May 14th

Alternatives to Mother’s Day

May is a beautiful spring month. Flowers are in bloom, especially after our very wet winter. The weather is finally warm enough to wear dresses and shorts, to feel the sun’s fire on your skin. This is a time to reconnect and grow after months of seasonal dreariness. 

May is also home to Mother’s Day, a day to celebrate mothers and motherhood. For some, it can be a painful month and the constant reminders of motherly love often don’t fit with everyone’s experience of having a mother. Some businesses, like Etsy, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, and Uncommon Goods offer subscribers the option to opt out of receiving emails about Mother’s Day.

Whatever your reason for choosing not to celebrate, we are here to offer you some alternatives to enjoy May 14th and the whole month of May.

May 14th Ideas

Have a self care day! Everyone’s idea of self care will be different, but do try to do something that makes your feel good, loved, safe, etc. (and if it’s too hard to feel good on this day, don’t be mad at yourself that it is). Some ideas are yoga, meditation, hiking or walking, joyful movement (exercise that you actually like doing that actually feels good to you), crafting, spa day, baking or cooking, gardening, reading, napping, calling a friend, the list goes on. 

May is bike month. Grab coffee and lunch to-go from the Co-op, put on some sunscreen, and take a leisure bike ride with some friends through our beautiful small town! Looking for a longer ride? Grab a Davis Bike Map at the Customer Service Desk; head down Russell Boulevard and Putah Creek Road to Winters for Turkovich or Berryessa Gap Wines or Old Davis Road to Dixon to visit the Barn & Pantry. 

Spend the day in your yard or indoor jungle. Spring is the time for repotting and propagating indoor plants and sprucing up your outdoor garden. Stop by the Patio to grab some new soil, fertilizer, pots, and plants! Check out our blogs on Propagating and Container Gardening, and our Plant Care Guides.

Have a sibling, friend, or pet day instead. Use this day to celebrate the strong relationships you do have. Plan out your ideal friend date, bundle at home or go out and enjoy the spring weather. Just like a self care day, this will vary for everyone. Here is an example of how I would do it: (1) early climbing/yoga/walk followed by matcha (2) go back to my house for hanging on the couch (3) then we make a huge and complicated meal (4) and then we eat it several hours later when it is finally done! 

Spend the day with someone who needs a mother. Sign up to volunteer at the SPCA or foster/adopt at Hearts for Paws Rescue in town. Finding a way to share some love, with a creature that will unconditionally love you back for a walk and some snuggles can be a great way to emotionally heal. Volunteering with both organizations takes a little time and training to qualify. If you are last-minute looking for some snuggles, ask some friends with pets if you can pet sit for the day!

Weekend Happenings