Mother’s Day is one of the most celebrated holidays of the year for good reason. Moms of all types (grandmothers, stepmothers, mothers-in-laws, etc.) do so much for everyone and often overlook themselves. That’s why, on Mother’s Day, it is important to make each one feel special and loved!
This year, Mother’s Day will look a little different. Instead of crowding local restaurants to take your mom to brunch or joining your mom for a church service, you may be spending Mother’s Day stuck at home. Moms may be isolated from their loved ones as well since many families can’t travel home due to the Coronavirus.
How do you make mom feel special when you can’t see her in person? If you want to show your love with more than a phone call, then follow the tips in this article!
Things to Consider For Mother’s Day 2020
There are a few things to keep in mind as you find ways to celebrate Mother’s Day during the Coronavirus pandemic.
- Keep your mom healthy: My own mom is in the high-risk category for catching Coronavirus, so before I send anything to her, I must make sure it isn’t contaminated. The virus can live on surfaces for several hours, and sometimes days at a time, so be sure to disinfect any store-bought items before sending them to your mom. If something is being directly shipped to your mom, remind her to disinfect it as well when she receives the item.
- Shipping times: Many items that are not considered essential are being shipped later than usual. As you browse items to purchase for your mom online, pay attention to shipping times. What used to take two days to deliver may now take a month!
- Plan ahead: Looking back at the first two items to consider, it’s important to note that this year you will need to plan in advance for Mother’s Day! Don’t wait until the last minute if you want to send something to your mom. Consider the time it will take to order the gift, the time it will take to disinfect, package, and then ship to your mom.
- Research package guidelines: If your mom, grandma, or other loved one is in a nursing home or assisted living facility, call the location to get their package requirements first. Most nursing home facilities aren’t allowing visitors and may have strict guidelines on what can be sent to your loved one. Also, call to make sure they disinfect whatever is sent into the facility or will provide your mom or grandma with the necessary supplies to clean what comes into her room.
Mother’s Day Gifts To Send During Lockdown
Now that you have planned and considered the items above, it’s time to take action to make sure your mom feels special this year on Mother’s Day!
Care Package of Cards
You may have seen the idea for “open when” cards before, but for Mother’s Day, make it extra special. Purchase or make several cards to send your mom to open when she is feeling different things. Have your children include their own messages and decorate the cards with pictures, stickers, and other items.
Some good cards to include are:
- We’re never really far away
- Thanks for all you do
- Get well
- Remember that time when…
- You can do this
- You’re stronger than you know
In each card, write a personal message to your mom that pertains to that feeling. The point is to make sure she has a heartfelt card to open from her loved ones, no matter what the occasion or feeling! Don’t forget to include a card for Mother’s Day as well! You could also include cards for any other occasions throughout the year or season. Even if you can see her again for those occasions, an additional card never hurts. Occasions like her birthday, anniversary, Fourth of July, beginning of summer, Memorial Day, etc. are relevant. It may not be a holiday you would typically send your mom a card, but it’s just one more thing for her to open that will make her smile and feel loved on Mother’s Day.
Once the cards have been written and decorated, seal each one in separate envelopes, write the occasion on the front of the envelope, and package in a small box to send to her. It will be one of her favorite gifts ever received!
A Care Package of Her Favorite Color
Do you know your mom’s favorite color? If not, then find out! Purchase small items all in her favorite color to create a care package she will love. Package the items in a box with coordinating tissue paper and filler. Here are a few examples of things you could include!
- Pink: Strawberry wafer cookies, pink bubblegum/chewing gum, pink hand sanitizer, pink lotion set, pink air freshener, pink candy (strawberry Mentos, pink Starbursts, and pink butter mints are popular!), pink Easter candy (shop after Easter clearance sales), pink loofah with soap
- Orange: Orange Tic Tacs, orange Fanta soda drink, oranges or mandarins, Reese’s chocolate, orange cheese and peanut butter crackers, orange loofah with soap, citrus scented candle
- Yellow: Lemonhead candies, Simply Lemonade, lemon-scented candle, yellow loofah with soap, yellow air freshener, lemon cookies
- Purple: Lavender-scented candle, purple Easter candy, prunes, grape powder drink flavoring (like Crystal Light), purple loofah with soap, plums, purple bath bomb
- Blue: Blue bath bomb, blue lotion, blue loofah and bath soap, blue Jolly Ranchers, blue journal, blue Gatorade, blue bubblegum/chewing gum, blue candies
You get the idea! As you’re shopping, try to choose items she would use regularly, but in her favorite color. It will save her a trip to the store and bring a smile to her face for your thoughtfulness. Don’t forget a card in her favorite color and decorate the box with the color as well!
A Virtual Mother’s Day Visit
Coordinate with your siblings and invite everyone to a virtual get-together. Ask everyone to write mom a letter beforehand to read during the call.
Using video-conference tools such as Zoom, Duo, or Facebook Messenger, send a message to your mom to log in at a certain time. Have your siblings and participants log in a few minutes before, so that when your mom joins, she is greeted by everyone! Have everyone say, “Happy Mother’s Day!” as soon as she joins the virtual space.
