I will start this one off, and maybe some of the other folks will feel safe enough to contribute.

1988 - I was the lead engineer on a massive project that had MAJOR ramifications for our company. I was working unimaginable hours (btw: so was my whole team), and never looking up to catch my breath.

FINALLY, on a given Friday, May 6, I believe, I actually had time to walk down and get a coffee from the machine in our building, and one of the ladies in a sister department asked, "NG what did you get you wife for Mother's day?" I remember thinking, "Why would she ask that - I have time for Mother's Day, because Mother's Day is ....a .....week .....AFTER .....my .....Anniv ....OH, [censored]!"

I RAN out of the building - went to the jewelry store (emerald ring), went to the florist (red tulips, her favorite), drug-store (chocolates), stopped by her favorite restaurant (reservations for 7:00, special flowers on table, pre-ordered her favorite meal, including flaming chocolate souffle.)

Continued on home, grabbed ring, flowers, chocolate, and opened the front door. There, on the living-room floor lay our 7yo oldest, reading, who glanced at me and called out, "Mom! Dad's home....and it looks like he finally remembered your anniversary!"

Bride still has the ring, and wears it, religiously, from our anniversary through Mother's Day!

Over here, it isn't expected for men to get their wives something for Mothers' Day. I was quite surprised when I began reading here at MB and realised they did that in the USA.

Here, men will buy or make things in the kids' names when they are little, and then take the kids to choose things when they are older. Once the kids are old enough, they are expected to arrange the treat themselves. The whole thing is done in the children's names, not as a gift from the husband to the wife.

I like the American idea, though. I like what it represents - "thank you for being the mother to my children". That's nice.

When husbands remember, of course.

I just popped in and worked around the filter to see the [censored].

Hilarious.

Though, should I forget the day after my birthday...