r/Anticonsumption • u/pajamakitten • 11d ago
Society/Culture Mother's Day junk that will be clutter at best, landfill waste at worst.
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u/pajamakitten 11d ago
Mother's Day is this Sunday in the UK (sorry to freak out those who celebrate it in May) and it has annoyed me for years that junk like this comes out every year. Who needs or even wants another teddy bear? Who needs another 'World's Best Mum's mug? It is just going to gather dust at best, not to mention that it seems really impersonal and lacking in thought.
Personally, I have just got my mum a bunch of her favourite snacks, all from smaller companies not owned by the oligopolies that own almost every company. It at least shows I know something about her.
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u/Appropriate_Tie897 11d ago
I just donated a “worlds best mum” teddy with tags still on that I got last year to a charity shop - so maybe it can continue that cycle lol
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u/godlike_doglike 11d ago
you did freak me out lmao turns out it's 26th may for me but for a moment i was terrified i'd forgotten hahah
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u/HolySpicoliosis 11d ago
People that buy that stuff are probably the same idiots that buy their mom gifts for her birthday and Christmas too. Like seriously, just say you love her but the environmental costs are too great and she'll understand
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u/pajamakitten 11d ago
Not always. While I show my mum I love her all the time, she would still be upset if I did not get her a birthday or Christmas present. I consume responsibly (food gifts, seeds, garden centre vouchers etc.), however societal pressure is huge still. I do not bother with cards and never here the end of it.
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u/HolySpicoliosis 11d ago
You've got a point. Society wants me to consume, who am I to try and resist it's pressures? Wow that's freeing
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u/pajamakitten 11d ago
Consumption is not the problem with society though, it is overconsumption that is. You can quite easily gift responsibly without harming the environment or supporting unethical companies.
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u/According_Gazelle472 11d ago
I get food gift cards,boxes of chocolates and taken out to eat for all holidays.
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u/Pretend_Ad_3699 11d ago
No thought in these gifts at all!! I bought a hydrangea in a clay pot that I know she will plant in the garden
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u/doodlize 11d ago
That or pay for a massage/spa day. Did that last year and my mom enjoyed it a lot
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u/Neither-Mycologist77 11d ago
That's what I've done for Mother's Day for years -- a potted bulb plant that she can plant outside. She loves it.
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u/Persistent_Parkie 11d ago
We got mom a new rose bush every year. All the colors of the rainbow (well almost)
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u/Efficient-Quarter-18 11d ago
My local grocery store chains have this section. Everything is so cheaply made and priced obscenely high - I think they’re trying to capitalize on last-minute shoppers needing a quick gift. But I never see anyone buying this crap, so it almost certainly goes into the landfill.
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u/pajamakitten 11d ago
Same. I think in my 32 years on Earth, I have seen one person buying a giant teddy dog Mother's Day.
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u/orioleright 11d ago
This stuff enrages me. I’ve been quite vocal in telling my family, please, please don’t buy me anything. Make me breakfast. Make me a nice little nosegay from the garden. Tell me you love me. Same for all the holidays. They respect my wishes, and I am so grateful for that.
Tell your people what you need (and what you don’t). A little communication can save money, reduce your stress/clutter, and stop rewarding the people who are actively trashing our planet.
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u/Bwunt 11d ago
Hell, even if they buy you anything, they can get you something that you'd otherwise have to get yourself.
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u/lizardgal10 11d ago
Exactly, I try to get my mom stuff she needs but won’t buy for herself-skincare products, high end sunscreen, maybe a nice kitchen towel. Or things directly from an artist or small business.
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u/beanieweenieSlut 11d ago
As a mom I don’t want any of that
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u/According_Gazelle472 11d ago edited 11d ago
I don't want anything for gardens since I don't do that at all.
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u/beanieweenieSlut 11d ago
If I saw this section I would think it was for babies. I dont need crap reminding me I am a mom my child reminds me every day 😂
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u/girlwithapinkpack 7d ago
My Mum wants everything for gardens as she does that all the time! It's easy for me to give her something she'll use and enjoy AND if I visit at the right time I'll get to eat the produce too, hurray! It's ideal *if the person is into it.*
I don't get to visit until late April this year, but I'll be taking a plant and a couple of cuttings which are basically plant babies for her to mother, so she never gets a break from looking after things, hahaha!
