By Erin Haworth
Let’s be honest, we all have bigger things to worry about than what we’re getting our moms for Mother’s Day this year. The stress of impending finals on top of a global crisis could force us to procrastinate the gift getting until it’s too late. But don’t you fear! I’m here to help spark some fun (and cheap) ideas for those of us who are either currently quarantined with or away from our moms.
Away from Mom?
- Zoom Dinner Date: We’ve all gotten used to using Zoom for our classes. But this tool can be used for a nice and simple Mother’s Day gift. Just set a time, and maybe Postmate her dinner, then spend a relaxing evening chatting with Mom from wherever both of you may be.
- Customized Playlist: With finals coming up we know you’re probably super busy, and maybe Mom is too. A great gift for the busy mom is a customized playlist courtesy of you. Put together a list of tunes that remind you of her, or maybe some of her favorite artists. Something she can chill out to as she goes about her busy days.
- Buy Her a Star: Yes, you read that right. Maybe your mom is a big astronomy nerd, a huge romantic, or both! With services like CosmoNova, you can adopt and name a real star for a relatively low cost.
(for reference: https://cosmonova.org) - Gift of Nature: With how uncertain life has become it’s good to feel like you’re doing something to help benefit all of us. Organizations like the Arbor Foundation will plant a certain number of trees in your chosen location to celebrate your mom for only $2 a tree!
(for reference: https://shop.arborday.org/content.aspx?page=commemorative-sample-tic)
Stuck with Mom?
- Cook with Her: We all get busy and fall into old routines when stuck inside with family. If that’s you, why not take some time and find a new recipe to try with Mom? Plan a fun dinner in her preferred cuisine or bake a family recipe together as she tells you about how she learned to make it.
- Play a Game: Whether it’s breaking out the board games or booting up the party games on a console, have a fun family night of laughing and goofing off. Don’t have any games? Pick up a Jackbox title since they run on Xbox, PS4 or PC and use your phone as a controller.
- Dot Mandala Art: Feeling Crafty? Dot mandala art is super easy to learn (there’s a million YouTube tutorials) and it can be done with limited materials on pretty much any surface. Just grab some paint and some dowels, toothpicks or Q-tips and get crafting!
- At-home Paint Night: Were you planning on treating your mom to a tipsy painting night but now you can’t leave the house? Well, you’re in luck because the Lakewood location of Painting with a Twist is still hosting painting nights over Zoom, you only have to leave the house to go pick up the supplies.
(for reference: https://www.paintingwithatwist.com/studio/lakewood-ca/calendar/)
