We Celebrate Our Moms With Our Gifts. Let’s Couple That With The Gift Of Time…

In my family, “Mother’s Day” usually ended up becoming “Mother’s Weekend.” We would get together with aunts and cousins to bring my grandmother to a restaurant of her choice for an afternoon full of bonding and filet mignon.  As time passed on, and the holiday celebrations grew in popularity, we opted to go on Saturday to avoid the crowds and limited menus. Which left Sunday wide open for us to spend the entire day with our mom. Our tradition only emphasized the true importance of the day: the time spent together.

As our mothers opened their gifts, we knew how much they appreciated that we carved time out in our busy schedules.  Those weekends I will always remember fondly, and as life marches on I realize more and more how sacred that time really was. Fast forward to now… 2021 marks the second year due to Covid-19 that we have had to get a bit more creative with our Mother’s Day activities.  Comfort levels and city regulations will dictate just how we celebrate, but the underlying theme will be – especially after the year we have just had – knowing how precious the moments and memories we have truly are.

Some of us have not seen our mothers and/or mother figures in over a year, while others are blessed to have them close enough to give a socially distanced “air hug.” Whether your mothers are near or far away, or celebrating in Heaven, we say a prayer that you will all feel a sense of love and being cared for as we head into another pandemic holiday.  In the spirit of honoring TIME TOGETHER, our team has pulled together a list of fun activities that families of all ages can do together to bring out joys and smiles this Mother’s Day Weekend!  (Psst… for those who need a reminder: Mother’s Day is May 9th!!)

Ideas To Spend Quality Time:

• Remember those old fashioned breakfasts in bed? Spend Saturday night at your mother’s house and wake her up to a tasty treat before her feet even touch the floor!
• At-Home-Brunch: Cook mom’s favorite brunch foods and add a fancy flair! Decorate the table, go all out with flowers (artificial works too), cloth napkins and name cards!
• If you have mothers that are not local be sure to schedule a video chat (Zoom, Skype, Messenger, Facetime) and make it as special as you can. Recite a poem or read a thank you letter. Share photos or a slide show. Play a game or trivia. Being together virtually can be just as memorable with the right ingredients!
• Has this last year increased your video skills?  Create your own “Celebrate Mom” video using the latest trends, apps and resources!
• We don’t have to be in a restaurant to have a special Mother’s Day Lunch or Dinner. Use your imagination… and unique spaces. Have a picnic in the backyard, at a park, or at the beach. Add your own touch and simply enjoy the fresh air!
• Get the mothers moving! What a wonderful opportunity to show her love by focusing on good health. Fill up your water bottle and do an exercise video, zumba, or go for a walk/hike/run/bike ride.  Find a common activity that can match your fitness levels and get that heart pumping!
• Nothing brings out smiles like a trip down memory lane. Have a photo party! Gather old photo albums – because how many of us still print out pictures, right? – and bust out those stories!
• Choose a group volunteer activity.  This would be a great time for the family to come together and spread love! Purchase blank note cards, or make your own from scratch, and send out gratitude cards to essential workers.  Hospitals, teachers, stores, law enforcement, fire departments, churches, post office… there are so many that we can thank for all of their hard work!

• Take some time to learn about our mothers – what are their favorites? What are some fun childhood memories they have? What were some firsts? What does she remember about the earlier days? Who are some of her influences? Video tape, record, or simply journal her answers!
• We can create unique ways to tell our own families we are grateful too!  Get a jar (or box) and strips of paper. Everyone writes down one thing they appreciate — kids & spouses write what they appreciate about the moms and vice versa. Put them in the jar anonymously and take turns reading them out loud.
• Make it sweet…  Gather your sweet tooth family members and create your own chocolate bars! Purchase molds online or at your local craft store, buy milk/dark/white/expresso melting chips from the grocery store, and use a double boiler to melt the chocolate. Decide what toppings you want to add: nuts, raisins, rice crispies, potato chips, pretzels, candied ginger pieces, marshmallows, cookies, graham crackers — get creative and find out what your winning combination is!

• Time together can always be fun when we mix in playing cards and board games.  Have a few games on hand and bring on the house rules!
• Get silly with it! Especially if you have younger children around.  Make an activity out of creating a group story! Take a journal: one person writes a paragraph, covers up all but the last line, and passes to the next. Decide who will go last so that their paragraph is framed as an ending.  Then read the whole story out loud! This can also be done as a drawing activity — one person draws a head and covers up to the neck, next person draws the torso/arms and covers up to the waist, then the legs, then the feet.  Unfold to reveal your group character!
• Do yo have a mom that really puts her foot in it?  Make an activity out of cooking some of her notable recipes. Cook or bake it together, get your aprons and oven mitts in order, gift her a unique black art cutting board perhaps, and write out the recipes into a keepsake document that you can all share!

What else DO YOU RECOMMEND to make your time with our moms extra special??

We hope you will enjoy some of these ideas.  There are enough to keep the celebrating going well past this pandemic and beyond. May we hold on to the simpler lifestyles we may have experienced this year. May we continue to always make our moments count!

Happy Mother’s Day!!

For more inspiring gift ideas for Mother’s Day please visit our home page at www.ShadesGifts.com

– Written by Janine Kai Robinson