How will you show your appreciation this Mother’s Day?
Photo by pinprick 
With less than a week left before Mother’s Day (which is Sunday, May 10), I’m sure everyone is feeling the pinch of the economy – and the aftermath of tax day. But a challenged economy – or strained pocketbook – is no excuse to be thoughtless; it merely offers the opportunity to give a more creative gift. In my experience, the best gifts I have given (and received) were the ones that were the most thoughtful, but not necessarily the most expensive. In previous years, we have done things like plant bulbs or do yardwork, set a slideshow to music, make breakfast, and create gift certificates for specific chores. As kids, we made jewelry for her, but I can’t recommend making macaroni jewelry as an adult for your mother. But who knows? Everyone on the streets of Milan could be wearing macaroni jewelry next year. Fusilli could be the new black!
This year, we’re taking a DIY approach to our gift-giving, and we’ll be doing some minor house repairs for my mom. If you’re like-minded, you could replace a faucet, paint a bathroom, pull some weeds, or build a compost bin. These are all small projects that make a large difference. (As a side note, if you’re planning to paint, make sure to confirm color selection beforehand and ventilate well.) If your mother is anything like mine, she doesn’t want “stuff” – she would rather have a gift of time, or a “clutter-free” gift. Gifts of time are the best ones for moms with small kids who don’t usually get time to themselves to enjoy decadent things like a candlelit bath, a massage, or peace and quiet to read a book.
Do you have a little cash to spend? Great! Take a look around and see what favorite item or tool could stand replacing or repairing. I’ve slowly been replacing my mother’s old things with newer, better-quality items, and it has made all the difference. One of these little “upgrades” includes a digital photo frame, which I periodically update with newer photos. Mom still gets to have photos, and it saves us the humiliation of being seen with perpetually dated haircuts, makeup, and wardrobe choices. Everyone wins!
Indisputably, the most important part of Mother’s Day is showing our moms the appreciation that we really should be showing all year long.
What are you doing for your mother this year, or what is something memorable you did in the past?
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Well, we won’t use macaroni, but we are actually making jewelry! Since there are three of us Moms in town (me, my Mom and my SIL), we’re calling it “Girls’ Day”. The three of us plus my adult daughter and my young niece will spend the morning at the local bead-work store, making pieces for ourselves! A little silly, but we’ll have fun together, and I think that’s the most important part!
My Mom is no longer with us But I make it a point that every mothers day I call my neice and she knows exactly what to do she puts the phone next to her Urn and I share a few minutes with her letting her know how much I love and miss her. This is done for her birthday as well.
I’m making my mom a tote bag(; I saw diretions on a website & I love to sew so that’s what I’m doing.
I won’t be able to do anything for my mother again this year.As a matter of fact,I haven’t been able to give her a mother’s day,birthday,or Christmas present for the last four years.I was fired from a company for refusing to do something illegal and it has cost me every thing that I’ve worked for.I’ve tried holding on,but in a couple of months that’s it as it will all be gone.Funny…the company that fired me is owned by a Christian that operates his company by the “biblical principles of integrity,honesty,and respect” and he refuses even acknowledge it or even give me back my job.
I bought my Mom some perfume and body spray that she likes. Also, I bought her one of those ball globe yard ornaments for Mother’s Day.
I will give my hippie mother a phone call which I know already will please her greatly! She knows of my deplorable financial condition and loves hearing my voice!
Timothy
Show her I love her in any ways she wants from movies to whatever she wants for her Birthday and for Mother’s day from the whole family.
I got my mom something a few weeks ago. I took the chance being that I was alone, and got her some DVD’s that she wanted. I also changed my avatar on Y! Answers especially for my mom! =)
It will be me and her, her son. After I get out of work, I’ll take her to dinner and probably watch a movie b/c she loves going to the movies.
I bought my mother a batch of flowers to grow in front of our house. But, since I’ll be off to campus, and last week was the only time I was able to be home, I gave her a slightly early (and surprising) mother’s day gift. =]
I enjoyed reading this.
My moms seems to never use anything I get her. She has been complaining that she doesn’t have time to mow her grass. So, thats what I am going to do…mow her grass. I think thats something that would help her out and she would appreciate! Plus its cheap.lol
I am aware this weekend is Mother’s Day
In another site I did two mother’s day poems
one was in dedication
A few days I emailed 6 or 7 poems in this nature
my mom loved hers
my sister loved hers
and my dad’s sister
Have done something special for you mom
or are you going to do something good for your mom
She brought you in the world now show this is her time to celebrate.
