Take Away English-Mother’s Day 母亲节（在线收听）

What will you do for your mum on Mother's Day?

Does your mother know how much you appreciate her? Well, Mother’s Day is the time to show her. It’s a chance to say ‘thank you’, or to tell your mum how much you love her.

In Britain, Mother’s Day, or Mothering Sunday, falls on a different day each year, because it takes place a few weeks before the festival of Easter. But it is always in the early springtime, which seems appropriate, as the season when new plants emerge, and baby birds and animals are born. In the USA, Mother’s Day takes place a little later, in May, and many other countries also celebrate their mothers on different days of the year.

It began many years ago, when children, especially girls, as young as 10 would live and work away from home as housemaids and other types of servant. Mothering Sunday was a day when everyone was allowed to go to their home village or town, and visit their mothers.

So what do we do now to celebrate Mother’s Day? Well the easiest and cheapest option is to send a greetings card. Small children might make their mother a hand-made card or draw a picture, which their mother will treasure even more.

Often people send bouquets of flowers or pot-plants to their mothers – Mother’s Day is probably one of the most lucrative times of the year for florists. All the spring flowers are available, such as daffodils and tulips, or you can choose your mum’s favourite blooms.

Other presents such as boxes of chocolates or expensive toiletries are also popular. But what most mothers would enjoy most is a visit from their grown-up offspring, especially if you live a long way away.

Many people take their mothers out for lunch to celebrate, or if you are very generous, you might treat your mum to a special day out. This might be a visit to the theatre, a shopping trip, or perhaps a pampering spa day to rest and relax. Whatever you do, it should show your mother how much she means to you.