Mother’s Day 2020 is going to be the year we all get creative. With social distancing in place, non-essential stores closed and restaurants shuttered until further notice, many of us will have to reinvent our Mother’s Day traditions.
Here are some ideas for making the day special for Mom.
1. Create a Mom memories slideshow
There has never been a better time to sort through the 700,000 pics in your digital archives. Celebrate Mom by putting together a slideshow video, to take her on a virtual trip down memory lane. You can integrate short recorded messages at the end from any grown-up kid who can’t be physically celebrate with Mom this year. With an app, like Smilebox or Movavi, it’s also possible to add effects and music.
2. Recreate Mom’s favourite restaurant brunch at home
Some restaurants are still open for deliveries, so you could order the menu items your mom loves and recreate the dine-out ambiance at home, with tablecloth, flowers, music, printed menu, and the kids dressed up as servers. If the place you usually go to is closed, just do some online research and recreate the dishes. You may never want to go back to Mother’s Day restaurant outings, once you’ve discovered the joy of no line-ups.
3. Bring the spa to Mom
If there’s something all parents are craving right now, it’s time to relax and recharge. With spa visits out, you could get the kids on board for pampering Mom at home. A warm epsom salts or bubble bath is a great way to start - you could light tealight candles and put on chill music to set the mood. (If there’s another parent or caregiver at home, this would be the time to take the kids on a long neighbourhood walk and give Mom the gift of silence).
After the soak, kids can participate in things like foot rubs or hand or scalp massages (no scented oils or fancy creams in the house? Raid the pantry for coconut oil!
Older teens and tweens can do some advance research on YouTube to learn the skills for giving a really good mani-pedi, a blow-out or a makeup session. And once the pampering’s done, serve Mom water with slices of cucumber or lemon, herbal tea or a refreshing quarantini.
4. Play customized family trivia
This is a great one to do either in person or over video chat, whatever the circumstances call for. The family quiz master should create questions that test family members’ knowledge of their matriarch. For example: What was mom’s first job as a teenager? What is the one vegetable Mom won’t eat? Where did mom meet her BFF?
It’s a fun way to draw on family lore and show your mother some serious love and appreciation. To ramp up the bonding, draw on some of the funnier material from family life, like your mother’s quirky pet hates, strange snacking habits and cheesy momisms.
5. Go for a neighbourhood tour with a twist
We’re allowed out for fresh air still, and a family walk is a great way to lift everyone’s spirits. You can take it up an extra notch for Mom, by getting outside beforehand to chalk sweet messages and pictures on the route, to let her know how awesome and loved she is.
Rainbows are very much in vogue right now and guaranteed to bring cheer. Hearts, flowers, personalized notes of love and gratitude, in-jokes and mom portraits all make for fun tributes too.
6. Say ‘I love you’
This is a good one to do as often as possible right now. Many moms are feeling a lot of big feelings this year, dealing with extra-stressful work situations, looking out for their loved ones’ well-being and living with uncertainty.
Some moms are going through this time without being able to see their children in person, because their kids live in another household. Other moms are taking care of sick family members or even grieving loved ones lost this year. If “I love you” isn’t a comfortable or natural thing for you to say to your mother, find the words that work: “I’m so grateful for you,” “I appreciate you,” or “I miss you so much,” are great alternatives.
Happy Mother’s Day, however you choose to celebrate it this year!
Also on HuffPost: