Mother's Day in China, May 10, 2009

After living here for so long, Western traditions get past me quite often since I don’t have American consumerism to remind me what I’m supposed to do. Without TV commercials and Hallmark ads screaming at me to make sure to wish my mother a Happy Mother’s Day, it nearly escapes me completely (as did Halloween and Thanksgiving last fall…). Mao Zedong supposedly said “women hold up half the sky” but Mother’s Day isn’t really done here in China.
How does a child, young or old, please his mother on May 10th here in China if it isn’t traditional to take her to brunch or bring her flowers? In my years here I’ve gathered the best way to please a Chinese mother is to eat well, do well in school or your job, make lots of money and produce offspring. She’ll feel like she’s done her job well to see you progressing in life. That’s pretty universal isn’t it?

So, say Happy Mother’s Day in China by eating everything on your plate, studying hard, getting a promotion, oh! and producing some grandchildren if you’re at the right stage in life.