First, let me take a minute to wish all my fellow okaasan a happy Mother’s Day. I feel like this is acceptable. Aside from the fact that mother’s day is essentially a Hallmark Holiday, some of you are overseas, many of you are still very new acquaintances, and none of you are my mother, thus an actual phone call may be impractical, and possibly even weird. This may sound like a “Captain Obvious” kind of observation, but it segues nicely into my point.
Thursday was my birthday. I got a lot of birthday love via Facebook. My bestie took me and my family out to lunch. My neighbor brought me fresh strawberries and a mojito. I was frankly touched. Even though we’ve become quite good pals lately, the fact that she thought of me even a little was pretty cool. One of my other friends brought me a whole DQ ice cream cake on Friday (my waistline thanks you!) I had a very lovely birthday, despite spending at least part of it in the pediatrician’s office with my daughter for a weirdly vacillating rash.
And I got a few birthday texts. Which is cool… Except that not a single one of my four sets of parents or three sisters actually picked up the phone to call me on my birthday. Ironically, my Dad just called to say “Happy Mother’s Day.” Maybe it’s easier to call on a Sunday than a Thursday? My mom, for her part (and weirdly) wished me an early “happy birthday” when I spoke to her earlier in the week. But why? Was she planning on being in absentia on my actual b-day? (Hubby seems to think she just wanted to be the very first to wish me a “happy birthday”.)
Anyway, it’s not a huge deal, but I have to admit it’s given me pause, and once again made me consider how our ever increasing technology is changing our culture…and our manners. Is it okay for close family to text or Facebook a birthday greeting in lieu of an actual call? I have mixed feelings.
I wonder if everyone will mind that I have not, as of yet, made any of my Mother’s Day cards, let alone sent them. Maybe I can just shoot my three mothers (mom, stepmom, and MIL) a text.
So, readers, just wondering your opinions on the changing times and tides of socially acceptable behavior and cultural traditions and holidays. What are your experiences and feelings on the topics?
alienredqueen 
A belated happy birthday to you!
Thank ya, dear!
Depending how close I am with that person I will either send them a card, a phonecall or a facebook message. 😛 I prefer a phonecall, because I’m usually always late with cards!
Right. I mean, that’s my point. It seems fine for most people but people you are very close with, like immediate family, it seems like a call might still be in order.
I always call family or other people I am close with. I don’t know, its just more personal to me.
Happy belated birthday! 🙂
I like the texts, I have to say– fielding phone calls all day was never fun. Plus, I’m in close contact with friends/family so there’s never anything that they need to say other than “Happy Birthday”… it always makes for a slow phone call of “What’d you do today?” where I have to say ‘Nothing, because I’ve had to have this same conversation a hundred billion times.’ Now, I can go to the movies guilt-free on my birthday because I won’t miss calls, just texts. I’ve never been a fan of phones, though… they’re just too disruptive to be polite, in my opinion. I still send cards, so I don’t think it’s just my tech-geek-nature, but who knows? 🙂
You raise good points as well. I am to the point where I really don’t like to be on the phone anymore (a far cry from my teenage years and I have a theory; the more mobile you are –like with a car and coming of age– the LESS you want to be on the phone. LOL) So I also don’t feel like fielding calls all day either. Especially since I’d have more than one set of parents calling… Maybe I should just shut up and be happy. hahah!