It should be easy to do something nice for your mother today, since it is Mother’s Day. Maybe the hardest part is thinking of what to do.

A recent economic study of what traditionally have been maternal duties showed that if stay-at-home moms were compensated financially for what they did, their average annual salary would be in excess of $130,000. Those who work outside the home would earn an extra $80,000 a year if they were compensated thusly. Somehow, a catchy card from Hallmark just doesn’t seem enough now, does it?

Throughout history and across cultures, mothers have been revered and celebrated and with good reason. Without one, where would you be? They nursed when you were a baby, tended to your scrapes, cuts and bruises, maybe took you to school and picked you up as well, waited for you to get home when you were out and made sure you were dressed warmly on a chilly day.

Like so many ideas that start off with well meaning, commercialization can take hold. Mother’s Day became a nationally-recognized occasion in 1914, when President Woodrow Wilson ordered the flag shown for all mothers who had lost sons in war. Nine years later, because of its widespread appeal as a means to make money, even the woman who championed its cause became disenchanted with Mother’s Day.

But don’t let that dissuade you from celebrating the  mothers of the world, even if it is with flowers, a card, a box of candy, or perhaps even something more meaningful, and let your mother know how much she means to you.