MOTHER'S DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 109, 11 May 1939, Page 15

MOTHER'S DAY.

FALLS NEXT SUNDAY. THANKS OFFERING IDEA. REWARD FOR CARE AND HELP "Mother will do it." Tlir young fiilk. — and father, too—have licrn >■ <.yiii.tr that fur years. And mother does it. All her life as a mother she hue been at the beck, and call of the family. Tt is usually mother who riee-s early in (he morning, miraculously produces a ili'licioue breakfast, calU the children, .-•(•-% I hat they are made ready for the (I.i> at school or the office—and" in short, tl'ii'i many of those thing* which they - in mi Id <]o ff>r themselves. But sho npver complains. She just tmvcle on through a life of service, aukins littlo and giving all. Socks to be mended, clothe* to he preyed, general sewing, household economy of all sorts, an<l a thousand other details, including thi> southing word tit the right time — that's what mother ha* to do. Things Taken for Granted. When father cnmi'B home and findfi hi* slipper* in the right place and his favourite dish for dinner, or when the child'en Mud nil thrir wishes foreseen and |u'o\ ided for, no particular surprise \a expressed. It has bc*Mi going on eo long nnw that they have the idea thnt it nil ju-t happened. But it didn't. Mother did it. It is about time mother had her day. And so sin , will on Sunday next. That will be Mother's Day, the day on which those who receive her kindly ministration* ran. do something tangible in return. Widely observed and sincerely honoured, Mother'* Day, the second Sunday in May each year, is more and more becoming a world-wide institution. It is a day when men, women and children pny tribute to their mothers. Thn setting aside of thla day originated in the United State-", where it is now a truly nntionn! institution. It pained official reeognitton in 1914, and since then it ha« eome to be observed throughout almost the whole of the Eng-li(*h-#<|irakinjr world. Men, women and children n 1 ike give expression on this day to their appreciation of the service* given and the sacrifices made by the mothers of the world, and by thw expression show that they have not forgotten their debt. White Flowers and Pretests. On MotherV Day white flowers are worn, presents are given a* tangible tokens, and in some, countries special «<>rvicee are held. In many liomes the tribute is paid by freeing mother for the little while from her household duties and giving her a whole day of rest. This Is en act she probably appreciates as much as anything else —and one that she will specially appreciate this year for, -while the working members of her family may have gained increased leisure from new legislation, it hnn not made her working day a -'miter one. There i» no 40-hour week in the home. And yet with Increased spending rower there may be the «till greater .•nfiort unity to make up for the drudgery ~i her hoti*ehokr duties. Realising that a definite and growing need is to be filled in connection with .Mother's Day, business houses are nl ready displaying and featuring special gifts, which range from modeet,

appropriately-worded greeting card* to article* of practical value, such as labour-saving device* which lighten daily tasks. In these days of inventive ingenuity there are many such invention* that would astound the housewife of a few years ago. Consider the many appliances that are being turned out for the well-equipped home—electric gadget* that do everything from boiling the coffe-pot and toasting the bread to washing the clothes, sweeping the carpets and a host of other things that were formerly the distilled essence of drudgery. Father Should Help. filovee, umbrellas, slippery, handkerchiefs and hose are useful and seasonable gifts, especially fitting for a message or token of remembrance from those away from home. The*e suggestions are not merely for sons and daughters, of course. They should be taken seriously to heart by fathers. Apart from getting up and making the breakfast on Sunday morning, he should be prepared to ''go easy" on his personal spending this week and show his debt of gratitude to mother. She will appreciate hi« yiresent just as much as those from the children. Then lie can spend the rest of the day putting the house "to rights"; preparing, with the assistance of the children, dinner and tea . . . and doing all tho*e little things that make Sunday as hard as any other day of the week for mother. He will be surprised at the amount of work there itt to be done in one small house. The chances are, of course, that father will lean largely on canned goods and egg«. After all, it isn't such an easy* job, this cooking, as he will find out to hie dismay if he attempts anything ambitious in the culinary line. But why should mother worry? It's her day off on Sunday. And after, she can put up with a tin opener menu as long as. nlie has a rest. This Mother's Day celebration ie a good one. Jt will go a long way towards making the family realise what actually goes on behind the scenes and the -work that i*s necessary to make things just so. See that mother has her day off. But do something else, too. Don't merely eay it or do something that costs nothing. Let mother see that her services are worth some sacrifice, and everyone must judge how much he or «she can sacrifice to do the day justice—and observe the great occasion properly.

Say "This is Mother's Day" with a service and a present!