I'd love to know when sales peak for Mother's Day versus Father's Day. Call me a cynic, but I suspect there's an almighty spike at Farmers and Smith & Caughey's oh, right about now for Mother's Day. Whereas Father's Day perhaps might see a more steady flow of sales in the weeks leading up to it.
My reasoning? Something called "emotional labour", which Kim Knight writes about in Canvas this week. As she puts it, "If physical labour puts cider-brined pork fillet on the dinner party table, it is emotional labour that reminds you one of your guests is vegan."
It's the little things, like remembering what your wife really wants for Mother's Day, after the cuddles and toast in bed, is not a new perfume, but to head to the Waitakeres for a picnic lunch (organised by you) with the kids. Or, maybe, she just wants to walk out the door to see a film with a girlfriend and then do a bit of shopping, with no thought of what she has to plan for dinner that night. For someone else to keep the mental to-do list in their head for a day.
Whatever way she rolls, you've still got a good half-day to find out and make it happen ...
P.S. Honey, I hope you've booked Baduzzi by now (the kids can come too).
