(KRON) – The coronavirus pandemic has forced us to change the way we live our lives, including how we celebrate special days of the year.
Mother’s Day will have to be a little different this year, but our health expert, Karen Owoc, is here with some safe stay-at-home ideas to show your mom how much you love and appreciate her.
Rethink Mother’s Day
This may be one of the most meaningful Mother’s Days than ever before. If your mom has been isolated and lonely, she’s likely craving being with you — and she may be keeping that quietly to herself.
1. Eat out while eating in. Mother’s Day is synonymous with brunch. Family outings to a favorite restaurant to enjoy their annual Mother’s Day Brunch can still take place and need not be canceled completely.
If you can’t be with your mom, arrange for a Mother’s Day delivery brunch to land on your mom’s front door. You can also drop off your own homemade brunch or a to-go order. Then coordinate a video chat, such as on Zoom, Skype, or FaceTime, and gather the family together to eat brunch together virtually.
2. Brighten her home with a house plant. Flowers are the traditional go-to for Mother’s Day. A national survey found that 64% of respondents purchase flowers. However, flower bouquets usually only last a week.
As we learned last week, “connecting with nature” can reduce stress and uplift the spirit and household plants are an effective way to expose yourself to nature. You’ll be giving mom a gift that’ll linger much longer and remind her of how much she’s loved and appreciated.
3. Support her hobby — or help cultivate a new one. It’ll be awhile before your mom’s life will resume to some level of normalcy. Refrain from giving your mom pandemic-related gifts, such as designer masks, which are just reminders of how life is currently so ‘abnormal’.
Seize the opportunity to get personal and give your mom something that’ll pass her time enjoyably indoors, such as cooking, reading, or crafting. If she doesn’t have a hobby, try cultivating one that you think she’d like and can do. Your mom will appreciate that you took the time to make her gift a personal one.
4. Send her memories in a digital photo frame. Share valuable memories of your family with your mom. Digital picture frames can display endless high-resolution photos that are in one place while being bigger and brighter than a photograph stuck in a heavy photo album the takes up a lot of space. Some digital picture frames accept photos sent from your phone, so you can continue to send your mom new pictures.
5. Take a walk or hike together, then have an indoor picnic. If Mom has been pulling double-duty cooped up inside as mom and teacher, be sure she gets outdoors in the fresh air. This is another way to “connect with nature” and at the same time, connect with the family. Then return home and have a family picnic on the living room floor with Mom’s favorite foods.
6. Make it with your own hands. Moms love sentimental presents whether they’re hand-drawn, sewn, knitted, or crafted from wood. You can also decorate her sidewalk and/or front door with a beautiful wreath. If you’re game to get your hands dirty, plant flowers or vegetables in her garden.
The Takeaway: Mother’s Day will be different this year, but there are ways to readjust, so it can be just as memorable and thoughtful.
Latest Stories:
- Safe stay-at-home ideas to show your mom some love this Mother’s Day
- Delta Airlines suspends service to Oakland Airport to reduce spread of COVID-19
- Technology allows you to have fun exploring Monterey Bay from home
- WATCH SOON: Top doctors answer your questions on ‘Coronavirus House Calls’ | May 9-10
- Facebook, Google to allow employees to work from home through the end of 2020
###