Mother’s Day, a modern American holiday created by Anna Jarvis in 1912 where people honor their caregivers is’ coming up this Sunday.

Mother’s Day is also highly commercialized which helped some students remember the day is on the way. Jarvis once said she wanted Mother’s Day to be a day of sentiment. Nowadays, many view it as a Hallmark holiday fashioned around classy restaurants, boutiques and jewelry stores like Zales.

Due to the recession, it’s expected there will be less extravagant presents like spa treatments, diamonds and trips to florists to have bouquets delivered. Rather, CSUN students are now going back-to-basics to honor the important women in their lives. Students are opting for small get-togethers and personal gifts to give to their mothers on this special day in May.

Communications major Missy Dominguez plans to celebrate Mother’s Day with her family.

‘My siblings and I are planning to have a barbeque at home and play some games,’ Dominguez said. The freshman said she is very close to her mother.

‘I think it’s important to recognize mothers everyday and not just one day,’ she said.

Likewise, Carina Mendoza, a child development major, is organizing a small gathering for her relatives this Sunday, which she noted as ‘just a family day.’ She is having a quiet barbeque to celebrate all of the mothers in her family.

‘Every mother should have a special day to be recognized,’ Mendoza said.

While some people are avoiding the commercialism associated with the holiday, David Miller, a computer science major, was ironically reminded of Mother’s Day because of it. He said he almost forgot about it until he saw a commercial reminding him to do something special for his mother.

‘It’s one of those days that you just can’t forget,’ Miller said.’ He promised to take his mom out to anywhere she wanted. ‘I just don’t feel like being creative.’

Roxanna Gonzales, a senior sociology major, finds that simplicity is key to letting her loved ones know she cares. She will be going home on Sunday to cook dinner and organize some fresh cut flowers from her dad’s garden to present to her mother.

‘I don’t think you need to buy something to show them that you care,’ Gonzales said.

Some students don’t recognize Mother’s Day, but still acknowledge their moms, like Eugene Park, an electric engineer major.

‘I wasn’t really planning anything to be honest,’ said Park who, along with his mother, doesn’t celebrate the holiday for cultural reasons. ‘I prefer (to celebrate) her birthday.’ Aside from commercialism and cultural preferences, this holiday is very dear to some students who have already devised plans for this day dedicated solely to mothers.

Marisol Garcia, a child development major, said this Sunday will be more special for her and her mom. For the past years that she’s been a student, Garcia hasn’t had the time or resources to give her mother a proper gift for this occasion, but this year she will be able to.

‘Now I have money to take her out,’ Garcia said. She recently received her driver’s license as well, so money and transportation won’t stop her from treating her mom. ‘I’m taking her out to eat so she can feel special.’

Many individuals find different ways to celebrate this special occasion no matter if they have money or not. Whether they choose to dine out, or host family affairs, the importance is in simply spending time with their mother because after all, this day was created with mothers in mind.

‘(It’s) very important to our culture to give mothers a day to feel loved, honored and appreciated,’ Garcia said.
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