Mother’s Day is being celebrated on May 8 this year.

Its reasons for origination are not exactly concrete.

For many of us, it’s a day we’ve simply always acknowledged, right alongside Father’s Day.

Of course there is a bit more of a history than the day simply coming to existence suddenly.

In 1912, Ann Jarvis coined the terms “second Sunday of May” and “Mother’s Day”. She also created the Mother’s Day Association.

The official day has its roots in the United States, but Canada and numerous countries around the world have had their own versions of Mother’s Day over the years, and celebrate the day on different dates throughout the year.

Cultures and religions all around the world have had special celebrations for their “mother” spiritual figures and deities for hundreds of years, for example.

Many countries hold their Mother’s Day celebrations in conjunction with the celebration of a particular goddess in their beliefs to this day.

Some countries celebrate Mother’s Day on a different day of the year, rather than the second Sunday of May.

Regardless of how, where and when Mother’s Day is celebrated, though, everyone understand the “why”.

Mothers are important figures all throughout our lives, from when we’re first born and into our adult years.

They love and care for us and continue to do so, even as we begin to grow out of the nest.

Each household has their own traditions to celebrate their mothers.

The “breakfast in bed” gift has always been a classic, and was even once practiced in my house as a child.

Unfortunately, while two little girls and a toddler lunging a plate of waffles drowned in syrup at their mom at an early hour of the morning means well, the additional work their mom had to do later to clean up the crumbs and syrup spots from the comforter was an unintentional mishap and pain in the butt on her part.

We stopped the breakfast in bed practice after that.

Following that year, mom decided that if Mother’s Day was for her, she was going to be the one to choose and control the festivities.

Suddenly Mother’s Day became more of a day to dread for the children of the household, because it meant doing an abundance of cleaning and yard work every year on that day.

Eventually, though, mom would have to come out and help the children who were helping her when things began to go amiss.

Chore work became a less ideal choice of celebration when it became obvious to my mom that she was still stuck doing the majority of it.

Eventually the tradition was resolved by a bouquet of flowers.

Just a nice bunch of favourite blossoms and lunch at any restaurant of her choice. No mess, no stress.

This year I’m a good half-a-country away from my mother for this day.

I can’t exactly send waffles or yardwork to her this year, therefore, though it’d be interesting to try.

Instead I will have to wish her, and the other mothers throughout the Valley and the world a “Happy Mother’s Day” wish through this article.

So Happy Mother’s Day and have a wonderful, hopefully sun-filled weekend.