Mother's Day gifts?

My favourite Father's Day present is a trip to Sadler's Wells by myself

It's another commercial Hallmark Holiday, isn't it? There used to be a churchianity thing called Mothering Sunday, but this Mother's Day thing is recent, surely.

Thanks! I feel much happier now - off to cuddle my horse!!!

Carol Well said, Totally agree

They certainly won't receive a negative response by saying they are with the Oldie, too. Anyone is free to join in, so let's all be friends and enjoy this great site without having to be segregated.

It seems to me that whoever is in charge of that sort of thing on the Oldie must have started with just a copy of Gransnet on their site, personalised it slightly so that the design blended in better with the rest of their stuff (reasonable for showing it to their readers ) and then could not leave well alone.

They clearly had access to adding topics/categories, which we leave up to GNHQ, so they added an Oldie Borum label (a bit cynical to assume from the start that it was going to be boring) and then when that looked a bit barren they added threads as they occurred to them.

I don't think they reconnoitered the threads that already existed, Perhaps they were not aware that all of our threads were going to be accessible, or thought that Oldie readers would only be interested in Oldie threads.

They jumped the gun launching it before GNHQ had told us what was happening, whatever. Lack of communication somewhere.

I've noticed quite a few new members recently. don't know whether or not they are from this link. If so they don't seem to be letting on, must have read the reaction posts. They are welcome whoever they are.

Completely agree Carol

Gmajen and Beasotted the comments are a plea for us all to be united and not segregated, as had been imposed on us by this surge of Oldie postings, some of which already exist on Gransnet. Oldies are most welcome here on Gransnet - we always show interest in new members.

If you reverse things, how strange would it be to have Gransnetters appearing on the Oldie and proclaiming we are Gransnetters not Oldies and therefore we will have our own special articles and threads which you can read, but will not be yours?

There's room for everyone. If I go on to the Grannynet site, I become a Grannynetter and have been treated as such, and welcomed. If Grannynetters come on here, they don't announce they are Grannynetters but become integrated members here. Wouldn't you Oldies like to do the same?

An artificial barrier was created when the Oldie Borum was introduced. I don't for one minute think it was intentional, but it created a division that was not wanted. Using Oldie headings perpetuates that division, and it isn't needed. We don't need to know people are from one camp or another - we're all Gransnetters on here. Let's all join in and enjoy each other's company.

Looking forward to chatting to you, whoever you are

BeaSotted I have been thinking about your post. I'm a comparatively new Gransnetter and have not understood the comments about the Oldie and the response it has had. However it occurs to me that there is a difficulty with joining a group which, by its designation, is going to be child focussed, whatever age those children may be, with another group which wishes to use the forums for a different reason.
I sympathise whole heartedly with your feelings about Mothers' Day and feel the the commercialisation of it is sickening. I also feel that the question aked by the originator of this topic should have been asked on Mumsnet, not here.
I hope that there will be a happy outcome to this venture of giving a voice on the site for people who's interests are so varied. You must be patient with us , though, because we are proud of being, first and formost, Gransnetters.

What you've said is spot on. I think that's why, for the first time, I've organised our Mothers day get-together at our local gastropub, on Saturday night. It took the associated guilt/pressure/hard work out of the event , and we can just relax and have fun!

izzysnanny perhaps I will! A joint of meat has been ordered, but I could freeze that.

Will have to have a conflab.

gmajen I so agree with you. I struggled with juggling Mothers day with my mother and my children's desire to treat me, and found it hard. I now tell my DDs it is about them and their children, and I will be happy just having a quiet day, knitting, watching telly and perhaps with a few chocs!! Totally lazy but pure luxury as I normally have such a busy life. They can get on with their day knowing I am happy, with no guilt feelings...... Sadly one of my DDs MIL seems to think it is all about her and insists they see her. It is all about the children not us. We have had our time....

Wotsamashedupjingl You will all have a great day whatever you do, but I'm with the Pizza Hut idea. I don't suppose you could ring them up now and suggest you have a change? Some of the best times are spur of the moment.

I agree with what Gmajen says too. DD1 and son-in-law are coming here and bringing the grandsons, and I know they will bring a card, flowers and a gift. And it doesn't seem fair. It's her day now more than mine, but what do you do? They just take it for granted that this will happen, like it always does.

I wanted us all to go to Pizza Hut. The boys love it and there would be no cooking or washing up for anyone. Maybe I should have been more adamant.

Gmajen and Carol I do agree how great it is to stand back and enjoy and admire our grownup daughters doing an excellent job of motherhood. I do love flowers (and chocolates) tho'! Especially a huge pink hydrangea for £15 on sale at Sainsburys - hope I get one, but if I don't I shall buy my own!

Libradi, exactly! I will see them all on Sunday except senior GD who is a student in Mancs, so I will see her during the week for lunch.

Gmajen I know what you mean - I think it's time to step back, and this year the limelight should be for my daughter now she has her new twin girls - first time she has been a mum on this special day, and she deserves lots of pampering.

Annobel I've bought an Amazon token for my mum-in-law for Mothers Day to buy a book for her kindle.(She has eight children and will get plenty of chocolates and flowers). I've bought my own mum a lovely Orchid in a pot. I'd love either of these presents myself but to be honest having the family altogether on Sunday will be the best present of all.

Please may I make a suggestion here. Mothers' Day could be confined to mothers of young children. The reason is this. Once daughters or daughters in law have children, they become the Mothers for whom the current Mothers' day cards and presents and breakfast in bed type treatment is designed. We Gmas have had our moment and could move over and leave the celebrations to the younger generation. We know our grownup children care about us anyway and if they do not, then a card or chocolates will not change anything.

In an attempt to limit the damage we had at Christmas, Sunday lunch is with my mother, and Saturday night dinner is with two of my three children who are still talking to me, plus granddaughter and daughter-in-law.

That is good advice, glamma. And make absolutely sure that you don't do ANY clearing up.

glamma make something you can cook on Saturday and have a buffet where they can all give a hand and you can still enjoy having them all together.

I love the vouchers to go to a spa with a friend (are you lurking my DCs) or to go and have a nice meal (already sorted chef is glamma ?) so as long as i get to see my lovely gang I am a happy mum.

Sorry, but as someone who, unfortunately, no longer has a mother, and is not herself a mother, I do find it quite depressing that there's no corner to which one can retreat from the bombardment of all things "Mother's Day".