Every country has a holiday to honor mothers, motherhood, and their influence on society. The most common day for this celebration is the second Sunday in May.
The idea to have a holiday just for celebrating mothers comes from many sources. Long ago, there were ancient events that included honoring women and mothers. However, it was the influence of women in the US that really set the stage for this holiday. The modern American holiday of Mother’s Day was first celebrated in 1908, when Anna Jarvis held a memorial (紀念儀式) for her mother in Grafton, West Virginia. Her campaign to make 「Mother’s Day」 a recognized holiday in the United States began in 1905, the year her beloved mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, died. Anna’s mother was a peace activist who had cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the Civil War and created Mother’s Day Work Clubs to address public health issues. Anna was the first to fight for Mother’s Day becoming an official holiday. She finally succeeded in 1914.
Celebrating Mother’s Day is just as varied as the date when it is held. In China, it is just starting to gain popularity. Carnations (康乃馨) are a very popular Mother’s Day gift and the most sold flowers in relation to the day. Mother’s Day in Canada typically involves small celebrations and gift-giving to one’s mother, grandmother, or other important female figures in one’s family. In Bangladesh, the whole country centers around mothers. Specially themed TV shows, news reports, and gatherings are organized. In the old days in France, mothers of large families were given medals. Nowadays, most Mother’s Day celebrations include gift-giving. Homemade cards, flower arrangements, and handmade gifts are popular choices. So is giving mothers a day off to go to a spa or salon. Restaurants are also very busy at this time, as mothers are treated to special nights out. No matter how Mother’s Day is spent, the need to recognize the person who brought you into this world is something everyone agrees on.
MOTHER'S DAY 2020 | 10 WAYS TO CELEBRATE MOM10 WAYS TO CELEBRATE MOM FROM HOME OR FROM AFAR!
10 WAYS TO CELEBRATE MOM
In 2020, given the COVID-19 crisis, many of us are rethinking how to give extra recognition to moms, some of whom are in the high-risk age range.
公眾號：waynesunbj
Most moms simply wish to connect with their children and spend time with family in any way possible—if not in person, then with a phone call or video chat.
If your mom is at home, give her a day off from any family chores, especially during this difficult time. Someone else can take full responsibility for making or serving the food, clearing and cleaning the dishes, and doing the laundry. Volunteer!
This probably covers the big stuff, but here are 10 more ways to treat Mom!
1. Offer yard and garden services.
If you’re local, give Mom a 「gift cerficate」 for your family’s yard and garden services. Help her by laying down mulch. Put the 「certificate」 in a flower pot with spring-planted bulbs which flower in summer.
If you’re not local, how about a 1-year subscription to The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden Planner? Any gardener would love it! And it’s an instant present without shipping!
2. Decorate your mom’s door or front porch!
If you’re local, you can have fun decorating your mom’s front door with streamers, special signs, a wreath, and flowers! If you have kids, get them involved! Mom or grandma will love the surprise.
Of course, flowers and plants are always a delight. If you’re local, deliver plants to her porch in person. If you’re not local, there’s always delivery in most places (but order well enough ahead!).
A rosebush or geranium plant is always welcome.
Or, perhaps a dogwood or flowering shrub for her garden would be appreciated.
Buying cut flowers? See the symbolic meanings of common flowers! Or consider the monthly birth flowers for each child.
公眾號：waynesunbj
3. Cook for Mom or set up a virtual brunch date.
If your mother is living with you, breakfast in bed is always a classic and appreciated. Something simple is fine for this, such as toast or a croissant with jam or fruit and a cup of coffee or tea. Or, if she’s not fond of eating in bed, how about preparing a sit-down brunch? Here are 15 delicious brunch ideas.
If you’re not with mom in person, how about a virtual brunch date? We suggest these Champagne Mimosas. You can drop off the ingredients at her door if she’s local, or send the recipe in advance to everyone! Then Zoom with the entire family and raise a glass to mom!
If your mom is local, drop off a casserole dinner. It’s great comfort food, and you can put it all together to drop off on her porch! See 15 casserole recipe ideas.
