What All Moms Really Want for Mother’s Day
by Beverly Driskill, marketing specialist
Mother’s Day. An annual holiday which people have come to associate with presenting mothers and other women with gifts, flowers, and cards wasn’t originally intended to revolve around store-bought items. It may be an unpopular opinion to say that buying gifts for moms isn’t what this holiday is all about, but the truth is that the creator of this iconic holiday says so herself, and mothers around the world agree.
In the years leading up to the Civil War, a woman named Ann Reeves Jarvis helped to create “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” which taught local women how to properly care for their children. The American Mother’s Day was created by Anna Jarvis, the daughter of Ann Reeves Jarvis, in 1908 and became an official U.S. holiday in 1914.
Anna Jarvis conceived the idea of Mother’s Day after her own mother’s passing in 1905 and intended the holiday to be a way of honoring the sacrifices mothers made for their children. Jarvis later denounced the commercialization the holiday took on and would spend the latter years of her life trying to remove it from the calendar.
Today, commercialism and consumerism are alive and well. Almost any item we want is right at our fingertips, but isn’t there something even closer? A feeling that you can’t necessarily see or touch? For mothers, that feeling is the happiness of their children, the moments they experience with them, and the lengths they would go to see them healthy and content. Mothers of different background, status, and culture agree that what moms really want for Mother’s Day is to help their children find joy in life.
As part of the public relations team at Dion Marketing Company, I found myself with the opportunity to interview mothers around the world through our client, Operation Smile. Operation Smile is a global nonprofit that works with medical volunteers around the world to provide free reconstructive cleft surgery where it’s needed most. Given this unique chance, I was able to learn first-hand why the best Mother’s Day gifts aren’t gifts at all.
Tessa Genit - Asuncion, Paraguay
Tessa Genit was born in Lima, Peru but has called Asuncion, Paraguay home for the past 30 years. She has been working at St. Anne’s School in Asuncion since 1997 and currently serves as the school’s sponsor for Operation Smile. She is the mother of two girls, Nicole and Denise.
“The amazing little things that my daughters accomplish in their lives are my satisfaction and reward,” said Tessa. “Having two incredible daughters that can follow their own dreams, become who they want to be is the best gift of motherhood.”
Margarita Morell – Miami, Florida
At the age of 12, Margarita Morell moved to the United States from Medellin, Colombia. In 1989, she moved to Miami to raise her family. Margarita is the mother of two children, Margie and Jamie, and is now a grandmother to three grandchildren, Christa, Anthony, and Lola. She worked as a Spanish teacher for 33 years and up until Covid-19 hit, she was working as a substitute teacher and a volunteer student sponsor for Operation Smile.
“The best gifts have been special occasions. Their successes in education, in their jobs and with their own families. Seeing my kids be responsible and kind individuals makes me very happy,” explained Margarita. “All moms I think want their kids to fulfill their dreams to the best of their abilities.”
Dane Hoang – Dallas, Texas
Dr. Dane Hoang is a pediatric dentist in Dallas, Texas and also serves as pediatric dental volunteer with Operation Smile. Most of Dr. Dane’s volunteer work with the organization has been focused in Hue, Vietnam, near where she was born. She is the mother of one daughter, Isabella.
“I was a late bloomer and discovered motherhood at the age of 42,” said Dr. Hoang. “All mothers regardless of race, religion or beliefs have the capacity for unconditional love for their children.”
Kathy Magee – Virginia Beach, Virginia
Kathy Magee is the Co-Founder and President of Operation Smile. As a former nurse and clinical social worker, Kathy remains a dedicated advocate for children around the world. While helping children and families around the globe, Kathy has raised five children of her own.
"As a mother of five, it is the greatest gift to see each and every one of my children pursuing their dreams," said Kathy. "One of the most valuable things I've learned through leading this organization is that, across all backgrounds, beliefs and customs, a mother's love for her child is always the same: infinite and everlasting."
In hearing from these women, it’s clear that Anna Jarvis’s original concept of Mother’s Day can still be honored. Despite the commercialization it’s taken on over the years, this holiday recognizes motherhood as a gift in itself and acknowledges the sacrifices mothers would gladly make for their children.