Everyone knows the importance of mothering Sunday because we are taught from a very young age about this scared day. It's not just about Mum appreciation and a time to thanks her for all the great things she has done for you over the years. Things like looking after the fish whilst you were on holiday, nursing you whilst you had a bad case of man flu, dumped that bunny boiler for you who just couldn't get the message and went through excruciating agony just giving birth to you. Oh no, its much more than just that.

Our modern, commercialised, capitalist society has turned Mothering Sunday into a day for proving how much you love your Mother. If we agree with this or not, it has little barring on Mothers day. If you try to explain to your dear sweet Mum that it's all very commercial, and that you don't need a special day to tell her you love her and how much you appreciate all she does for you; it just wont wash. Her heart will sink, in a similar way to the time you forgot to send your girlfriend a Valentines Day card. In the long run it just ends up costing you more as you desperately try to get back into their good books.

So you have woken up on Mothering Sunday after a skin full the night before to find, tragedy. You haven't got your Mum anything for mothering Sunday. What are you going to do now?

You could grab her a bunch of flowers from a petrol station forecourt on your way over there. But everyone is doing that and the only bunches left will either be hilariously over priced (The Forgotten Mothers Day Tax) or they will look ropy, not really the ideal token o appreciation.

You could get her some chocolates, but she's on a diet and wouldn't be appreciative of them.

What about taking her out for a slap up Sunday lunch? That would really earn you some brownie points. But without pre booking the only tables available will be at the grottiest places in town.

Bt all is not lost, you could choose to send your Mum a free E-card wishing her a happy Mothers day. I know it sound cheap, but bare with me. Use the E-card to flatter your Mum with comments such as...

?I thought it was the ideal card for a hi-tech Mum like you?

?Your so with the times, I knew you'd love it?

?Conventional cards aren't good enough for a special Mother like you?

?Being so caring, I knew that you wouldn't want a card that damages future woodlands and the environment

And there you have it, as the Grinch saved Christmas, you can save Mothers day. It won't cost you a bean and with a bit of smooth talking a free Mothers day E-card can be a huge display of love, and you'll be Mummy's boy for another year.