Our series “Celebrating Motherhood” shares inspiring stories, helpful advice, and insightful recommendations to help you choose the perfect gifts to help you express your love for Moms of all types.
Mother’s Day comes just once a year, making it that much more crucial that you plan a day that’s absolutely perfect. Surveys show that many Moms would like to spend their special day with their children and other family members. In addition to flowers and other gifts, you should consider giving the gift of your time by planning an activity with the woman who brought you into the world.
Such activities are often easier said than done. Although Mom would love it if her children lived next door, sometimes the family disperses throughout the world, meeting only for holidays and special occasions. Even if you’re not physically close, you can still plan a thoughtful celebration for Mom on Mother’s Day.
Here are some creative ideas for activities to make the day extra special – whether you’re 10 or 10,000 miles away.
Plan ahead for the perfect Mother’s Day
When you were growing up, Mom spent countless hours planning your days. Now, it’s time for you to return the favor. Even if you’re not physically with her to celebrate, you can still arrange a relaxing and fun adventure for Mom with a few simple phone calls.
Step 1: Arrange the activities
The day’s itinerary can include a trip to the movies, a massage at the local spa, or even a shopping excursion (your treat) at her favorite department store. Cater the day to your Mom’s interests so she can unwind and enjoy.
Step 2: Reserve a restaurant
Every adventure needs a lunch break to refuel, so make reservations at Mom’s favorite restaurant. If Dad can join, great, if not, see if the restaurant can set up a monitor so you can have lunch together via video chat.
Step 3: Hire transportation
If you’re doing this long-distance, enlist the help of a neighbor or hire a professional transportation service to drive Mom around for the day. Provide them with a full itinerary of activities so all Mom needs to do is hop in and enjoy the enjoyment-packed day you have planned for her.
Fun Mother’s Day Meal Ideas
Celebrate Mom with a tasty meal or potent potable. Here are some ideas.
Mother’s Day brunch
Two plates set up for Mother's Day brunch.
Brunch on Mother’s Day is a must! From cheesy omelets and crispy bacon to buttery pancakes and blueberry waffles, there are so many delicious Mother’s Day recipes to enjoy. More importantly, there are stories to be told and laughs to be shared.
If you’re far away, there’s no need to skip the meal. Just make virtual arrangements via Zoom, Google Hangouts, or another remote-meeting program. If Mom isn’t tech-savvy, call her before brunch and walk her through setting up her video chat account.
To make Mom’s Day as simple as possible for her, consider ordering her a gift basket packed with brunch ingredients. It can really make Mother’s Day so much brighter.
Share cocktail recipes & have a drink ‘together’
Setting up happy hour in honor of Mom can be lots of fun. From mimosas to bloody Marys, swap cocktail recipes and enjoy drinks together, together or virtually. We’ve listed two popular Mother’s Day drink recipes for you below, so get popping! If you or Mom don’t have these ingredients at home, consider sending a wine gift basket with delicious treats.
Mimosa
Fill champagne flute half-way with chilled sparkling wine
Top with orange juice
Enjoy
Bloody Mary
Salt the rim of a tall glass
Fill glass with ice cubes
In a cocktail mixer filled with ice, combine vodka, vegetable juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, salt, and paper
Shake and strain into glass
Garnish with a stalk of celery and olives on a toothpick
Set up a dessert date
You may not be able to whisk Mom away to her favorite brunch spot for a Mother’s Day meal, but you can still have a wonderful sweet treat together even if she’s far away. Set up a time when you will both be available and video chat each other so you can eat together while separate. To take the dining experience to the next level, surprise her with a dessert-ready mother’s day gift basket, filled with her favorite treats so she can simply open and indulge!
modern-moms-tea-and-sweet-gift-basket
Other ways to celebrate Mother’s Day
Relive memories
Gather old photos and create a scrapbook of memories for Mom to relive. This Mother’s Day idea can be both virtual and physical – create a physical scrapbook to arrive at Mom’s doorstep and a virtual slideshow for Mom to show off on social media.
