I used to work in retail. Retail jewelery to be precise. I always worked on Mother’s day and the couple days after. It made me see some of the sweetest, and the most appalling sides of families I have ever seen.
Usually the day before Mother’s day was packed, Dad’s and kids milling through the store, many of them working very hard to find the perfect gift for Mom. Older kids would look through pearls and gemstones, finding heart shaped pendants, and rings with the perfect number of stones. They would try to find symbolism, they would look for hours for the perfect thing. Dad’s with new babies would pour over the cases, nervously peeking into the stroller and asking the tiny ones which one their Mommy would like better. They were all so genuine in their search, so eager to please. You had the occasional guy in begrudgingly grabbing the thing we were advertising, giving the "she’ll just return it anyway excuse". For the most part though, it was a fun day to be involved, it was great to see so many kids with their dads.
Most mothers loved their gifts I’d imagine, but the occasional came back in. I hated working with them. They would gripe about the gifts, say they’d never wear them, say it was the same every year. I didn’t understand how they could bring back the gifts so thoughtfully picked , even if they didn’t like them, and this was before I was even a mother.
In the same store I worked with a woman. She was not very pleasant, in fact she was a huge grouch, I didn’t like her that much. She did, however, wear the macaroni necklace, which made me respect her as a mother. Her son would make her things at school, macaroni necklaces, name badges, cards. She would wear them to work, store it in her locker, then slip it back on before she went home. I didn’t like her as a salesperson, but I respected her as a mother.
You wear the macaroni necklace, you take the heart shaped pendant that your kids pick out. Even if you have three of them, even if the macaroni is painted neon green. These are gifts. Gifts that your kids pour their heart into. They aren’t for fashion, they are for love.
I can’t wait to get my first macaroni necklace.
…just something I was thinking about today while being amazed at this adorable face…
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I used to work in retail. Retail jewelery to be precise. I always worked on Mother’s day and the couple days after. It made me see some of the sweetest, and the most appalling sides of families I have ever seen.
Usually the day before Mother’s day was packed, Dad’s and kids milling through the store, many of them working very hard to find the perfect gift for Mom. Older kids would look through pearls and gemstones, finding heart shaped pendants, and rings with the perfect number of stones. They would try to find symbolism, they would look for hours for the perfect thing. Dad’s with new babies would pour over the cases, nervously peeking into the stroller and asking the tiny ones which one their Mommy would like better. They were all so genuine in their search, so eager to please. You had the occasional guy in begrudgingly grabbing the thing we were advertising, giving the "she’ll just return it anyway excuse". For the most part though, it was a fun day to be involved, it was great to see so many kids with their dads.
Most mothers loved their gifts I’d imagine, but the occasional came back in. I hated working with them. They would gripe about the gifts, say they’d never wear them, say it was the same every year. I didn’t understand how they could bring back the gifts so thoughtfully picked , even if they didn’t like them, and this was before I was even a mother.
In the same store I worked with a woman. She was not very pleasant, in fact she was a huge grouch, I didn’t like her that much. She did, however, wear the macaroni necklace, which made me respect her as a mother. Her son would make her things at school, macaroni necklaces, name badges, cards. She would wear them to work, store it in her locker, then slip it back on before she went home. I didn’t like her as a salesperson, but I respected her as a mother.
You wear the macaroni necklace, you take the heart shaped pendant that your kids pick out. Even if you have three of them, even if the macaroni is painted neon green. These are gifts. Gifts that your kids pour their heart into. They aren’t for fashion, they are for love.
I can’t wait to get my first macaroni necklace.
…just something I was thinking about today while being amazed at this adorable face…