5 Mother’s Day Activities that are Better than Gifts

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s out there. I could go on and on about the women in my life and how their motherly influence has impacted my life. There is truly nothing like a mother’s love. But what can we give the woman who has everything and wants nothing on this special? If your mom is like mine, she doesn’t take mother’s day very seriously. If you asked her, she’d probably say that being a mom was gift enough. But I love to shower mom with love and gifts. If I had my way, I’d give her the world, dipped in chocolate, surrounded by Harry Winston Diamonds and Hermes Handbags. However, my budget only allows for a single chocolate bar!

So, this year, I’ve decided to share with you my 5 ideas for Mother’s Day activities that won’t break the bank and will leave your mom smiling. Even if, you can afford a gift, these ideas are great options for something special to do with mom any day of the year! Let’s dive in.

(Mother’s Day would not be complete without a photobomb from my dog children)

Learn a Recipe. Most of you guys (if given a minute) could think of SOMETHING that their mom cooks or bakes that just blows your mind every time. Take the day to learn that recipe from your mom. Go get all of the ingredients and ask her to teach you. Especially if you’re all grown up, mom’s enjoy the chance to teach their kids new things. Maybe you already know most of your mom’s baking secrets. Then sit down with mom, cruise through Pinterest, and find a recipe that you both would love to learn and get to work! Your kitchen may be a disaster but you’ll probably have a ton of laughs and hopefully a yummy treat at the end of it!

Take a Stroll Down Memory Lane.  If there is one thing mom’s love, it’s taking about you when you were a kid. So pull out those old photo albums (what’s a photo album…? Like iphone? I know right?) and start at the beginning. Look at some of her childhood if she has them. You’ll probably hear a bunch of fun stories you’ve never heard before. Like, “Uncle who did WHAT?!?,” and “What are you wearing?” She’ll tell you all about how cheap the movies were and what was in style then. And then you’ll breeze past the naked baby pictures right into awkward teenage years. The laughs probably won’t stop!

Movie Marathon. If there is one thing I know about cable television, it’s that the Lifetime and Hallmark channels will have mom themed cheesy movies in surplus this weekend. One of my mom’s favorite things to do around Christmas is watch all of the terrible made-for-TV Christmas movies. So make her dreams come true and bring that tradition to Mother’s Day. My mom, sister, and I love to discuss how realistically the movies depict relationships! Oh, you just met a week ago and now you’re in love and moving to Europe to be together. TOTALLY!

Do It Yourself. Back to Pinterest – ALWAYS! Find a craft or a skill and try it together. Learn macrame, try a no-sew pattern, build a bird feeder from popsicle sticks. Maybe your mom’s into beauty. Try a new hairstyle or try to recreate a makeup look you both love. There are endless possibilities. Just trying something new with your mom will create memories to last a lifetime. And maybe you’ll walk away with something super cool!

Treat Yo Mom.  Ok, so my mom need’s no help in the beauty department. She’s fabulous (as seen above). But sometimes it’s fun to be pampered. Create an at-home budget spa! Look up ingredients for a fun face mask and whip it up. Go the whole nine yards and cut some cucumber slices for her eyes! Give her a mani-pedi with a fresh coat of polish and help her get all dolled up for dinner. Even if you’re just eating sandwiches in the kitchen! Mom’s are girls too. And girls love to feel pretty! So make momma feel here best and make sure you tell her how beautiful she is! She’s been doing it for you since you were little. So, return the favor.

Basically, my point here is to spend some time with mom. Let her know you care and that you went out of your way to do something special even if you don’t have much cash to spare. If you’re not going to get to see your mom this weekend, save these ideas for a time when you’re together. Mom’s give and give and give and expect nothing in return. Take a page from their book and give them their special day.

I could go on and on about he Mom’s in my life and how they’ve impacted me, but I’d be talking for days.  What I do know is that since I was young, my biggest and best dream has always been to ‘be a mom’ and I attribute that to the women who made motherhood look like the greatest gift they’d ever been given. Getting to know my mom as an adult has made me respect her even for the things that she did for me when I was a child. She’s my confidant, my counselor, and my conscience. My encourager, my biggest fan, my partner in crime, and my best friend. But mostly, she’s my mom. And I’m thankful for that every single day of my life. I love you, Momma!

I’d LOVE to hear about your Mom, what she means to you, and how you guys spend Mother’s Day in the comments below!