I’m fourteen, and, well, I’m giving a few things to my mom:
1. A heartfelt homemade card with my horrid drawings on it and a heartfelt note and I Love You. And a poem. Hopefully this will touch as she remembers the days when I was young and possibly drew better pictures.
2. A picture of myself. Partly as a joke, mostly so that she’ll always remember me.
3. Dark Chocolate, GODIVA! My mom is a total chocoholic, and I think she’ll like it better if I used my allowance for the chocolate instead of herself. Maybe not a lot. She doesn’t like Hershey Kisses though, but that would be a good idea.
4. A tea mug. She always uses my dad’s and he gets a little flustered when he can’t find it. Apparently she’s too lazy to buy one herself, so I’ll do the honors.
5. I’m going to plant a purple tulip in the backyard, since purple’s her favorite color and she always hangs out in the garden. So everyday, she’ll think of me. And also, you can see it from our breakfast table, so in the morning its like, “Oh, I love her.”
Try to see how this can apply to YOUR mother. =]
Of course, you might want to get one of those Hallmark cards instead of making one from scratch, or GIVE BOTH if your an adult, to show the contrast from when you were young, and how you’re an adult now, and that you can buy a heartfelt card.
Hallmark is sending free customizable cards for mothers day, you have to create an account and pick out a card and use the promo code: CARD4MOM
free postage and send to your mom’s home.
-cheers
I intend to show my appreciation by making a trek halfway across the state of Texas to visit her, because she now lives in the Texas panhandle. Along with me I will bring two cards – one for Mother’s Day, and the other for her birthday, which is the day before Mother’s Day. I hope to also bring an as yet undetermined gift. Mom is about to turn 84, so I want it to be something meaningful, not just flowers, because we don’t know how long she will continue to be with us. Hopefully that will be at least another 6 years, because all of her sisters have made it into their nineties. In the meantime, to all you moms out there: HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY!!!
for the past couple of years i’ve gotten my mother a hibiscus
My mom is a runner but she still has a casset player! so im going to buy her a Mp3 player and download songs for her
I’m actually doing a scrapbook for both my mother and mother in law. I call it “Why we love you A-Z” Theirs pictures of us when we were children and when they were children and all their grandkids and all sorts of stuff. Their’s 26 different pages with the letters on them and it’s something like this, a is for how amazing you are, b is for how beauitful you are, c is for how caring you and so on and so forth. I really hope both parents like this idea. Took a lot of work but should be well worth all the time and effort put into it when I see a smile on their face. =]
I was actually thinking of having her buy me a bunch of stuff at the mall. She gets a raise that day, and she doesn’t get out that much to publicity, so I thought we could bond and she could buy be that Xbox 360 and PS3 that I wanted.
I never really had a “mother”, I had something that I feel was better, my Grandmother. I only had her my whole life. She passed away on 6/23/08. I think about her every day, and this is my first mothers day without me doing something for her my whole life. I’ll probably go to her grave, bring her some flowers,and tell her how much I miss her.
i stayed in drug recovery for one more mothers day. I love you Mom.
I’m sending her a card that will make her cry and then laugh…
I think: As I’ve been doing so!! slowly !! But I’ve had plan of cleaning the ENTIRE H O U S E up for her !! while she’s away at work !!, Ofcourse I do mostly everyday anyway !!,But I think I’ll do as`MUCH as I can before getting t0oO tired that I’d fall asleep from doing so0 much cleaning up !!. But even if I take a nap`, I’ll have time to finish before she’d get in from work !!..especially if I start shortly after she leaves out for work !?! If she goes on that day !?! .. If not I’ve done so0`,Much so0`.far that it’ll just be like dusting here & there !!. rRr
I have noticed that a card is getting more expensive and decided to make my own. I got some construction paper and cut out some designs, hearts and streamers to past on, overlay. Also used some colored markers.
Nothing against commercial cards, but it is fun thinking and doing.
Since it’s a very difficult time considering the economy and most people are struggling, I believe showing up at her doorstep and telling her how she made you a wonderful offspring is a fulfillment of a mom in her lifetime.
Mom would love the things we give, but what matters most is the expression of love that we should show her.
If we cannot visit her, we make it sure to give her a call and always remind her that you love her and she is the most wonderful thing that ever happened in your life.
If there is something wrong going on between you and your mom, don’t wait for a few more days to talk to her. We do not know, we only realize it when the most important person who showed us the beauty of life has already passed away.
