It’s another Freaky Friday here at At Home with Kayla Price.  Here is take two on the topic of Mother’s Day, written by my friend Emily Glass of the blog Etiquette by Emily.  You can read this and other posts by her at etiquettebyemily.com.  Enjoy!

Mother’s Day has taken on new meaning for me since 2012, which was the year I was blessed with my first child – a beautiful, perfect (but loud) baby girl. Katherine was born full of life, an allergy to bandage adhesive, and I pity the world if it had never known her. The day has only become more special since the birth of my second, Grant.

Motherhood is most definitely not a bed of roses, though, and I have come to appreciate my own mother’s sacrifice all the more. Mother’s Day 2017 will also bring new challenges, as it will be the first one we celebrate since my sweet, beautiful granny passed away. Traditions are what bind generations together, like that of my granny, my mom, my kids and myself.

Traditions and etiquette are strongly tied together, and I hope you enjoy this list and consider incorporating some of them as your own!

The carnation – Most often handed out at church services, the carnation is to be given to all adult women. This flower is actually not symbolic of your status as a mother, but it is actually reflective of your own mom. Traditionally, a white carnation symbolizes that your mom has passed away, while the pink or red carnation indicates that your mother is still alive.

The corsage – My sweet husband gifted me an Easter corsage this year, which I adored. Likewise, corsages are very common on Mother’s Day. These are most commonly given only to mothers, but it is very kind to gift one to someone who has played a motherly role in your life. These may be given by adult and young children, alike. Husbands, I would encourage you to take a page out of my own spouse’s playbook and get one for your kids to give to your wife. You’ll thank me later. 

The cooking – I will say, my own household is fairly atypical when it comes to stereotypical gender roles. We split cooking 50/50 at best. An easy tradition to start if your kids are young is to cook a simple dinner for Mother’s Day. Breakfast is a common meal portrayed in movies, but, speaking from experience, mornings can also be an incredibly hectic time in a home with young children, especially if you are religious and trying to attend morning services.

The beautiful thing about traditions is that you can tweak them to make them your own. Every one doesn’t have to perfectly fit the mold. This Mother’s Day, I encourage you to start or continue traditions that are special to your mom or mother figure. The best traditions start with the heart. Have a wonderful Mother’s Day!