A (Brief) History of Mother’s Day

History nerd time! Other than the obvious – the obvious being that being a mum is a pretty thankless task sometimes and also that some of us have really dope mums who deserve a shout-out – why do we celebrate Mother’s Day at all?

Some countries and religions have had days celebrating mothers on their calendars for centuries, but the day as we know it really kicked off back in 1907, when an American woman named Anna Jarvis organised a day of worship dedicated to mums at her church in Grafton, West Virginia.

Some countries actually combine Mother’s Day with International Women’s Day on March 8th – double the reason to shout out mums!

Here in Australia, it started back in 1910, but didn’t get really popular until the 1920s. Giving gifts as part of the day began in 1924, when a particularly lovely woman named Janet Heyden started collecting gifts for women in Sydney’s Newington State Home, some of whom who had lost husbands and sons during World War One. Seeing the difference a small gift made, reminding these women that they weren’t alone and that they were still appreciated, really fired our Janet up. She put notices in the paper asking for help and, in a show of true Aussie mateship, the gifts starting surging in.

Pour one out for Janet, lads. That’s some heartfelt stuff, right there.

Now, like so many other holidays, it’s become a bit of a commercialised nightmare, but that’s where Spicy Baboon comes in. We’re here to offer something a bit different, with gifts for mums with a twisted sense of humour, bought by kids who still know how to wind her up - in the best way, of course. And, as a bonus, you’re supporting a local Aussie business – take THAT capitalism!

Why buy from Spicy Baboon?

Our designs are all created at our Woolloongabba HQ by our team of very clever, very talented, and very funny baboons. We saw there was a bit of a gap in the market for gifts and cards that had a little bit of spice to them, we shot our shot, and here we are!

But you already knew that we were a funny bunch with a flair for memelord-ery, didn’t you? It’s what brought you here in the first place, after all. So why else should you get your Mother’s Day gifts from us? Lemme break it down for ya!

We use high quality materials for all our products

we want to make sure that your gifts last for as long as possible, so we’re only using the good stuff. Things falling apart after a couple of uses really isn’t our style, and your mum deserves better than that!

Our clothing is 100% combed cotton, secured with double needle hems and pre-shrunk to avoid any nasty surprises when you take them out of the wash – or when your mum does it for you.

Our cards are printed on high-grade paper, using quality ink. Your mum will probably want to frame them, they’re that good, though we’re not sure what her friends would think about some of the jokes.

Our mugs (great for coffee but also pretty good for wine) are dishwasher and microwave safe, printed onto porcelain with quality inks

We’d go on, but you get the idea – our products are pretty bloody good!

We’re an Australian company

supporting Aussie businesses and buying as local as you can is a great way to support our economy. Choosing to shop with Spicy Baboon means you’re backing a 100% Australian business, with Aussie designers, Aussie printers, and an Aussie HQ, right here in sunny Brisbane!

Our top picks for Mother’s Day gifts

We’ve no shortage of hilarious and heartfelt Mother’s Day gifts for you to choose from, available in a range of items from t-shirts, to mugs, to hoodies. We also boast a pretty cool selection of earrings, puzzles, soaps, and more! To get you started, here’s a few that we really think you’ll like.

Glad It Was You mug

Show Mum just how grateful you are that you happened to wind up as her kid with this sweet, yet sassy, mug. And okay, so maybe your mum will take issue with the word “tumble” - we’ve seen videos of childbirth and OH. MY. GOD. - but she can’t deny the sweet sentiment behind this one.

Parenting Pens

Prove to Mum that you DO listen to her, with these hilarious pens featuring some classic parental quotes, including “I’ll give you something to cry about”, “Because I said so”, and the evergreen “Go the f*ck to sleep!”

Cool Mum

Did you really think we’d make a list without including our “You’re not a regular mum, you’re a cool mum” design? Ugh, as if. (Wrong teen movies, we know, but our point still stands). Shout out both your mum and Amy Poehler’s scene stealing turn by ordering one of our high quality gifts featuring the cool mum herself, June George.

Bandit Hall Pass

You’ve thought it, we’ve thought it, your mum’s thought it. Somehow a blue heeler from a kids TV show has become the ultimate DILF, and our Bandit Is My Hall Pass collection is on hand so Mum can share her deepest darkest desire with the world.

Stick on wine holder

It’s scientifically proven* that all mums love baths. Make your mum’s quiet time even more relaxing by gifting her this wine holder, so she can sip while she soaks! It adheres to walls easily, can even hold stemless glasses, and can handle the weight of up to ¾ of a bottle of wine – zero judgement from us. And you don’t just have to use it in the bathroom. We’ve got several placed strategically around the office. Just don’t tell the head baboon, okay? (*scientifically proven by us, who are baboons, not scientists.)

