How to Celebrate Mother’s Day?

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We all understand that if one particular day isn’t put aside to make a special expression of appreciation for whomever, for whatever, it might not ever be expressed; but isn’t this where we all need to reassess our values and perceptions by changing some of our habits and way of thinking?

One major bad habit, brought on by the constant commercially driven brainwashing, is to spend money and more money, no matter what. Houses are filled with tons of needless knick-knacks, closets are filled with clothing that hasn’t been worn in eons, garages are filled with “someone else’s treasures,” and kitchens are overloaded with superfluous appliances. It doesn’t help that most appliances, electronic equipment, and technology is designed to be useless every five years or less, nor does anyone seem to care.

Moms over 50 or 60 aren’t brain dead and aren’t all alike. They don’t all live in the past, wear granny glasses or want store-bought cards or long distance flowers sent. They don’t just want framed headlines of some long past last century event that’s supposed to be memory invoking to hang over their bed.

They don’t need aprons or more photos of the grandkids (at least not on Mother’s Day). They may not knit or even care to learn to crochet. They don’t want magnifying glasses or reach extenders for mothers’ day. Saved that for a normal weekday gift. Please, no walkers or department store perfume.

I’ll bet that there isn’t one mother out there who doesn’t have a room or closet, if not more, full of stuff that is never used or really wanted, but she hates to get rid of “good stuff” because it cost someone good money. Also, ask most any mother what kinds of gifts have the most meaning to her, and nine times out of ten she will mention something about the gift of time… quality time spent with her loved ones. Yet, how many loved ones skimp on that “quality time,” or merely substitute attention with a purchased commodity?

It is time to take another look at who our mothers are, what they represent, and why each one deserves more than one day a year of special consideration. And, by the way, I am not referring to birth mothers as the only women to hold the title of a mother; anyone who holds a special place in our hearts as a nurturer can be considered a mother. There are some mothers, who give birth, and who do not nurture, but in general, most mothers are preservers and nurturers of young lives.

Besides providing environments where children can grow in love and secure comfort, a mother is most responsible for building strong physical and emotional bodies with proper nutrition and unconditional love. A mother is most responsible for instilling a sense of values and identity by being the keeper of traditions and maintaining the social fabric of the family. A mother is a person who sacrifices most of her time and personal preferences for others, and rarely expects or asks for anything in return. A mother is always there, in the background, being supportive, encouraging, understanding, and comforting whenever the need arises. Mothers are tireless workers; they are the last ones to bed at night and the first ones to rise each morning.

Given that children are our ultimate investment in the future, it is an almost unfair task, with overwhelming responsibilities that we ask of mothers, yet each woman accepts her place in the world, as part of the ongoing cycle of life. It is this silent resiliency and strength in mothers that is most called upon during these times of stress and strife. In spite of events that are outside of one’s control or own doing, it is a mother who must maintain calmness and adherence to the business at hand. Sustenance must be provided, clothing must be laundered, and routines are kept on schedule. Life continues on to the best of her ability.

All of these words can be said also of the mother of us all, Mother Earth, who is also much taken for granted, and gets very little respect or attention. Like most spoiled, sloven children, we continue to use and take all her resources, giving very little concern as to her general health and well being. It’s time before it’s too late, it’s time we change our attitudes and our way of being negligent to those who matter to us the most. To those who nurture and preserve life, we must all devote more time and attention to helping to support their efforts and wellbeing.

In recognition of efforts of our mothers, it is important that we make mother’s day very special for our dear moms. Remember, Mother’s day is a special day for every mom. keep in mind the one thing all moms have in common; the wish for more time with their grown children. The memories that remain after a personal Mother’s Day visit will last longer than any other gift.

Showing Up in Person on Mothers Day

For a mother, her adult child standing on her doorstep telling her she is beautiful is “priceless.” Mom doesn’t need the card or nicely wrapped gift. She needs the company of her grown-up child.

  • Take her to dinner or bring dinner to her.
  • Tell her a wonderful childhood memory of something she did that stayed forever in mind.
  • Laugh in person with her.
  • Plant a tree or rose bush with her or for her.
  • Walk her dog or walk along with her and the dogs.
  • Bring the kids and act happy to be there. Stay for over an hour, at least.
  • Play a board game together.
  • Use those frequent flier miles to visit her by surprise.
  • Fix something in her house for her.
  • Clean up the viruses on her computer for her.
  • Show her how to use the remote (again).
  • Go to a yoga class together.
  • Just sit and share gossip and coffee, tea, wine or beer.
  • Take her for lunch or dinner at her favorite restaurant
  • Take her to a special Mother’s Day event at the local arboretum
  • Go to a concert featuring her favorite musicians or type of music
  • Take her to visit friends or relatives if she no longer drives
  • Visit museums or art galleries
  • Take her to a sporting event if she is a sports fan
  • Take a city dwelling mom for a drive in the country
  • Take a country dwelling mom for a day in the nearest big city
  • Go to a quilt show together. Even if she doesn’t quilt she will likely enjoy it
  • Bake a special Mother’s Day cake for her and enjoy sharing it with her
  • The best gift will be putting the whole day aside for her, doing together anything she enjoys.

