If my Mother were alive for this year’s Mother’s Day observances, she would not be happy with some of the gift choices that are being promoted by enterprising on-line companies.
In her lifetime she received the usual gamut of gifts — hand-made cards decorated with stick figures and printing of dubious skill; jars painted and then spattered with shredded crayons to be used as a flower vase or pencil holder; a hand print in hardened then painted paper mache; flowers, chocolates, books, fruit baskets, jewelry and dinners out.
Her favourite place for Mother’s Day brunch was Bonanza where she enjoyed the salad bar and always ordered the shrimp dinner with baked potato. Halfway through the meal, out would come a plastic bag from her purse and in would go the shrimp she couldn’t eat and half the baked potato — her lunch for the next day. By not eating her whole main course, she had saved room for dessert of ice cream, rice pudding, tapioca or fresh fruit. The carnation provided by Charlie Corrin and his staff was the icing on her cake.
Regardless of the gifts presented to her on the day for mothers, she was always appreciative and even happier to be with members of her family. Even though she’s been gone 15 years, Mother’s Day always brings memories.
If she were still here, and having to endure self-isolation and social distancing, I doubt she would be too happy to receive one of the gifts that seems to be popular this year: a one acre piece of land on Mars, selling for $15, a reduction of $20.
She might not reveal her true feelings about such a gift, but in her mind she would definitely consider it a waste of good money, despite having a deed for the acre, a map of the location and an informational Mars e-book. Surprisingly, the Mars option has already sold out
A related option is the one acre of moon property, selling for $11.99, down from $33. With it comes a deed and map, but no e-book. Only one acre per person is permitted and if the recipient is unhappy with the gift, that is too bad — no cancellations, refunds, or even an exchange for a better location.
Again Mom would say “thank you” but she would be having those same wasteful spending thoughts. And if asked, she would voice her opinion that as soon as we on earth started sending explorers to space, the world order changed and weather patterns were disrupted.
We knew her opinions so other than having a joke at her expense, none of us would have ever offered her part of Mars or the moon.
Maybe the gift this year might have been a handful of face masks — which she would have studied and then got out her bag of fabric to make a mask for every family member.
The nicest masks would, of course, be saved for family members who didn’t laugh at her at Bonanza when she loaded the shrimp into her plastic bag. I would have received one of the ugly, scratchy ones because I did laugh.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