What feels sad about this picture is that it's for people who don't actually know what their Mum will love or enjoy or make good use of which feels like the opposite of honouring her. :(
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u/According_Gazelle472 7d ago
I have one son living with me and one son lives down the road from me .They both buy me chocolates and food gift cards for holidays.
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u/totallytotes_ 11d ago
If my kid picked it I would be fine with it. Whether it's a stick off the ground or a cheesy teddy
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u/UntdHealthExecRedux 11d ago
The Simpsons Love Day parody is depressingly on point..... as was Springfield electing a man making crazy promises over a competent public servant. That entire episode is depressingly relatable....
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u/pajamakitten 11d ago
This junk predates that episode though. Love Day nonsense has been pushed for Mother's/Father's day since I can remember.
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u/sundancer2788 11d ago
My kids usually sponsor wildlife or make a donation to a local animal shelter. That makes me happy!
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u/roboticfedora 11d ago
Flea markets depress me anymore. It's just the collected debris that dead people gathered.
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u/Butterwhat 11d ago
a card and some flowers is my go-to. it was actually really common where I grew up in Appalachia that if you gave someone flowers, it was usually a potted plant to replant in the ground (for most occasions except funerals). I really like this tradition. I'd personally be fine with cut flowers as well, but this idea is much sweeter.
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u/Fat-Performance 11d ago
To be fair, not everyone buys this stuff every year. Some people are buying it for the very first time. Maybe new mothers and grandmothers would like to get something to commemorate their first Mother's Day. Could it be better quality or more original? Of course.
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u/WhyNotBeKindInstead 11d ago
I worked in grocery retail for the last five years and the manufactured holidays are physically disgusting for me. I see what goes in the dumpsters, donation, storage for next year and recycling - it's mostly trashed. And the store I worked for has a very strong recycling and donations program which probably 75% of the employees at least try to adhere to; I can't imagine what it's like at places that don't have that.
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u/roxywalker 11d ago
Mine will detail a bathroom and/or take me out for morning coffee and brunch. Much preferred!
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u/girlwithapinkpack 7d ago
I would LOVE the gift of someone else cleaning my bathroom without having to have a stranger in my home!
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u/WeimMama1 11d ago
Ask your family to clean out the fridge. And breakfast in bed with homemade cards. These shelves of garbage make my skin crawl.
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u/ablab27 11d ago
First year as a Mum, and I’ve told my other half that I’d just like a nice, hot bath with a cuppa 😂
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u/sherbetgibbon 11d ago
Same! First year for me too, and honestly all I want is a good long soak in the bath with a decent book
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11d ago edited 11d ago
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u/Anticonsumption-ModTeam 11d ago
Recommending or soliciting recommendations for specific brands and products is not appropriate in this subreddit.
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u/AlarmingYak7956 9d ago
I hate this shit. Holiday turnovers made me hate working retail. Just makes you feel so empty and like nothing matters. My mom is getting cooling mat. She gets hot flashes and desperately needs a little help in the summer. Il probably also get her flowers from a neighbor that sells flower bouquets from their own flower garden. Gifts are about showing the ppl you love that you actually pay attention to them. This shit is garbage and shows you know nothing about them.
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u/Many_Resist_4209 11d ago
Every year, I buy my mother seeds or starter plants for her garden. She absolutely loves it and we have a gorgeous backyard full of veggies. It’s a win win and it doesn’t land at the landfill.
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u/DedInside50s 11d ago
This! I tell my kids if they don't want to help me with a decluttering chore, they can buy me a couple packages of seeds or a veggie plant. My grandkids can help me plant them.
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u/Cheetah-kins 11d ago
I work in a popular retail clothing chain store and often take in and process the shipment. I think that most people have no clue how much waste is created literally every day by just one store. Has to be several thousand lbs a year with probably at least half of it going straight to the landfill - just that one business creating all that. It's a shameful situation and one that is unlikely to change because the buying public doesn't know and probably wouldn't care if they did. To me it sucks because making money is almost always prioritized over creating a clean environment. It's what human society does. :(
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u/GrannyFlash7373 11d ago
The Chinese make them, and silly entrepreneurs in America buy them, hoping you will too.
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u/JackieDaytona_61 11d ago
I avoid going into stores around holidays because the sheer volume of all this useless crap depresses me. Unfortunately, however, there's always another holiday buying opportunity just around the corner.
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u/parrotia78 11d ago
Another Holiday occasion to buy things we don't truly need and what likely many can't afford.
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u/beeinhere 10d ago
i saw this in my tesco 😬 and a bunch of crocheted tulips which makes me cringe. Not only is it all landfill waste but there has been so much human labour gone into making some of those items
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u/AdministrativeHawk61 10d ago
Make your mom a Mothers Day card and put effort into it. Quit buying shit
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u/imababydragon 10d ago
I'm a mom and my way to fight all that crap is to ask for what I would like on Mother's Day with plenty of notice. That way you don't have confused family members panic buying things that have the word mom on them. My favorite ask is a fun but low-key activity together like playing games or cooking a meal we all love together. Sometimes I get gifted a meal cooked for me, but honestly no one has to prove they appreciate me on one specific day - we all appreciate each other year-round.
The awesomeness of this approach is that it is how we treat all holidays now. If I'm grocery shopping on December 23rd and someone asks if I'm "ready for Christmas" it actually surprises me now because Christmas has become so relaxing.
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u/The_Gray_Jay 11d ago
A stuffed animal or decorative pillow has got to be the worse gift I can think of getting xD
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u/ladylallybroch 11d ago
My kids would always buy me candles. I have too many. Told them stop. I want to go to brunch, dress nice and take a pic or two. But brunch on Mother’s Day is insane. So we celebrate the week before. Is nice.
Also plantable flowers or plants would be good. Bonus if my husband plants them for me. Check local facebook or nature centers for plant sales. Can be cheaper and native to area than buying at Home Depot.
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u/Affectionate-Use6412 11d ago
My family takes me to a farm every Mother's Day so I can hang out with the animals and we have a picnic lunch. It's perfect!
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u/Sneakichu 11d ago
Every time I walk into the grocery store the center displays are jam packed with "holiday" garbage and it drives me up the wall. You buy a 25$ bear with some bs on it just to it can get tossed out next spring cleaning day. Just... why?!
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u/Legal-Ad8308 11d ago
I hate this day. Programmed consumption. My children know how I feel. If you must celebrate this non holiday, give me a hug, let's go for a walk, let's spend a little time together and make a memory.
If you are far away, give me a call. Send me a post card. I don't want a Mom mug or flowers. Instead, send money in my name to your local food bank.
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u/SpirituallyUnsure 11d ago
It would be much simpler to say Thank you, give her a lie in, and then do your fair share of household duties for the year.
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u/girlwithapinkpack 7d ago
Can't believe this was downvoted! People really don't want to pull their weight huh
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11d ago
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u/pajamakitten 11d ago
Mums in the comments are telling people what they really want. Does that satisfy you?
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u/pineapplecatlady24 11d ago
I’m sorry I don’t understand what you mean by “mums in the comments are telling people what they really want?”
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u/pineapplecatlady24 11d ago
Ah I think I understand. As in you posting this is still helpful to some because there are people in the comments giving alternatives?
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u/pajamakitten 11d ago
Yes. Mums want something more than cheap mug or soft toy.
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u/pineapplecatlady24 11d ago
ok I see, I understand what you’re saying. I’m gonna leave the sub still cause I see it a little much for me (not just you doing it) and I tend to try to stay out of dissension and prefer to speak about what can we do better instead. Thank you for helping me understand you tho! And I am sorry for coming off rude or annoyed with you.
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u/pajamakitten 11d ago
But what we can do better here is not buy commercial tat and either buy alternative presents (food, plants, charity donations), give experiences, or just allow our mums to rest and do all the chores that day.
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11d ago
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u/pajamakitten 11d ago
You can celebrate Mother's Day without buying cheap crap your mum never wanted.
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11d ago
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u/pajamakitten 11d ago
You could get chocolate and flowers for less than most of this junk though. Besides, if you are on a budget to the point that a £3.50 mug pushes you close to the edge then you could always just take your mum out for a coffee or make her breakfast or dinner instead. There are free ways to celebrate Mother's Day.
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11d ago
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u/Anticonsumption-ModTeam 11d ago
Posts must be relevant to /r/anticonsumption. Please review the community info.
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u/No-Housing-5124 11d ago
We don't want any of it. We want rights.