I cooked the whole meal for my mother so that at least on the day of mothers day she won’t have to cook and get tired. I bought her a small gift for the occation. I wished her and celebrated mothars day. She was really very happy and indeed surprised.
That’s right… you don’t need to buy her expensive things
The important thing is showing her your love
so I think it would be better to give her things you make for yourself
Even though It’s not that sophisticated or something, but your mother must like and be proud of it.
i’m coming home from college on mothers day and i’m going to surprise her. i’m also going to have flowers sent to her with a note telling her how much i love her and that there’s a surprise for her on it’s way. then, because i know she’s gunna be out for the majority of the afternoon, i’m gunna hide my car at a neighbors house, then i’m going to decorate the house, make her a “happy mothers day” cake, and i’m going to do all the chores around the house that needs to be done (laundry, dish, etc.) then when she gets home, and i surprise her with being home, i’m going to take her and the family out for a nice dinner.
All the blogs I read were all good and I’m sure will give all moms in the world a better self worth. I myself also wanted my children to just say Hi or any type of greetings during my special days likes birthday, anniversary and the like. There is no other sweetest gift I treasure from my children wherever they are during my special occasion that they were able to recall the exact dates and events I am wanting them to say on phones, viewcams, YM or webcams as long as they tried sharing their joys with me. If children can’t greet mothers personally, they can do it in other means like texting, writing, calling by phones, or chatting on webcam. It’s only very sad for a mother if during special occasions they even failed to say Hi or Hello to the greatest woman whom they lived on their mothers’ womb for nine months, six years preparatory for grade school, 12 years adolescent years, and their adulthood before getting married and started their own life. Mothers deserved to be cared even with small things children could give. They don’t ask for what their children can’t afford to give because they loved them more than themselves.
10th May is Mother’s Day – AND my mother’s birthday!!
But I still haven’t got her anything!
She did tell me something she wants and we’re going out to get it on her bday, but I’m thinking of something else to go with that. Hmm…
A mother – be it a Hindu, Muslim, Christian of any creed or race –is an embodiment of unlimited and unconditional love and affection.She loves her children without any expectation sacrificing everything she has for their progress.She is the giftof God for the mankind.
If I could I would give my mother back her mother and then she would be happy and dhe would have to cry a lot.
Rick, I am sorry for your current circumstances. I just want you to know that, in Scripture, Jesus says that you will know Christians by their fruit. Someone may claim to be a Christian, but, if their actions prove otherwise…Do not allow one bad experience, with someone who may not even be a Christian, to sour you to Christianity. If this person is Christian, he will be held accountable for what he has done…And for your mother, why not write a card, even if it’s on a piece of scrap paper, telling her how much you love her, and how much she means to you?
I pray that everything will be brought out in the light. God bless you, Friend.
I usually just get my mom yellow roses for mothers day. But this year I wanted to do something really important for her. Even though she tells us not to get her anything. What I did was have two pictures basically combined together as one. It will be a painting of black and white. See her mom passed away before I was born so she wasnt around for the birth of me or for my wedding so I took a picture of my sister, mom and me and then a picture of my grandma and combined it in a painting to make it look like she was there. It was very pretty. And it will last forever
I would tell my mom happy mothers day and get her something that she wants. I would tell her that i love her very much…
My sisters and I are getting our mom serenatas for mother’s day. The group will arrive at her house at midnight and serenate her for 30 mins. She’ll love it, my dad used to do it when we were kids, it’s been a while. HAPPY EARLY MOTHER’S DAY TO ALL THE WONDERFUL MOM’S OUT THERE
i will be giving my mom a big bunch of flowers
I am making my son’s grandmother (my bf’s mother) a picture frame of his newborn to 1 year olds. She dont have alot of pictures of her grandson in her home. I thought she would love to look at his pictures every day.
My two brothers and I am going to wal mart to get our picture done for my mother. My two brothers and I haven’t got our picture together since I was 3-4 year olds. I thought she would love to have a update picture of us and thankful for having us in her life. 
Mothers and the ones that are Mother-like in our lives are truly influencial. I was fortunate enough to be with and without mine all of these years. We had our differences either because we were too much alike-or too different and the past does not really matter. I bought her a musical Hallmark card that shows a child on the front and plays she is some kind of wonderful. Remember our Mothers risk their lives to give us ours. We do not have to even be like them if we so choose. But if they have qualities worth imitating, may I suggest it to be done?
Well, I gave my mother for her birthday/Mother’s day and photo frame and a photograph of all of us at my sister’s wedding. She was super happy!
