adminLifestyle Writer
Mothers are very special people today, tomorrow and forever. On the second Sunday of May; they are honoured in various parts of the world in recognition of their motherhood, maternal bonds and the general influence of mothers in society.
Traditions differ on how the day is celebrated with some opposed to the commercialisation of Mother’s Day. Its origins date way back to 1908 when American Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother in Grafton West Virginia and vigorously campaigned for it to be recognised as an American holiday.
Over the years Jarvis herself was resentful of the commercialisation of the humble initiative and was angry that companies were profiteering from the holiday. She became so embittered by what she saw as misinterpretation and exploitation that she protested and even tried to rescind Mother’s Day as a holiday
Locally, there have been mixed feelings about how Zimbabweans celebrate Mother’s Day with some saying it was a rare opportunity to express gratitude for the love and care they got from their mothers with some opposed to its commercialisation as an excuse to increase business revenue. From a bouquet of flowers, a card, lunch outing, outfits and all sorts of paraphernalia it has turned out to be a boom for many retailers.
Tendai Nyikadzino (46) made no apologies for celebrating Mother’s Day.
“Mothers are important to society. Without your mother, you wouldn’t be here. Mothers make us who we are and what we can become. They show us love and charity and don’t mind if we mess up. By celebrating Mother’s Day, we are honouring and expressing our gratitude for all they have sacrificed.”
For Sarah Chimuti, it is more than just buying gifts to celebrate her mother’s love. “I don’t like the commercial aspect of it all, but it’s good to have Mother’s Day and at least we can celebrate as family. We can hug each other and thank each other; sometimes we are really busy and forget to be grateful. Also, this day should remind us to show our support to other ladies in our neighbourhood whose children are away or have passed away.”
John Chinouriri of Mufakose said: “Personally, I think it’s silly to have a specific day to celebrate a role in society. Why not surprise your mother with a visit or even a gift on a day other than Mother’s Day? These acts will mean a lot more. These kinds of obligations are neither rewarding nor effective as people begin to expect presents. Furthermore, it makes life monotonous and other people snobby.”
Chenai Thubulo of Chegutu was in Harare to buy a gift for her mother. “If mothers did not exist, the world would not exist. Mother’s Day isn’t a big holiday such as Christmas, when offices and industries close down and schools are on break and families all come together or go on vacation, it’s just a day of recognition and appreciation, and I absolutely believe we should celebrate it and all that mothers do for us.”
“Mother’s day is a very important day to celebrate. Whether we have a mother of our own or not to celebrate with, it is very important to keep this day to recognise women that have made it possible for us to exist as they play a very important role in our lives,” said Fortunate Manase of Harare.
Online Reporter