Make Mother’s Day Special

For many of us, when we tell the story of our lives, our moms will play a central role in that narrative. So often, they show us what it looks like to be kind and compassionate to the people around us. They sacrifice their time and energy to take care of everyone else. Their love is often the glue that holds families together and the guiding hand that keeps all of us out of trouble (mostly). This means Mother’s Day is a special opportunity to show our moms how much they really mean to us. While every day is a chance to show love, this Sunday is special.

Finding the perfect way to say thank you can be difficult in the best of times, but this year it is especially challenging. Many of the ways we normally celebrate are simply not possible this year, so I thought I’d put together a list of ways you might thank your mom on Sunday. I know everyone is in a different situation; some of you won’t be able to see your mom in person, while others of you are looking for ways to help your kids celebrate their mom. Hopefully you can find at least one suggestion that works for your situation.

Here are 20 suggestions you can use to help make Mother’s Day special this weekend.

1. Write a Card — I know its old fashioned, but a handwritten note delivered in the mail can go a long way
2. Share some New Pictures — Take some family pictures at a local park and print new ones to be framed, added to a scrapbook, or hung on the refrigerator.
3. Create an e-card — You can choose from pre-made cards at American Greetings or customize your own at a site like Canva.
4. Flower Delivery — Even if you can’t see mom in person this year, you can have flowers delivered to her doorstep.
5. Record a Video Message — Send your mom a video thanking her for all that she has done for you through the years. Even if you have several kids at home, you can make a video with them to show your wife.
6. Cook a Meal — Maybe you normally have a family gathering or a take mom out to dinner, but those plans aren’t possible this year. Find a meal you can cook (check out a list here or one here). You could help your kids make something special for your wife, or cook a meal that can be delivered to mom’s house for dinner.
7. Amazon — If you wanted to purchase a special gift, remember that Amazon will deliver packages right to mom’s house.
8. Plan a future date — Take this holiday as a chance to plan a future date with your mom. Purchase a gift card to her favorite restaurant, tickets to a theater production, or passes to the zoo, and put a date on the calendar.
9. Decorate — If you have kids still at home, you could decorate with balloons and streamers. You might take your kids to visit mom and have them decorate the sidewalk with chalk, or the mailbox with balloons. Purchasing (or making) a simple wreath for her front door might also bring a smile to mom’s face.
10. Go on a trip (virtual) together — You can visit several zoos or museums digitally. Start a video chat and explore the Smithsonian together while talking about all the great things you discover.
11. Cook Dinner Together (in person or virtually) — Either have the kids work with mom to bake a special treat or meal, or pick a recipe that you can cook together while chatting through video.
12. Create Something — Have the kids make a special piece of artwork. You can get simple ideas here.
13. Watch a Movie Together — If you can do this in person, that’d be awesome, but you can also use the new Netflix Party feature to watch a movie together even if you aren’t in the same house.
14. Create an Art Walk — Nothing says “I love you” like hand-drawn art. Kids can take crayons and finger paints to the next level and create their own Art Walk de la casa.
15. Go for a Walk — Take advantage of a walking path or hiking trail in the area and take mom for walk through nature. You can find a list of local trails (wherever local might be for you) at alltrails.com.
16. Quiet Time — Got little kids at home? Sometimes the best gift you can offer is a few hours of quiet alone time. Take the kids outside to play and let her rest.
17. Spa Day at Home — You can’t send mom to the salon or spa this year, but you can buy some new nail polish, have the kids run a bubble bath, or offer a shoulder rub.
18. Perform Some Chores — Clean the house. Wash the dishes. Make dinner. Do some yard work. Fix some broken items. Perform a few acts of service to let mom know how special she is.
19. Play a Game Together — Again, if you can do this in person, that would be awesome, but technology will also allow you to do this remotely. Check out some of the games here to play a long-distance game.
20. Plant Some Flowers — Spruce up her house with some new flowers, or weed and clean up what she already has panted.

Whatever you decide to do, don’t forget to say thank you to the women in your life who have helped make you who you are. Happy Mother’s Day everyone.