This Daddy Diary is a plea to the 2010 calendar creators. It’s time to switch Father’s Day and Mother’s day around.
So, the other day I was staring at my August calendar. No Holidays. Huh. It’s the only month where there are no Holidays in the ole USA. I have to be honest. I started thinking about Holidays only after my St Louis Cardinals traded for Matt “Holliday” a few weeks ago. It’s easy for me to get off topic…
January has New Years and Dr Martin Luther King Day. February has Valentine’s Day and President’s Day. March has St Patrick’s Day and sometimes Easter. April has Opening Day (my favorite) and sometimes Easter. May has Memorial Day and Mother’s Day. June has Flag Day and Father’s Day. Okay, I’ll stop, you get the point, and this is where my plea comes from.
Most countries celebrate Mother’s Day on a specific date for a specific reason. Example, Thailand celebrates Mother’s Day on the Birthday of the Queen of Thailand. You know why we celebrate Mother’s Day on the 2nd Sunday in May? So, that the holiday can sneak up on the husband’s with no warning, and we got hosed. We end up stressing about brunch, flowers, chocolates, gifts from the kids to the mom’s, presents from us to our mom’s etc. And, we do it all in the last minute, because no one gave us any warning. Moms get a nice 6 week planning period. They sit back and enjoy Mother’s Day, then wake up Monday, and start prepping for Father’s Day. Not us Dad’s, it’s a sneak attack. We get warned the 2nd Friday in May at about 6pm with a “Hey honey, what are we doing Sunday for Mother’s Day?” What????????????? We respond. “Well, yes, hubby pie, it is the 2nd Sunday in May.” Oh, of course, I forgot to set my alarm. Geesh. It could be worse. Romania has Mother’s Day AND Ladies Day. I knew there was a reason I was glad that my last name wasn’t Ciubar (no offense to anyone with the very popular Romanian surname “Ciubar” by the way.)
I ask the calendar creator this. Who is more organized when it comes to preparing for family functions? Women or Men? I admit it. My wife is muuuuuuch more organized when it comes to Holidays, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Baptisms, Bah Mitzvahs, Weddings, (I’m sweating now), and of course Father’s Days. Guess which one that I get no help with? Yep, Mother’s Day. That one is all on me. So, Mr. Calendar Creator, how bout throwing me a bone, a nice bare, WISH-bone where I wish that you flip Father’s Day and Mother’s Day around? Father’s Day is now on the 2nd Sunday in May. Mother’s Day is now on the 3rd Sunday in June. That would help us Dad’s out a whole lot.
Typical conversation on the 3rd Friday in June, 2010 goes like this: “Oh grand Hubby of mine, what are we doing Sunday?” “Well, I’ve been planning for this coming Sunday since last year, my wonderful wife. It’s a surprise, and you’re going to love it.”
(Dad now scrambles to favorite airline website. Date Departing: Early AM, 3rd Sunday in June. Destination: Bucharest, Romania. # of Tickets: 1. Date Returning: My Birthday)
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