Or, bake a cake! Traditionally, children in England always baked a cake for their Mother’s Day. If you like this tradition, here’s a truly delicious (and better than boxed) cake recipe: Chocolate Mousse Cake. We also love Nana’s Funny Cake.
4. Give your mom an extra-long phone call or put on a virtual talent show!
Talk to her (or videochat) and make her laugh. Perhaps throw in some good 「mom jokes.」 All most moms want is time with you.
If the young kids are involved, put on a talent show for Grandma! It can be simple! Sing a song, show off some gymnastics, play an instrument.
5. Watch a movie or show together, side by side.
If you’re all at home in one place, have a movie that night, complete with theater treats.
If you’re in separate locations, watch the same movie on your computers at the same time. Or, start a marathon of your favorite TV series while indulging in a glass of wine or cup of tea.
(Did you know? Netflix also has a new way to watch together online. If you and your mom have a Netflix account and Chrome installed on her laptop or desktop, you can watch a movie together! There is even a group chat function for commenting live during the movie from wherever you are in the world. See Netflix Party.)
6. Get creative: Make Mom a video, a music playlist, or a piece of art!
Record a video from all of the children. They can each say 「Happy Mother’s Day」 and why they appreciate her. You can always use iMovie to splice videos together on your phone.
Or, make a tape or a music playlist. You could gather calming songs for bedtime, such as the sound of the seas. Or, you could gather her very favorite songs from the era that she loves most. (If your mom has an iPhone, create a special iTunes playlist that will get emailed to her.)
How about a special work of art for Mom? For example, paint the outside of a terra-cotta flower pot and fill it with garden seeds and a card. Or, make a beautiful photo frame with your family photo inside. You can find many ideas on Pinterest and elsewhere on the Web.
公眾號：waynesunbj
7. Get outside! Go for a stroll in the park or how about packing mom a picnic?
Fresh air always lifts the spirit. There’s plenty of room to spread out and enjoy nature! Spring is a wonderful time to visit a park.
How about packing a simple picnic? If mom’s living nearby, drop off a picnic basket on her porch!
If you’re living together, pack a cooler for a beautiful drive through the countryside. Here are great picnic food ideas.
8. Make a homemade gift!
You don’t need to go out to a store and buy a gift. Mothers love gifts from the heart.
Here are some fun craft projects—including gifts from the kitchen as well as DIY beauty products for a home spa basket!
Make your own herbal vinegar
Make your own fruit facial or scrub
Make your own soap
Make a lavender sachet
Make rose potpourri
Make strawberry jam
Make blueberry-rhubarb Jam
Make a pretty gift jar
If you wish to buy a gift online, how about jewelry with her child’s birthstone?
For example, if your birthday is in August, give your mother peridot stud earrings. She』ll always think of her dear child when she wears them. See birthstones by month if you’re not sure of your birthstone or its meaning. Many small online businesses offer free shipping. Etsy is also a great place to find unique jewelry and help support small businesses at the same time.
9. Take a virtual tour of a museum or garden together!
Even if you’re not together, the wonders of technology make so much possible today! More and more museums are opening up their 「walls」 to offer virtual tours during this time!
Set up a Mother’s Day date for you and your mom to visit the Louvre in Paris! Or how about the Vatican in Rome? Or, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City?
Would you rather take in the marvels of nature? Check out this Nature Conservancy virtual field trip in Oklahoma!
Is mom a garden lover? The famous Holland tulip farm Keukenhof has created a virtual tulip tour since they can’t welcome visitors in person! You could also visit Monet’s Gardens in France to see the waterlillies! Or, how about taking a virtual trip to Hawaii to see tropical flowers?
10. Make your own card.
Don’t forget to send a card in advance! In our home, it’s a tradition to make a homemade card every year. Moms love homemade! Here’s one way to make Homemade Note Cards.
Wondering what to write in the card? How about sharing a funny story or happy memory of you and your mom? It will make her smile!