“For a lot of people, giving gifts is the only way they see appreciation,” said senior Christopher Kramer.  “People don’t know any other way.” However, it was not until Mother’s Day became a national holiday that the florists and card companies jumped on new business ventures. Since the early 1900s, material gifts have only grown as a custom on this day of recognition.

“It’s one day people put aside everything to appreciate and remember all of the things mothers do,” said Kramer. He said people generally buy flowers, write cards and go out to dinner. Although buying gifts is a nice touch, he prefers to do or make something for his mom on Mother’s Day. “It shows more appreciation because you’ve taken the time to plan something,” he said. With help from his younger brother and dad, Kramer plans to give his mom breakfast in bed.

Although Kramer celebrates his mom on Mother’s Day, he also believes that every day should be a day of appreciation mothers. Senior Claudia Melkonian also shares this idea. “I want it to be Mother’s Day every day, not just one day out of the year,” Melkonian said. “It should be Mother’s Day and Daughter’s Day.”

Melkonian’s idea of Mother’s Day does not come from admiration of her own mother, but rather from her future plans to be a mother herself. “My mom was pretty absent in my life when I was younger,” Melkonian said. “I know she wanted to be close with me, but it didn’t really work out.” Melkonian said that her mom’s indifferent relationship with her own mom and the experiences of growing up in Armenia did not prepare her to make a lasting relationship with Melkonian.

“I really feel the need to be a mom,” Melkonian said. She said that she is determined to make a strong bond with her future children because she wants to have a strong motherly connection with them. “I want to be able to tell my kids about boys and high school because my mom couldn’t,” she said.

With Mother’s Day being a gift-praising holiday, Melkonian still believes that it’s important to do something on the day. “It’s a different situation from different people,” Melkonian said. “Giving gifts serves a purpose, especially for kids who move away for college and have less contact with their parents.”

Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second sunday of May in America as well as other countries. Some countries such as Armenia, celebrate International Women’s Day as an alternative to Mother’s Day. On March 8, junior Shushanik Stepanyan and senior Tatevik Stepanyan celebrated their appreciation for their mom with yellow tulips.

“My mom really likes flowers and surprises,” said Tatevik Stepanyan. “She would rather get flowers than get any expensive gift.” For the Stepanyans, the little things that they do for their mom is what shows their gratitude. “She doesn’t want us to spend a lot of money,” said Tatevik. “We don’t have to do a big thing as long as it’s a surprise.” Shushanik said that she’d rather do something for her mom than get her a pricey gift. “Anyone can go out and buy something, but not everyone can put the effort into doing something,” Shushanik said.

Many people prefer to do something that shows effort, such as history and government teacher Nicholas Doom. “Doing something is personal,” Doom said. “It’s what the whole day is about.” Every year since his children turned one, he has made books filled with pictures and quotes, decorated with printed cardstock and stickers.

“Mother’s Day is a nice idea that is often taken for granted as a one day year event instead of an everyday appreciation, as it probably should be,” Doom said. He said that the materialistic progression of this holiday is “a fact of life.” “It’s sad that families are split up,” said Doom. “So they often send flowers or send a gift.”

According to a recent  article in The Week, the average American spent $168.94 on their mom for Mother’s Day in 2013. This 11% increase from the previous year makes Mother’s Day the third most money consuming holiday, after Christmas and Valentine’s Day.

Despite the 200 card companies that exist today, this was not how Mother’s Day was originally meant to be celebrated. In fact, Anna Jarvis, the daughter behind it all, denounced the quick materialistic transformation. Jarvis committed herself to making Mother’s Day a national holiday after her mother’s death, in order to commemorate the sacrifices mother’s made. The first Mother’s Day celebration took place in 1908 in which people adorned themselves with white carnations, visited their mother and attended church services.