I will my gave mi motha a card n lotz of love 4 bein my livin motha
Years ago my daughter bought me a paperwork book called “Love You Forever”.. and wrote the most beautiful note inside. It is one of my favorite gifts.. a real treasure.. It was inexpensive, less than $8.00, so she could afford it herself but is of invaluable worth because of the thought behind it. I featured it on my website:http://www.celebrationideasonline.com/gift-for-mom.html.. and have shared it with others over the past years.
hehe, mothers day has already been and gone here in England
Well, I start by getting the date right. Mother’s day is mid lent Sunday and passed a couple of months ago. I don’t really care if this is another thing that Americans get spectacularly wrong.
In the United Kingdom Mothering Sunday is in March so UK Mums have got another 10 months to wait.
Please call it US Mothering Sunday, rather than Mothering Sunday.
A very annoyed Brit.
Just seen my comment.
The time now is 1815, May 7th, not 915am
I am making my mom a scrapbook. I found this poem that I really liked about a mother molding her child, and I typed it out and put that on the first page along with pictures of her. The next ten pages are pictures of me and my siblings (there are 5 of us) from birth until recently. then I did 6 pages of family pictures, starting with pictures of my brother and sister together, and ending with more recent pictures of the five of us. then there is a page for my daughter, because without my mom she wouldnt be here. And after I started making the book I found out I was pregnant, so the last page is going to be sort of an announcement of that.
I am also getting her some Lilacs, they are her favorite flower and they also only bloom during spring (right around mothers day and her birthday, which is later in may). They dont sell lilacs, so every year one of my siblings or I find someone who has a Lilac bush, and we grab a few. its like tradition, we steal flowers so my mom can have her lilacs every year.
I challenge all sons and daughters to do all their mom’s chores for a day. Let’s see if you don’t appreciate her much more.
Mother’s Day is a special day for mothers they should enjoy it. It may take a while, it doesn’t have to be perfect, but give her a gift. The best gift is your love so even if you don’t have a present you know that you’re in their heart somewhere.
I wrote my mom a poem and gave it to her early because she has been really stressed out. Also i got her some fuzzy socks becuse she loves them and shes diaetic so they feel good on her feet
We are making cards with roses and stuff like that and making breakfast in bed..
My mom will be dead 14 years this coming New Year’s. Though I’d rather have to go to the trouble, I don’t have to anymore.
I am taking my mom out for lunch with my sister and we are getting her a gift certificate from Kohl’s. I know she is excited because both me and my sis are getting together with her and that does not happen very often.
I will give my mom a big hug, kiss and thank her for taking care of me.
Happy MOther’s day to all Mom!
Well, I’ve never really done anything creative but this year I’m making a voucher book, a personal hand made card and a drawing of her! I’m only 12 so I don’t have a job or any pocket money till the end of the month. It’s okay, the vouchers have pictures of Lisa on as I’m sorta like her and my mother jokes about it. The card has flags of all the countries we’ve lived in plus some little inside jokes. I hope she likes it! Wish me luck!
i’ll buy new facial treatment for my mom…
i hope she like it…
beside that i prepare a card for her…
Well I’ll Be buying a Cake and Flowers of course. Then the whole family are going to shopping in the mall and watch movies. I know it’s kind a wasting of money but hell it’s mothers day so I don’t care if I end up broke.
I feel bad. I will be out of town this mother’s day weekend. I live about 20 minutes away from my mom. I am going to my best friend’s graduation. I am having flowers delivered to my mom. I don’t think she has had flowers delivered in a long time, so I hope she likes them.
To all Mother everywhere Happy Mothers day to all the womens in the know. My mother passed years ago .I’m a mother myself and it is always surreal for me. For all the Moms who still have their Moms- Happy bless Mother Day to all
Sorry computer keys sticking -did not mean to double post the same thing. Forgive me please. All yall give your Moms a double hug one extra for me and I know I will feel the Love to a stranger.. Love the beautiful story post.
everyday is mother’s day to my belief <3 i love you mom. ( even though you treat me like shEt)
My Mom is in California, I’m in Colorado, soon to be in Montana even farther away from my whole family, but I’d rather celebrate Father’s day anyway.
Mother’s Day would be wonderful for me and my mom if we could be close. We try so hard to do so, but we are so much a like, says my dad as he analizes our trouble getting along, that it never happens; trying to talk with love and respect to each other. I try to be the better person by asking if we can try to get along and just talk, staying away from the hot topics? She agrees, but soon it starts again; voices raise, then my mom always hangs up. Last conversation, she told my dad I hung on her. I’ve never hung up on her.