If Seeing Mom in Person is Really Impossible

  • Tell her truthfully why being there is impossible and schedule an alternate day. This is important. Make it very close to Mother’s Day.
  • Tell her if there is no money – Accept a gift if she wants to give it to you.
  • Teach her to skype and spend time on mother’s day skyping with her.
  • Talk to her on the phone for an hour. Hang up and then call an hour later with new things to share and speak together another hour.
  • Call her upon awakening to say good morning and right before going to sleep that night to say good night.
  • Watch a talk show or favorite movie long distance while both on the phone and chat about it, as if together.
  • Plan ahead and both read a book that can be discussed that day by phone. Read the newspaper on the phone together. Share opinions.
  • Chat online for an hour.
  • Text her, if really lame.
  • Make sure the flowers and card arrive exactly on time. Don’t leave a message on her phone. Keep trying to reach her.

Best Gifts for Older Mothers

If your mother is competent with technology, consider some high tech gifts. The high tech devices on the market can help an elderly Mom pass the time, stay connected to the family, or encourage a new set of skills in Mom’s life.

Wireless Reading Device

If the budget can handle it, invest in a wireless reading device for Mom; e-books can be downloaded and stored on a Kindle, iPad or a Sony Reader. In addition, Mom can read newspapers, subscribe to magazines and more. The reader can be one gift, perhaps for Mother’s Day, followed by money on a birthday or Christmas to purchase more e-books.

These new readers allow Mom to always have access to a book whenever she leaves the house. They also let Mom adjust the font size, as large as necessary, for “older eyes.”

Digital Photo Frame

The digital picture frame allows Mom to enjoy up to thousands of photographs without lifting a finger; the gift giver does all the work. Download family photos, vacation photos, or scan old photos from Mom’s past and set up the slideshow for Mom. Put the frame on a table close to her favorite chair.

Some of the frames also have audio, video, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth compatibility; it depends on how much technology Mom can handle.

Mobile Phones for Older Moms

A cell phone for Mom can be a great gift with the giver purchasing the phone and paying for monthly service on a contract basis, or just purchasing minutes. The decision depends on the type of phone purchased; some are designed for elderly people to use straight out of the box.

Most older adults want large buttons that are easy to see on the keypad, clear sound from the speaker, loud and vibrating ring tones and services that are easy to set up and retrieve. Some phones marketed for elderly use have live 24-hour operators to help callers.

Apps for Moms?

If Mom has a mobile device that can download applications, consider buying some. While many are free, some are worth spending 99 cents to $9.99 for the added benefit. Read the reviews in the app store to determine which ones are worth the additional money. Not all are specific to age or gender, but popular app categories for Mom might include nutrition, exercise programs, the weather or gas prices in the area.

Best Gifts for Grandmothers on Mother’s Day

Just as our mothers do, Grandmothers also play a big role in children’s lives. Sometimes, they relieve mums by babysitting the kids. Some even care for their grandchildren full-time. So we shouldn’t forget Grandmas in Mother’s Day. We should also give her a thoughtful and practical gift that she will always cherish. There are many ways to honor grandmothers on Mother’s Day. Thoughtful gifts for Grandma include a special family album, genuine old newspapers, grandparenting books, pillbox products and more time with Grandma.

Special Family Album

Grandmothers are very sentimental and will appreciate gifts that remind them of the strong bond within the family. Go through family albums featuring a few generations of the family. Choose special moments such as weddings, birthdays, christenings and graduations and categorize them accordingly.

Some old photos may need to be restored. Restore old photos by checking out shops that specialize in restoring and touching up photos. Once all the photos are selected, put them in a beautifully decorated album. The special family album will remain a treasure for Grandma for a long time.

Genuine Old Newspapers

If Grandma came from the United Kingdom when she was young, she probably has very strong roots there. There were probably events that she can relate to very well before she migrated. Delight her by presenting her genuine original archive newspapers from the date of your choice. Genuine old newspapers suppliers such as Newspapers Remembered have original newspapers from the United Kingdom that go back over a hundred years. The newspapers even come with a personalized certificate of authenticity. Grandma will certainly cherish this unique and wonderful gift.

Pill Box Products

Many grandmothers are on medication and will need some help to organize their medication. That’s why pill box products such as pill organizers, pill cases, novelty pillboxes, key ring pill box products, alarm or vibrating watchers, pill crushers and pill splitters are very thoughtful and practical gifts. Some of these products come with unique designs and decorative items, making them excellent gifts for someone special.

More Time with Grandma

Nothing delights Grandma more than the opportunity to spend more time with her grandchildren. So make a pledge to visit Grandma more often, not only on special occasions such as Mother’s Day, her birthday, Christmas or Easter. Drop by her house regularly to help out with the gardening, taking her out for a movie or just to have a chat.

If Grandma lives far away, give her a call every now and then. Older ladies still love receiving letters from loved ones. So delight her with regular letters too. If Grandma is tech-savvy, email is the best way to communicate. It’s easy, convenient and cheap!