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Mother-daughter relationships celebrated on special Mother’s Day cardsContact: Megan Ferington or Frank Cirillo, 216.252.4938 Cleveland, Ohio (April 2007) -- Mothers and daughters share a powerful and complex bond. The same child who at age five plays “dress up” in Mom’s high heels is apt to challenge everything her mother says as she enters her teen years. As she becomes a young woman, her relationship with her mother often evolves, and the two begin to develop a level of mutual acceptance and respect, even though their lives may be quite different. This Mother’s Day, American Greetings offers a variety of cards that celebrate the many nuances, complexities and joys of mother-daughter relationships. On Mother’s Day, it’s daughters who often organize and plan the family’s activities, whether it’s taking Mom out to brunch or preparing a family get-together at home. Her actions reflect her acceptance to take over some of the tasks that moms typically do, and in essence begin the process of evolving the relationship into adulthood. Selecting cards for her own mother and the other women in her life -- such as her mother-in-law, sister, grandmother and even girlfriends who are moms – is another meaningful part of the tradition as daughters grow older and take on added responsibilities. According to noted author and inspirational speaker Mary Marcdante, cards are an integral part of Mother’s Day celebrations between mothers and daughters because they help communicate thoughts and feelings that often go unexpressed during the course of the year. “While researching for my book, I interviewed 400 mothers and daughters, and discovered that of all the feedback women receive in their many roles in life, appreciation from their families is the one thing they crave most,” said Marcdante, the author of My Mother, My Friend. American Greetings writer and editor Carolyn Koesters said cards are especially meaningful because they provide a very tangible way for moms to receive this appreciation. The work of creating cards that strike the perfect chord of appreciation and authenticity for the diverse relationships we all share with our mothers is a challenging one. “Since every family is different, the challenge for greeting card writers is to craft messages that sound authentic and meaningful for a variety of ages, personalities and relationships,” Koesters said. “As part of our research for the 2007 Mother’s Day line, we looked to our relationships with our own mothers and children for inspiration,” said Koesters. “What we found is that daughters of all ages – but especially grown women – want to express genuine appreciation and admiration for all that their mothers have done, both as a mom and as an individual.” As her adult daughter becomes a parent, and Mom takes on an added role as a grandmother, the mother-daughter bond often deepens. One of the special ways mothers can express love and support is through celebrating the efforts of their daughters who have their own children, and are now juggling the same demands they once did. Cards for a mother to give to a daughter on Mother’s Day have become increasingly popular as a way to communicate the continued evolution of the mother-daughter bond. One such card from American Greetings features a contemporary hand-lettered design and a mother’s proud words: “Daughter, I know you can make the world a better place. That’s something you’ve done since the day you were born. With love on Mother’s Day.” Once daughters become mothers themselves, they gain a new understanding and appreciation for their own moms. One American Greetings card reflects this uncanny “awakening” about what it means to be a parent with a daughter’s personal reflection. It says, “I had an `I’m turning into my mom’ moment the other day. How cool is that? Happy Mother’s Day, from your daughter.” While the newest Mother’s Day cards celebrate the joyful evolution of the mother-daughter relationship, they also reflect that these relationships certainly have their ups and downs. Many of today’s Mother’s Day cards even acknowledge that the relationship has not always been perfect, but it will always be strong. One such card reads, “Mom, you taught me that you didn’t always have to understand me or agree with my decisions in order to love me.” Once a mother has accepted her daughter as an adult, the relationship takes on its final evolution of friendship. As they have more shared experiences and mutual understanding of one another’s lives, mothers and daughters finally come to appreciate each other as individuals. Many of the Mother’s Day cards from American Greetings reflect this close connection with illustrations of moms lunching or shopping with their adult daughters using words like, “Give a girl a great mom and she can do anything,” and “So much of the woman I am is because of the mother you are. Thanks, Mom.” American Greetings Mother’s Day cards can be found at participating drug chains, grocery stores and super centers nationwide, as well as in American Greetings and Carlton Cards retail stores. Visit www.americangreetings.com/retailers for store locations. About American Greetings Corporation |
