Celebrate the special ‘mum’ in your life
Mother’s Day is Sunday May 14, so start thinking about how you can honour mum, or the mother figure or figures in your life.
Honouring mothers and motherhood is nothing new. Such festivals in ancient times were often tied to gods and goddesses. In the Middle Ages, people returned to their home or ‘‘mother’’ church at Lent; this celebration became ‘‘Mothering Sunday’’ when children visited their mothers.
There was a ‘‘mothering cake’’ to share, and sons and daughters assumed all household duties and prepared dinner.
Five hundred years on, that’s still a great way to show your appreciation. If that doesn’t appeal, or isn’t possible, there are endless ways you can treat mum.
Offer garden services: Help in her garden for a day, or buy a voucher for garden products or services if you don’t have the skills, or don’t live locally.
Decorate her front door: If you’re nearby, surprise her by adorning her door with streamers, a sign, and a wreath or flowers.
Feed her: Breakfast in bed is a classic and appreciated, even if it’s simply toast or a pastry, and her favourite brew. Or, cook or take her out for brunch, lunch, high tea or dinner. If you don’t live locally, and can’t visit, gift her a foodie voucher.
Ring her for a chat: Set aside time for a long chat on the phone, or video chat her so she can see you. You could go all out and rope in other family for a group chat.
Watch a movie together: If you’re all in one place, have a movie night with ‘‘theatre’’ treats. If you’re in separate locations, watch the movie at the same time. Or, start a marathon of your favourite series while enjoying a wine or cuppa.
Make her a video, a music playlist, or a piece of art: Record a video from all of the children saying ‘‘Happy Mother’s Day’’ and why they appreciate her. You splice videos together on your phone. Or make a playlist of her favourites music. Or create a work of art; perhaps paint a flower pot and plant it. Hit the outdoors: Autumn is a lovely time to visit a park or trail, with the leaves changing colour, and take a picnic.
Make a homemade gift: Most mums love gifts from the heart. Think treats from the kitchen (eg, jam, cookies, herbal vinegar) or DIY beauty products (eg, soap or scrub).
Buy an extra-meaningful gift: Think about what she loves, but perhaps would never buy for herself. A gorgeous scarf, or a piece of jewellery, or a spa day? Or if she has expressed interest in a new hobby, buy her a voucher to get her started.
Take her away: Organise a day trip or weekend away, planned around her favourite things. If that’s just not possible, go on a digital trip together; many museums, art galleries, gardens and historic sites here and overseas offer virtual tours. Visit https://joyofmuseums.com/museums/ to see what’s available, from Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington, to the Louvre in Paris, the Vatican in Rome, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Garden lover? ‘Visit’ Holland’s tulip farm
Keukenhof, Monet’s waterlily gardens in France, and London’s Kew Gardens.
❚ Source: The Almanac