I always send a Moms Day card (I’ve never called my Mom, “Mother”. She has never sent me one ever, even though I have twin daughters and a son and I have grand children as well. I’ve never said anything about not receiving a card by I know when my newly maried sister has a kid, she’ll for sure get cards for Mom’s Day and THEN I’ll get cards for that day. I usually send funny ones to my mom, because sending nice and/or mushy cards seems ackward or out of character for us. Anyway, What I want to say to all daughters with mothers and Mothers with daughters, make sure to always try to solve your problems, and/or keep your lines of comunication open as you can, before it gets to messy to the point of no return. Sometimes also maybe, both parties need to swallow their egos and then be the better person. Believe me, I’ve tried this too- The other party has to be willing too and come down from the high horse. Happy Wonderful Mom’s Day to those lucky Mom’s, daughters & sons. Have a great day together!
My father, brother and I have always taken my mother to lunch on Mother’s Day. Nearly everybody has this same idea. A few years ago we (including my mother) decided that it might be better to go out on Saturday night and avoid the long wait to eat on Mother’s Day. This has worked well for us.
Also, it is hard to get something new and interesting for my mother. [Don't even get me started about my dad; I still haven't got him a birthday present from last month.] At 71 she has everything she needs and nearly everything she wants. It’s hard to find a good present for her. My mother has always said that she tried to show her own mother appreciation throughout the year by giving her things and doing other things for her. I try to do the same.
This year my brother and I are going to take my mother to see the “Happy Days” musical near the end of the month. She loves 1970s television, and I think she will really like this.
Every day is mother’s day. Every mother having true love & devotion for her child. So every child should have true love & same kind of devotion.
I made my mom a videocard in which one of my toddler pictures appears to sing her a Mother’s Day tune that I wrote. Here’s the link if you’d like to see it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jazo2ZiiUJg
I made my wife (her first mothers day with out 10 month year old) and my mom, a special video that displays pictures and music from the past year. I did this in place of a card this year. You can do it to just go to animoto.com. It is simple and works awesome (all flash animation)
My family and I are going on a simple picnic this Mother’s Day, and we’re taking the dogs. So it should be a great day!
we have two young daughters (ages 6 & 2) so i know the grandma’s would love something homemade from them. for christmas and birthdays we always buy them something but last year we made handprints of our two daughters (a kit we bought at michael’s). they were really cute. it was heart shaped and had an inverse hand print. the grandma’s loved it!! so this year we are once again trying not too spend too much on mother’s day (especially with the economy so bad) so we are making vases. i remember one year when i was a child i made a vase at school for my mother out of a glass bottle, tissue paper and glue. the teacher varnised it and i think we put flowers made out of tissue paper in it. so this year for mother’s day i bought some inexpensive plain glass vases and some pink, light turquoise and light purple tissue paper. the kids have already glued on the tissue paper. tonight we varnish them with a clear varnish. then on mother’s day morning we will go out to buy fresh flowers to put in them before the grandmas show up for breakfast. my hubby is making all the mom’s in our family whatever they want for breakfast. afterwards we are going to the park for a bar-b-que (my mom won’t be able to attend that though because she has to work…booo….). what could be better for two grandmas than not only spending the day with their children but the best part for grandmas (i think) is getting to spend the morning and day with their grandchildren and getting a beautiful homemade gift from their grandchildren (i hope)!
there is no need to give hercostly gifts or rose and all useless thing you should just love and respect youe mother that the huge gift for her.you should help her and should take care of her.
I will print this page to give my mom…
im acutully order my mother a vermont teddy bear for mothers day
Well..my mother has passed away, but i’ll hold a cermony in her name. all our family will be there. dressed in our best. <33333;;
It might be pitty not to do something for her,so i bought her a laptop and am also taking her out for a launch to thank her for what she have done for me since i the day she gave me birth until i reach 26 years which means a lot to me.
my mother is in a nursing home but she gets upset when she sees me so i won’t be doing anything. when i say upset i mean she starts to get angry about things and takes it out on me.
I am a mother to a dog and two cats. I will have to do something nice for myself! Thanks…and it will be from them!
I made my mom a collage on one of those photo websites of my son. I framed it for her and made her a mini scrap book. For my mother in law my sisters in law and I made a big scrap book of all of her grandkids. I think it is something she will cry when she sees. It was pretty fun putting it together. (I would have made my mom a big scrap book but she only has one grandchild at the moment and my mil has 6.)
I wish i could celebrate this day but i CAN’T! ☹ *sobs*
I will try to help her in her work as much as possible