My mom taught me...

I’ve always been intrigued by love languages and I’ll be the first to admit that gift giving has always been a big one in my family. Up to this day whenever a holiday or birthday approaches, I’m asked about my list  in efforts to ensure I receive something I will truly enjoy.

Looking back on this past year, I’ve found myself sending more gifts to dear ones near and far, whether it’s saying Happy Birthday or Just Thinking of You. I found joy in surprising friends with something I think will make them feel special.

As with many of our customs, I think this comes from my upbringing. I’ll never forget one of my mom’s birthdays while she was sick. I remember climbing into her bed and asking her what she wanted for her birthday hoping that my 14-year-old self had saved up enough allowance to afford it.  Much to my surprise she quietly told me that this year she wanted to give my sister and I her gifts and to pick out something I wanted.

I remember feeling torn. At first, I was happy because I wouldn’t have to wait another 8 months to get the Nike Shox sneakers that were on my list. But I was also sad realizing that my mom wouldn’t be getting any gifts on her special day. Would it even count as a celebration if there wasn’t a present opening part to the evening?

But much to my surprise, we celebrated my mom’s last birthday together in a different style. No big, themed party…instead my dad cooked (which used to be a rare occasion back then and is now a weekly routine) and my sister and I made my mom cards and a memory treasure chest which we spent some time filling up together with various pictures, notes and special objects. That was one of the last lessons my mom taught me, people have two different love languages, one that they give and one that they receive.

You won’t be surprised to learn that my giving love language is gifting. I mean seriously, I create unique quality gifts (😉hint, hint, you can check them out here) for a living. I love carefully wrapping each gift, especially when it comes to daph. orders❤️, writing a personal note and if I’m lucky, seeing the person’s reaction when it lands in their mailbox unexpectedly or even better, them opening it. There’s such a sense of excitement and happiness in those instances. The feeling is so cozy and fulfilling to me.

So this Mother’s Day I hope you all remember and cherish those special ladies in your life, mothers, mother figures, aunts, grandmothers, stepmoms, mother-in-laws, new moms, dog moms and more. Whether it’s planning a fun family gathering, giving them a big hug, sharing your appreciation for them, doing some yardwork for them or gifting them with a gorgeous woven leather tote, they all deserve to be showed some love, no matter what your language is.