Hornbag

Celebrate a trio of legendary mums – Kath, Kim, and your very own! Our Hornbag design showcases the Aussie icons on whatever items you’d like. We’re personally big fans of the stubby cooler and its disco ball background – perfect to keep Mum’s cardonnay cool. If your mum truly is a hornbag, not a housewife, she’ll love this!

Personalised Mother’s Day gifts

They say it’s the thought that counts, and nothing says you’ve put thought into something than getting something personalised. Here at Spicy Baboon, we’ve got heaps of personalised Mother’s Day gifts that can be customised to include names or photos, and really show Mum that you saw something and immediately thought of her. Check out our full collection of Mothe;’ Day Personalised Gifts here. Below are a couple of our top opfferings as a part of our Personalised Mother’s Day collection.

Favourite child Mother’s Day mug

They say they don’t have a favourite child but they’re lying. Call them out on it, by giving them a mug to prove it. We offer the mug in a few variations, depending on how many siblings you have/want to remind who's the top dog in the household. There’s options for one, two, or three sibling pics in addition to your own beautiful face, or you can just skip those losers altogether, with the Mum’s Favourite Child mug - why even bother mentioning them at all, honestly? Just maybe don’t give this one out in front of the others -unless you can take them in a fight.

PS. There are also Dad variants too, so you can stock up for Father’s Day nice and early.

Bob Ross Mum Art mug

Nothing says wholesome and heartfelt like Bob Ross, and if your mum also gives off Happy Little Tree energy, this personalised mug is perfect for her! Upload a photo of her and she’ll be splashed across Bob’s canvas like the work of art she is.

Happy Swimmer mugs and stubby coolers

From wholesome to… whatever this is, our Happy Swimmer design shows your mum exactly how much you appreciate her. Stick your beautiful face on a *ahem* tadpole, and we’ll print it onto a mug or a stubby cooler so you can let her know how grateful you are that she didn’t swallow. We also have a dad version too, if you’re looking to stock up for Father’s Day!

Sleep Deprived

If the little one is still VERY little and you’re shopping on their behalf, why not get a head start on being an embarrassing parent? Grab a personalised Sleep Deprived mug, stubby cooler, or even a t-shirt, and call out your bundle of joy for keeping Mum (and you) awake at all hours! Bonus points if you pick a picture that will not only haunt the child for years to come, but also make the Spicy Baboon crew crack up/question whether they want kids at all. We also do a Reason Why I Drink design, if you’d like to shame the kids on Mum’s birthday too!

Jason Momoa Loves Your Mum

If there’s one DILF mums love more than Bandit, it’s probably Jason Momoa. We get it. That’s one fine specimen right there. If your mum has stopping pretending that she enjoyed Aquaman for the plot, reward her honesty with a customised mug featuring a message from everyone’s favourite aquatic overlord.

Looking for Mother’s Day cards?

Look, we get it. We’re in a bit of a cozzy livs at the minute, and sometimes you can’t do the gift AND the card AND the flowers AND the choccies, y’know? Solve that issue with a hilarious Spicy Baboon card! Mum will love that you’ve thought of her and, as all the best eggs know, it’s the bloody thought that counts!

Our cards are usually blank inside – you can figure that part out, yourself, right? – and are printed on top quality paper. They’re as much a work of art as they are a thoughtful gesture.

Here’s a few of our favourites:

You’re The Schitt

Moira Rose is an icon, a legend, a QUEEN, and so is your mum! Let her know you think she’s the absolute Schitt with this card, bébé

Mum You Are My Rock

I’d get this for my mum, but she probably wouldn’t get the reference. If your mum is cooler than mine and appreciates the Rock in all his turtleneck and chain finery, this is the card for her.

Red Minky soap

The Notorious V.A.G. soap! Looks saucy, smells delicious.

Simply The Best

You ever look at an image and you can hear it? That’s how we feel about this card. This is probably the only way you’re going to be able to get the legendary Tina Turner to tell your mum how great she is, so you might as well chuck one in your cart. (If anyone DOES have a direct line to Tina Turner, the Spicy Baboon team would love to thank her for her work on Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome)

Endless Thank You Mum prank card

Beautifully printed card on high quality paper? Check. Heartfelt message of love so Mum knows exactly how much you care? Check. Looping sound effect and glitter prank? CHECK. Our prank cards are an absolute HOOT, but we take no responsibility if your mum doesn’t feel the same way…