How do you celebrate Mother's Day? 母の日はどうやってお過ごしですか。

Thank God for mothers.  This year 2012 Mother's Day is on March 13.  All mothers are, without any doubt, conscious or even excited every Mother's Day.  People are generous in greeting their friends who are moms a "Happy Mother's Day".  Carnation arrangement is the most popular gift on Mother's Day in Japan.  Various types of carnation baskets are available in all flower shops, supermarkets and department stores. Pink, red, white, peach, green carnations, among others, are a typical sight on Mother's Day.  Sure enough, people are fascinated to look at them because they are really cute.  

I also have my share of this lively day.  First, in the morning, I prepared a flower arrangement to commemorate the occasion and thank God for it.  I took it to church. What I used were red carnations as well as my garden flowers.  I arranged them in a basket together with lavender blooms, orange roses, tiny daisies and rosemary herbs.  



Thanking God for today, I have made a carnation arrangement.  The main is the middle basket while the  base flowers have been individually arranged and wrapped in blue vinyl bags - they are to be distributed to each mother who is going to attend church today.



Then  I made my country's traditional snack that is made from cornstarch, coconut milk and sugar.  This time, I tried to modify a little bit with the ingredients, i.e., I added bits of canned magoes in the mix.  The final presentation also has mango toppings, bean-shaped chocolate-coated snack and   heart-shaped white chocolates.  

"Maja blanca" (the name of this pudding-like dessert) with corn and mango bits and topped with mango slices and chocolates.

Who will not enjoy this day?  Mothers do not get presents everyday; however, today, there sure is one present from a member of the family.  Indeed, I have received mine, too. This year, I got a bunch of lemon yellow-colored carnations along with a small basket of artificial carnations that I could keep for years.  Even a little something, even just a  card, or a simple word of thanks would certainly give a beautiful smile on a mother's lips.  This is what makes this day heart-warming.





My family's gift for me on Mother's Day  (2012 513)



These things have made up Mother's Day for me this year.  What then is my gift to my mother?  I've sent one to my mom-in-law and to a special woman in my heart as well.  On the other hand, I haven't been able to send flowers to my own mother yet; but, I have something special for her already wrapped.  It is one that she could use on special occasions.  I'm going to give it to her when we meet.

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers!  May God continue to guide you and give you wisdom and strength in all your activities.