Fortunately, my Plumblossom is too young to shower me with knick knacks or other gifts this Mother’s Day—she’ll be sticking with some sweet smiles and little coos (all I could ask for!).
But infants aren’t the only ones who can honor their mothers in minimalist fashion; so for the rest of us, I’ve put together a list of no-clutter ways to show our love:
1. Cook your mom a delicious meal. You can put together breakfast-in-bed, an elegant brunch, or a special dinner (even if you’re not a culinary whiz, she’ll appreciate your efforts!)
2. Take your mom to the park, or local horticultural center, to admire the spring blooms. This time of year, public gardens are planted with a gorgeous array of flowers, including tulips, lilies, and daffodils. Enjoying live flowers is more environmentally-friendly than purchasing cut ones.
3. Dig through your family photographs, and select pictures of you (and your siblings) from your childhood years through the present. Scan them into your computer, create a digital slideshow, and burn a DVD (or put on a USB drive) to give to your (tech-savvy) mom.
4. Write your mom a poem or a personal letter. Words from your heart are far more touching than a greeting card or store-bought gift.
5. Give your mom the gift of your time. Offer to do household chores or maintenance tasks, or share your skills and expertise. For a formal flourish, present her with handmade coupons for your “services”—like washing the windows, waxing the floor, or installing software on her computer.
6. Wash your mom’s car. In addition to a good soap and rinse, vacuum and wipe down the interior.
7. Put together a “gourmet basket” for your mom. Pick a theme, obtain items inexpensively from the grocery store, arrange them artfully in a basket or box, and top it off with a decorative ribbon. Some themes include a pancake breakfast (gourmet pancake mix, maple syrup, preserves, and coffee beans), high tea (a selection of gourmet teas, crackers, scones, and preserves) or a chocolate lover’s dream (various bars of chocolate, and chocolate-dipped items, like pretzels, espresso beans, and dried fruit).
8. Take your mom out for a Mother’s Day picnic. Prepare salads and sandwiches, and pick a lovely setting where you can enjoy the fresh air and spring flowers. It’s a wonderful way to spend quality time with your mom, free of restaurant crowds and other distractions.
9. Instead of a buying a bouquet, include a packet of seeds in her Mother’s Day card and help her plant them in her garden.
10. Take your mom out for a cultural experience: like the ballet, opera, outdoor concert, or art exhibition.
Above all, be creative! When I was living in England, I used to photograph the blooms I encountered on my countryside walks—I then gathered them together into a Mother’s Day email for my mom, explaining what they were and where I came across them. Creating this digital bouquet was a great way to share this unique experience with her and include her in my “travels.”
I hope you all enjoy this beautiful day, and I’d love to hear how you plan to spend it!
{If you’d like to learn more about minimalist living, please consider reading my book, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide, or subscribing to my RSS feed.}
Happy first mother’s day to you! I have done almost all of these things over the years. This year it will be some food, seeds for her garden, photos of the day and a love letter. Plus we always aim for a weekly date which makes it mother’s and daughter’s day every week, and are precious times.
Lovely post – mothers show us how to be great minimalists too – they always leave us with enough love to last a lifetime.
So sweet and so true. :)
I have never washed her car myself, but I sometimes give her a gift certificate for car detailing. I live several states away so I searched on the Internet for a good car detailer in my hometown. I always spring for interior and exterior detailing. He does a much better job than I could ever do and the car is almost like new when he’s done. It’s not inexpensive but it is great value.
I am going to buy her a fire-proof safe. It’s a nick nack yes, but a useful one I hope.
Beautiful post, Francine!
I have received my first non-consumable Mother’s Day present ever, from my daughter today (a little early but she was so excited). I am not one to hold onto goods that I have not been pining over for months before purchase, but my heart was completely overflowing with love at her gesture. For the past week, she has been asking for money in order to purchase something at the Mother’s Day stall and was so excited to pick a present today. She spent a good time sorting through the options at the stall and thought of what I could use the most. She rushed home to wrap it up and was absolutely beaming when I opened it. The cupcake mug I received today will stay with me forever and it shall be my most cherished mug from now on. I will have every cup of tea and coffee in it for as long as I live! :D
Funny how kids can change things! :)
Happy Mother’s Day Francine! Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful Miss Minimalist readers out there, too. :)
I agree with AussieGirl. Although I like consumable or experience gifts, even something I wouldn’t normally buy (nor usually keep if it was given as a gift) such as a candle, mug, or trinket, becomes imbued with special meaning when you see your child’s enthusiasm and their careful choice of the perfect present for you from a Mother’s Day stand at school!
Thanks also for the great ideas Francine. My husband and I have chosen to cook lunch for our mothers, and give them each a box of chocolates so all consumable :)
I don’t have anyone that I need to give to on Mother’s Day so I am freed of having to think of that BUT I do receive from my 8 kids. That can really lead to some clutter. While I do enjoy the thought that they put into the gifts they give, times 8 it’s too much.
