It may be your birth mother, step-mother, grandmother, aunt, foster mother, adoptive mother, family friend or even your mother-in-law, but most have of us have a special female in our life who we wish to honour on Mother’s Day.
Mother’s Day is a way of saying thank you to those women who helped shape our lives. It’s also a special time to remember those mums who are no longer with us.
At Banksia, we appreciate all the mothers and mother figures in our community – from residents almost 100 years old, to our staff members and volunteers who provide comfort and support in so many ways.
It’s interesting to note that the tradition of celebrating Mother’s Day in Australia on the second Sunday in May is relatively recent, with its early beginnings in 1924. In the UK, “Mothering Sunday” is part of a Christian festival, and takes place on the fourth Sunday in Lent, while in Thailand, Mother’s Day is celebrated in August on the birthday of the current queen, Sirikit.
Celebrations will be in full swing at Banksia on Sunday 12th May, with Banksia Lodge residents receiving cards at breakfast time and a special afternoon tea, while in Banksia Village the residents will celebrate Mother’s Day with a wonderful luncheon spread.
If you are lucky enough to be spending the day with your mum, your children or other loved ones, we’ve put together this list of suggestions for activities to enjoy together:
- Bake a favourite recipe together
- Play cards or a board game together, or work on a jigsaw puzzle
- Visit a local club or restaurant for lunch
- Visit nearby attractions like Mogo Zoo, Birdland or the Eurobodalla Botanic Gardens
- Get out in the garden together, pruning, planting, or simply cutting flowers to display inside.
Did you know?
According to www.history.com, more phone calls are made on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year – with chats to mum causing phone traffic to spike by as much as 37%.
And if you’re wondering about Father’s Day, Professor Waterhouse, of Sydney University, advises that “it was basically made up to balance Mother’s Day” (source: www.abc.net.au/news)