoughtful
- Create some crafts together – enjoy some arts and crafts that she enjoys. Make sure you prepare and gather all tools needed to create the particular crafts (paint, canvas, yarn, markers, etc)
- Gardening day for mums with green thumbs!
- Go for a long walk and chat – just connecting and being in each other’s space.
- Take her to a Paint Night – For mums that can partake in some wine, spend some time sippin’ and painting away!
- Plan a day trip – make sure you have all the logistics planned (destination, how you’re going to get there, activities once you arrive and maybe even dinner or lunch reservations? Etc.)
- Plan a calm afternoon putting puzzles together – this is a personal favorite of mine, my mum loved picking out a huge puzzle and working on it together. We would chat and have some snacks with our favorite movie playing in the background.
Now, there are some of us whose mothers have taken the journey and are no longer with us. You can honor your mother by taking the day off and visiting her gravesite.
My mother passed in the fall of 2017, so every year since, I write her a long letter and plan out what to bring to her gravesite. She loved all different types of flowers, so I bring different ones each year, as well as a new kitten stuffed animal. I just spend time talking and tidying up her gravestone. I know it’s very personal, but I do believe my mother was my soulmate, and I still like to appreciate her on her day even if she can’t be with us.
Each of our mum’s are individuals, so make sure you take the time to really listen, be present, and appreciate her.
Many Blessings, love and light!
“Nakonah was born in Albuquerque and raised in To’Hajiilee, a small Navajo Reservation west of Albuquerque. In 2012, she started work in her community’s Behavioral Health System, assisting their Suicide Prevention Program. In July of 2021 she moved to Albuquerque and joined the Dar a Luz family as the Administrative Coordinator. When she’s not at her desk or tangled in the server cabinet, she’s out geocaching and attending concerts with her partner.”