Have each person read their letter, one a time, to your mom or loved one. Don’t forget to record the call and save it so that she can watch it later.
If you sent your mom a gift or care package, have her open it during the call as well. With enough planning, a virtual visit for Mother’s Day can be just as meaningful as an in-person event.
A Homemade Movie Gift
With a little extra time on our hands lately, making a movie for mom is a great gift idea. There are several apps available that make creating a film easier than ever before.
Download your chosen app (this will vary based on what kind of phone you have) and start testing the features. Your kids will especially love this idea, as most are familiar with You Tube videos and can try to copy their favorite styles.
Add pictures and video messages from you and your kids to the film. Does your mom have a favorite vacation memory? Create a mock set in your home to film! For example, if her favorite place is Paris or that is her dream vacation, have your kids draw an Eiffel tower and hang it as a backdrop. Play Parisian music in the background and create a scene on the Paris streets. Have your son or daughter wear a beret and act like an artist painting a portrait.
With a little creativity and fun, you can send your mom a movie that she will want to watch repeatedly. You can share the video through social media or send it to her through a shared file (like Google Drive). You can also make a copy to a flash drive and send it to her in the mail if she has a computer.
Flowers
With many businesses closed due to the Coronavirus, florists may be closed and unable to deliver flowers. Check with businesses in the area your mom lives to see if anyone is delivering. If they aren’t, consider purchasing a gift certificate for your mom to redeem later for any arrangement she wants. This will help support the floral business and give your mom a needed boost, even after Mother’s Day!
If you still want to send flowers, consider a pressed arrangement or even silk flowers.
To make your own pressed flowers, you will need to choose a few, small flowers from your garden or yard. Pansies, fern leaves, violets, daisies, and shrub roses work well. Follow the steps below to create pressed flowers!
- Cut and discard the stem off the flower.
- Place the cut blooms between two sheets of parchment paper, laying them flat.
- Tuck the parchment paper with flowers into a large, heavy book and close. Lay two bricks or other heavy item on the book to encourage flattening.
- After about an hour, remove the parchment paper from the book.
- Using an iron completely emptied of water on low heat, press the top sheet of the parchment paper for 10-15 seconds. Let the paper cool, then press for another 10-15 seconds. There is no need to move the iron in a gliding motion.
- Check the flowers occasionally by lifting the paper to see if the flowers are stiff and dry.
Once the flowers have been dried and pressed, you can arrange them on cardstock. Use double-sided tape or glue to secure them to the cardstock. You can then frame the cardstock and send it your mom!
Send a Subscription Gift
There are many companies that are sending subscription gifts each month. Consider your mom’s interests and hobbies and sign her up for a subscription! A few popular subscriptions include
- Fab Fit Fun boxes: Assorted beauty and fitness gifts
- Ipsy Make-Up bags: Sample size high end make-up items
- Birch Box: Mini hair and beauty products from top brands
- My Book Box: A monthly book subscription
- Papergang: Stationery items
Some small businesses have also started offering subscription boxes and care packages to send from their existing inventory. Check with your local small businesses to see what they are offering!
You can also send a magazine gift subscription or sign your mom up with a monthly music subscription gift such as Spotify or Amazon Music.
The benefit to sending a subscription-type gift is the shipping is handled by the company and your mom will love getting a monthly benefit, as opposed to a one-time present!
Send Her A Meal
Many restaurants are now offering delivery as their dine-in establishments are closed due to the virus. If your mom has a favorite restaurant, consider having a meal delivered to her at home on Mother’s Day! Send her a menu ahead of time and ask her to pick what she would like. The burden to cook every meal is heavy, so a meal prepared and delivered by someone else would be a real treat. If you have siblings, you can have one sibling deliver breakfast, another deliver lunch, and another deliver dinner!
If your mom likes to cook, consider a meal kit delivery service. Some restaurants are now preparing meal kits to make at home. There are also existing companies like Hello Fresh that send the ingredients to prepare meals at home. These options also prevent your mom from having to visit crowded grocery stores that have limited items to make her favorite meal.
Mail Her A Gift
Many online shopping places are still open and shipping gifts all over the world. See if your mom has a save wish list on Amazon. Purchase a few items from her list to have shipped to her house.
Has your mom mentioned wanting a big-ticket item? Split the cost with siblings and have that item shipped to her!
To make a shipped gift more personal, have it delivered to your home first. Add a card, pictures drawn by your kids, and other small items to then send to your mom. You can also decorate the box itself or line the inside with colorful wrapping paper.
Make Her Feel Special
Now is the time to go the extra mile to make your mom, grandma, mother-in-law, or stepmom feel special. With so much uncertainty and anxiousness in the world today, this Mother’s Day will be unlike any other. Moms spend so much of their time and energy taking care of their families. As moms, we have special gifts that allow us to care for others in a unique way.
Take the time using the ideas above to make your mom feel appreciated for all that she does. With enough planning and effort, it will be her favorite Mother’s Day, even if she can’t see her loved ones in person. And finally, don’t forget to take care of yourself too during this celebration of moms!
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