Send a Mother’s Day eCard
celebrations-mothers-day-e-card
If you can’t be with Mom on Mother’s Day, smother her with love on all fronts – Mother’s Day flowers delivered to her doorstep, a loving happy Mother’s Day phone call, and a sweet card sent to her email. We have an extensive selection of creative and sweet Mother’s Day eCards so you can choose the perfect one to fit Mom’s personality.
Surprise her with a month full of love
Make it a month-long celebration with a gift that keeps on giving like our Kind Notes® for Mom gift. This Mother’s Day idea is filled with 31 days worth of sweet messages so she can start her days off with a heartwarming message from her dearest child.
kind-notes-for-mom
14 More Mother’s Day Activities
If you’re on the search for an activity or two that will have Mom smiling from ear to ear this year, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve got you covered – here are 15 Mother’s Day activities for you to choose from:
Have breakfast in bed. Although the idea is to bring Mom breakfast in bed on Mother’s Day morning, we bet she’d love to have you join her. So, after you’ve whipped up her favorite meal and delivered it to her bedside, make a plate for yourself and enjoy the food together!
Go to the spa. Every Mom could use a little R&R, so treat her to a spa day! After all, nothing says rest and relaxation more than a massage and some pampering does. Just be sure to make an appointment in advance so that you can guarantee a spot in case others have the same idea! If you’d rather do a spa day-in, give her a spa gift basket that she can use to pamper herself.
Treat her to dinner. Does Mom do most of the cooking in your house? If she spends most of her time in the kitchen, give her the night off and treat her to a nice dinner at one of her favorite restaurants! Similar to what we mentioned in activity number three, make a reservation ahead of time to guarantee a table.
Go wine tasting. If Mom is a fan of wine, spend the day at a winery near you! Wine tasting is the perfect spring activity, and doing it with Mom will make it that much more special for the both of you. Or, if you’re feeling creative, plan your own Mother’s Day Wine Tasting at home!
Plant flowers. Spring is the perfect time to start shaping up the garden, so buy some of Mom’s favorite bulbs, then lend a helping hand and start planting!
Take a day trip. We bet you’d be surprised at how many amazing places there are to visit and see around town, which is why we recommend planning a day trip with Mom! Although it would be nice to travel overseas or to a tropical island, we’re certain you can find some pretty amazing local attractions that you both haven’t seen yet.
Have a picnic. Weather permitting, head to your local park and treat Mom to a picnic lunch! When it comes time to choose what to pack, think about her favorite on-the-go type meals and snacks – she’ll love it!
Watch home movies. We’re sure you and Mom have a ton of memories together, and if you have them on tape, even better! There’s nothing like taking a trip down memory lane to relive some of your best and favorite moments. Here are some tips for setting up a home-movie marathon.
Go for a hike. Spend some time outdoors and take Mom on a hike on one of your favorite trails! Physical activity is so important for each and every one of us, and by hiking together, you can make exercising that much more enjoyable!
Bake. Have a dessert recipe that’s been in your family for years? Pull it out of your recipe book and work with Mom to bake a treat that will have both your mouths watering! Even if you don’t have a family recipe to follow, you can still make some magic in the kitchen by baking Mom’s favorite sweets.
Go shopping. Moms are often the ones treating their children to a shopping spree, so reverse roles on Mother’s Day and treat her to one! With summer just around the corner, now is the perfect time to seek out her must-have outfits!
Volunteer. Find a local charity or organization that could use a helping hand and donate some of your time. Not only will you be giving back to your community and helping others, but this is also the perfect opportunity to strengthen the bond between you and Mom.
Take a class. Is there something Mom has always wanted to learn or sharpen her skills at? If so, see if you can find a class near you that you can participate in together! Some examples include a paint class or a cooking class!
Play games. Bring everyone together for game night featuring all of Mom’s favorite games! And don’t forget about the snacks – no game night is complete without them!
