6 Sure-Fire Ways to Make Your Mother Feel Special on Mother’s Day

Let’s face it — we owe our mothers everything. They gave us life, they gave us support and love, they gave us punishments (that we deserved).  How my mother survived raising me, I’ll never know.  I was the kind of kid that never had skin on her knees and had the bad habit of telling my mom about all my bad ideas after I’d already done them.  But my mother  lived to tell the tale and I give her all the credit for my success.

That being said, I’ve failed at Mother’s Day quite a few times. When I tried to make her a pancake breakfast as a child, I nearly burned the house down. A couple years ago, I made her a bracelet that she had an allergic reaction to and spent her Mother’s Day rubbing allergy medication onto her wrist. Last year, I went on with my normal routine and didn’t realize until I asked a friend out to lunch that it was Mother’s Day. She asked why I wasn’t spending the day with my mom, and I said “Why would I?” Needless to say, this year I aim to do better.

If you’re like me, or you need an extra push in the right direction, here are a few ways to make this year’s Mother’s Day extra special:

1. Breakfast in Bed

This is a classic. If it’s been your go-to for the past couple of years, then this might not be the most original way of showing that you care. However, if you’ve never done it, your mother deserves to eat in style at least once. Even my char-grilled pancakes brought a smile to my mother’s face — she even ate one.

Also, presentation is everything.  Put a flower or two in a jar to really put your tray over the top. These customized plates can also be a great addition that shows your mother that you thought of everything. For food inspiration, check out our Where Women Cook pinterest board.

2. Gift of Time

Time seems to be the one thing that there is never enough of. On Mother’s Day, make an effort to help her slow down. Let Mom take a breath and relax. Time could be gifted by spending time with her, doing things that would normally take up her time (dishes, laundry, errands, etc.), or by giving her time away from you. Yes, I did say time away from you. The ultimate gift could be packing up the family and heading to the park while Mom gets to have a day to herself.

Giving time could also be as simple as calling her. My grandmother always prefaces every phone conversation with “you’re not too busy?” On Mother’s Day, I’ll be calling her up and starting the conversation with “Let’s talk for as long as you like.”

3. Let Her Decide

Odds are your mother has an idea of what would really make her happy. If your mother is an artist, maybe she’d like to make something with you or have you show an interest in her hobbies.  Maybe she wants a day of peace. Maybe she’d rather go skydiving.

A fantastic way of showing you care is to ask her what she’d like. Most importantly, do whatever she asks with a smile on your face.  Our family did a Sound of Music Tour in Austria a couple years ago because that is what my mom was dying to do. Some of us did better than others with the smiling, but there’s only so many times you can listen to Do-Re-Mi before succumbing to a frown.

4. Surprise Her

This idea is not for the faint of heart. The opposite of letting her decide, this requires knowing what she’d enjoy and being able to execute that with the stealth and secrecy of a ninja or a super spy. Surprises take time and planning and bravery. Take her for a limo ride, plan a choreographed dance with the rest of the family, or treat her to her favorite restaurant. Just make sure that she doesn’t get tipped off to what’s going to happen!

Surprises can also be homemade.  You could put photos in a scrapbook or make an art journal that features your favorite moments. Or pamper mom with a recipe from our homemade bath and body projects.

5. Find a Little Extravagance

For those of us who can’t afford skywriting our mother’s name in the sky, we can achieve the same effect by thinking small. My mom really likes fancy office supplies. She is a teacher who goes through pounds of paper and buckets of paper clips. A monogrammed list pad with some decorated paper clips would mean a lot to her.

Gift ideas don’t always have to be ambitious, sometimes it really is the thought that counts. If your mom has a special nail polish or favorite candy, that’s enough. Have an extra scoop of ice cream together or watch her favorite movie together. This simple Mother’s Day bracelet takes a few minutes, but she can wear it all year round.

6. Give Her a Mother’s Day Card

This might seem obvious, but it’s easy to get swept away with grand gestures and forget to give her a traditional card. A card doesn’t have to be cliché, either. Add some excitement by hand-stamping it, or include photos and memories that make the card personal. A banner could also be a great alternative to a card. Accordion-fold the pieces, tie a ribbon around it, and your mom can open it like a card, then hang it on the wall as a decoration to celebrate the day.

 

 

We hope that these ideas have inspired you to spoil your mother on May 10th and make her feel extra special. These are quick and easy ideas that even I could accomplish. It’s the day to make mothers feel appreciated, so may her smiles be many and your disasters be few.  And from everyone at Stampington, Happy Mother’s Day.