Why I hate Mother's Day

And holidays/traditions in general.

Certain things are expected of you, things that make no difference to your self-worth or value as a human being, and if you don't do them, you're seen in a bad light.

I don't like materialistic concepts, and holidays rate highly in this mental list of mine.

What Mother's Day looks like to me is, 'If you don't get me something on this day, you are a bad child' - how absurd does that look?

I don't know if it's just my mother, but if I don't get her anything, she constantly reminds me what my other family members have done for their mothers and has actually said to me that she doesn't think I am very considerate and infers that I am a bad child.

I can't stand being made to feel guilty for not spending money on someone, it's nearly as bad as a guy getting shit for not paying for a date. So many times in the girl gossip circle, they've said that they expect guys to pay for all this shit, and it pisses me off, especially as a fellow female, to be associated with ridiculous states of mind, but that's another story..

If you don't give your parents gifts or cards or anything for their respective holidays, does it make you 'bad'? Surely if a child doesn't want to dish out, but has shown, through words and actions that they appreciate their parents...are they still meant to feel guilty? Hell, what if a child shows their parents nothing but disrespect, yet never fails to give their parents a gift one day a year...does that excuse their bad behaviour for the rest of the year?

Do I consider myself a selfish person? Yes and no.. I don't like doing things that I very genuinely find pointless, even if it makes someone else happy. If they're going to seriously get depressed, then that's the exception, but a few tuts and I won't do it. I also put myself out for others in order to make them feel happy if they're depressed, and am always willing to help out a stranger if they're suicidal, occasionally going to extreme measures....so am I selfish for not buying in to holidays?

Last year for my mum's birthday, I poured my heart out into a two or three-page letter telling her why I love and admire her...I had tears in my eyes as she read it, and you know what she said? "What will I tell my friends at work that I got for my birthday? Other people buy presents" or something along those lines.

Are you shitting me? Are you seriously-- 

It is not a competition, first off. Plus, I find the letter/handmade gift idea so much more meaningful than a pre-written card from Clinton's, yet you would rather I write 'To Mum, Love Shanade' amongst some crap little ditty that I didn't even compose myself? As a writer, I am almost offended.

If you need money being spent on you to feel like you're worth something, you need to consider how much you value yourself, because that's sad.

Why does money mean so much to some people?  I refuse to buy into it, it isn't what I believe in.

So shoot me in the face if I don't get you anything for a holiday, but if you get upset over it, take a look at yourself.

Note: The double-standard applies - I don't care if people buy me gifts for holidays at all, so I'm not just 'avoiding paying for things with a lame excuse'. And when I become a mother, I won't expect gifts...their general love for me should be more than enough.