The second Sunday in May is all about moms. Mother’s Day will be celebrated on May 11 this year, and it’s the perfect time to show appreciation for the women in our lives. Whether you want to celebrate your mom by spending some quality time together or by giving her a thoughtful gift, we’ve got you covered with some great ideas on how to celebrate Mother’s Day.
But first, let’s discuss how and when Mother’s Day became the designated day to honor moms.
The History of Mother’s Day
According to History.com, the origins of Mother’s Day extend back to ancient Greece and Rome with festivals honoring mother goddesses. Then, in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe, a popular celebration of mothers occurred on the fourth Sunday of Lent. That tradition eventually merged with the American Mother’s Day in the mid-20th century.
The modern holiday we know today started in 1908 when Anna Jarvis organized the first Mother’s Day celebration in West Virginia. The West Virginia University Press states that Jarvis originally envisioned a day recognizing the sacrifices and services moms made in the home. In 1914, Mother’s Day became a national holiday.
Over the years, the focus of Mother’s Day started to extend to recognizing contributions outside of the home and the holiday became more commercial. Jarvis did not approve of these changing attitudes toward her celebration and fought most of her life to try to preserve her vision of Mother’s Day.
Ways to Celebrate Mother’s Day
If you want to celebrate in the spirit of Mother’s Day Founder Anna Jarvis and avoid the commercial aspect of the holiday, give your mom the most precious resource – time. You don’t have to leave the house to spend meaningful time with mom. You can cook a meal together, watch a favorite movie or go for a walk. Take the time to create some great memories with your mom this Mother’s Day!
Inversely, it might be a great idea to give mom a bit of a break! Day-to-day, moms tend to have a lot going on. Your mom might be juggling work, after-school activities, family life, maintaining friendships and much more. Consider purchasing a gift card to a local spa or using a site like Groupon to give mom a day of relaxation. You can usually find Mother’s Day spa packages and tailor the experience to what your mom would most enjoy.
If you’re an Indiana Farm Bureau member, you have access to a deal with Spa Week and can save up to 17% on a gift card for services at one of the 9,000 locations in their directory.
Experience Something New Together
Mother’s Day is the perfect time to try something new with mom. Take the opportunity to cross something off her bucket list, even better if you both enjoy the activity. Consider taking a cooking class together, buying tickets to see her favorite artist in concert or taking a day trip. The Today Show website has compiled nearly 60 ideas for activities to help you celebrate Mother’s Day.
Mother’s Day Gift Ideas
Personalize Your Gift to Mom
If you prefer to show your mom how you feel with a gift, one great option is to add an individualized element to whatever you select. Personalization Mall has a variety of options for Mother’s Day gifts with a unique flair. You can find coffee mugs, t-shirts, jewelry, notebooks and more on the site. Once you find the perfect item, you can choose a specific text, add your mom’s name or in some cases add a photo to the item.
Gather Your Best Memories
The ultimate personalized gift is printing a great photo your mom has only seen on your social media profile or creating a full scrapbook. You can go two routes on a scrapbook: DIY or use a website to build it out. Google Photos and Shutterfly are classic options that make creating a scrapbook easy. If there’s just one photo you want to print, consider putting it on a canvas so mom can hang it proudly in her house.
Select a Subscription Service
If you want to set mom up with a recurring gift, there are many great subscription services available. If your mom is an avid reader, check out a Book of the Month subscription. If she loves adventure and snacking, Universal Yums, a subscription box that lets you try snacks from countries around the world, could be the perfect fit. These days, there are subscription boxes for nearly every interest!
Conclusion
No matter how you choose to celebrate mom, if it comes from the heart, she will appreciate it. Mother’s Day is more than checking a box – make sure you take the time and put in the effort to show your mom how much she means to you!
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