Gladly my older children are beginning to understand me and are able to give gifts of time or talent such as baked goods.
My favorite gift ever though, was a coffee mug given to me by my 11 year old son last year. On the side it said, “All my favorite people call me Mom.” Priceless.
Happy 1st Mother’s Day!
Great ideas! Thank you!
Love all of these ideas, thank you! This is my first Mother’s Day as a mom as well and I told my husband a few days ago to never, ever buy me any “gifts” for the holiday. To me, Mother’s Day is for family, sleeping in, enjoying a meal together, going to the park.
I’d also like to not have to do laundry that day. Hopefully it works out, haha!
Excellent thinking everybody! I’m treating my Mum to a long conversation on Skype WITH camera, which she loves and I hate.
Oh and I also sent her a card, as that is what she wants.
Thanks for this post, Francine. I was thinking about what to get my mom for mother’s day and was about to head over to the Vera Bradley store to get her a handbag. Instead I’m going to use your High Tea Basket idea. Thank you!
Thanks for this roundup of great ideas that truly are more meaningful than something you quick pick up at the store. It’s a great reminder to “think outside the box!”
Perhaps some mothers would like some chemical-free cleaning or personal care items. I’m ending my stint as a Norwex consultant, so am offering all my inventory for less than even I purchased it: http://quitesimplyhome.com/norwex/shop/
Happy first mother’s day Francine. Thanks for the list. I think it could be easily used for birthdays, Christmas or other special occasions. I no longer have my mom so mother’s day is a little bitter-sweet for me. I miss her dearly but always enjoy whatever my daughter plans for me.
Happy first Mother’s Day to you!
My mother always said that we (her children) were the best Mother’s Day gifts she ever could have, so giving gifts or cards has never been something that we did. This Mother’s Day, I’ll be calling my mother – we all will. And laugh over the busy signals with Mom when we do get through to her. :-)
To me cut flowers are like food– they only last a short time so you don’t have to worry about storage. I try to gather flowers from my garden, but if it ‘s an in-between time I don’t mind buying them. My favorite gift though, is getting help in the garden which my son has promised to do this weekend.
I know it’s rude to correct people – especially people you don’t even know – so I apologize in advance. I hope no one minds, but I think most Americans appreciate learning this.
Crackers/scones/preserves are served in the afternoon at what is called “afternoon tea.”
“High tea” is more like supper, served around what would be supper time in the U.S. It is a full meal with cooked meat and everything.
Just fyi.
Beautiful post as always, Francine.
In Scotland, high tea is served afternoon-ish and is usually rounds of sandwiches, together with scones, little cakes and a pot of tea etc. I’ve never had a high tea with meat or veg so maybe it varies from region to region?
Karen
(Scotland)
I love these ideas!
I had been scratching my head for ways to celebrate my Mom this year. I know that the gift of time together means most to her. I think cooking a special meal and maybe a walk in the Rose Garden would be just the thing (even better than cleaning off her deck for the spring & summer, which was another thought!)
My all-time favourite: a teabag and a handmade card, saying:
Here’s a gift for Mother’s Day
I’ll try my best in every way.
But when you get upset with me.
Relax and have a cup of tea.
My mother loves a gift certificate to the local garden centre so she can go and find new treasurers to plant. We spend lots of time in her garden and she knows every plant.
Mothers make the world go round!
wow great post, just right in time. my mother is very minimalist. I usually ask her if she needs anything on mothers-day, her birthday and my parent’s anniversary. Her reply 99% of time is “I don’t want anything” but 1% of the time she asked for things like, few vegetables or fruits and many times ICE-cream her favorite. Once she asked for medicines… :)
Delightfully inspiring, as always! I’ve shared your post over at my blog as I wrote ‘Gifts for Your Mama’
http://creeksideministries.blogspot.com/2012/05/gifts-for-your-mama.html
Well,I’m thinking of spending time with my mother in a nice,unfamiliar restaurant just to break the routine.Maybe taking a cooking class together.But my mother surely love an adventurous road trip!
Lots of lovely suggestions!!
We went out for breakfast, and then as an extra treat for Mum I took my little brothers (11 and 8) out for the day to the movies. I don’t live at home anymore, so it was lovely for my husband and I to hang out with them and also gave mum an unexpected break!!
xx
I love your idea on how to include your mother in your travels by giving her an update on where you’ve been through pictures of flowers. That is the most creative mothers Day gift I’ve ever heard of!
My mom, who was very independent, is now in a nursing home. We bring games and puzzles whenever we come. We will try to take her out for a little bit. I think she will like that.
We are making a party for my mother’s 89th birthday. All the food she loves and all the people she loves together.
I give my DIL a gift because she made me a grandmother. All the kids get me an extravagant piece of jewelry or some books. The grandchildren make me cards. I think this year I might get a terrarium.
My kids take me shopping to one of my favorite stores. The grandchildren make me hilarious cards. I have been collecting unusual plants from cuttings or buying the smallest size at a nursery.