Forget the tacky gifts. Instead tell your mother how much she means to you

I’VE been dropping not so subtle hints all week about what I’d like for Mother’s Day. If I could pick anything it would be a spa break at Monart, on my own, where I could relax, unwind and be spoilt rotten.

At the time of writing this Mother’s Day hasn’t happened yet but I could bet my last euro that I won’t be getting a spa break in Monart. In fact I can tell you now, my Mother’s Day gifts will most probably consist of a mug (again) and/or a picture frame that they won’t even bother putting a photo in.

‘Mother’s Day is a load of crap!’ Said the Bolshie Teenager. One look at my enraged face was enough to make him do a u-turn. ‘And all the things I do for you, everyday and you begrudge me one day to be spoilt’ I say huffily.

‘Mam. I love and appreciate you every day. I don’t need a special day to show you that,’ Nice save. He’s going to do well with women when he’s older. ‘ That doesn’t get you off the hook. I’m still expecting to be spoilt,’ I warn, knowing full well it’s not going to happen.

And if I’m being honest I agree with him. I shouldn’t need a special day to know that I’m loved and appreciated although like most women, I’d like to be told a bit more often and not only when they want something!

Mother’s Day is about card companies, florists and chocolate manufacturers making pots of money, it’s not really about paying homage to the woman who gave birth to you and unconditionally loves you your whole life.

So forget the tacky gifts and overpriced flowers. Instead spend a couple of minutes telling your mother how much she means to you. And don’t save it for Mother’s Day. Tell her on a wet Monday, a sunny Tuesday, tell her when she least expects it.

And truthfully if I could have any wish for Mother’s Day it would be to spend one more day with my own mam so I could tell her all the things I never got the chance to tell her. I’d tell her she will always be my best friend, my most loyal confidante and my greatest champion. I’d tell her that I appreciated every single sacrifice she made for us and all the times she was there when no one else was. I’d tell her to be her daughter was a privilege and that if I am half the mother she was I’ll be doing well.

For those of you who are lucky enough to have your mums still with you–do it now when you have the chance.

Happy Mother’s Day!

AND DON’T SAVE IT FOR MOTHER’S DAY. TELL HER ON A WET MONDAY, A SUNNY TUESDAY, TELL HER WHEN SHE LEAST EXPECTS IT