As states and counties slowly ease restrictions and open up, people have a few more choices now for how to celebrate Mother’s Day.
This year, Mother’s Day falls on May 10. Whether you live under the same roof as your mother or are separated by thousands of miles, here is a list of ideas for celebrating with her.
1. Order Flowers or Food
Surprise her at the front door with a bouquet of flowers and dinner delivered to her doorstep. This can also help local businesses trying to recover from the pandemic.
2. Go Out for Activities Where Permitted
Take her out for recreational activities like hiking, golfing, boating, or biking. Some areas are loosening or lifting restrictions. Just follow the local social distancing guidelines.
3. Put Together a Quarantine Time Capsule
Take photos, jot down notes, cut out newspaper headlines, and throw in other objects that will remind your future selves what it was like sheltering in place for months at a time—a historic era.
4. Go on a Virtual Flower Tour
From the United States Botanic Garden in Washington D.C., to Amsterdam’s Tulip Festival, to Japan’s sea of Nemophila (also called baby blue eyes) in Hitachi Seaside Park, a number of virtual flower tours are available, and Mom will surely be inspired.
5. Paint or Draw Each Other’s Portrait
Sit in front of each other or video call to keep each other company while sharpening art skills.
6. Clean or Rearrange a Room
Let her relax for the day, and do the cleaning for her. Or, if Mother prefers to be more active, rearrange and decorate the living room together.
7. Read a Book
Take turns reading paragraph by paragraph in person, over the phone, or on a video call. Talk about it afterwards.
8. Look Through Old Photos Simultaneously
Flip through a photo album or send photos to remind her of happy times, and plan a vacation destination for when lockdown is over.
9. Challenge Her to a Cook-Off
Create something together, or show each other how your creations turned out on video call. To take it further, see who presents it or decorates it better; other family members are the judges.
10. Learn Something New Together
Learn a new language or hobby or how to cook a new dish.
11. Do Karaoke at Home
Play her favorite songs and sing them together, or play them on an instrument.
12. Create a Home Cinema
Find a blank white wall and set up a portable projector for a movie night. Prepare snacks and popcorn to munch on, and sit back and relax on the couch together.
Ilene Eng
Reporter
Ilene is a reporter based in the San Francisco Bay Area covering Northern California news.