Mother’s Day is a special day to acknowledge our mothers and all the hard work they do every day for their families.
During this celebration it is also customary to give our moms, and the moms in our life, a personalized card or gift.
The moms of today are quite connected with friends and acquaintances from playgroups, church, and PTA meetings. So, do you have to give them all something for Mother’s Day?
And if not, who do you have to give gifts to, who gets cards, and who gets the friendly verbal acknowledgment.
For the Heartbroken
The first thing that should be recognized is that not all people find Mother’s Day a joyous time.
Maybe they lost their mom, had a miscarriage, or have deep rooted hurt inflicted on them by their mothers.
In these cases, such women should not be blatantly overlooked when you are passing out words of affirmation, but your address to them should be catered to their pain.
A flower, along with letting them know that you are here to be a support in any way they need, is a great substitution for the traditional “Happy Mother’s Day” greeting.
For Our Own Mothers
In our digital age, people like to send mothers a blanket celebratory message on social media, but this is not suitable for your own mom.
Hearing your voice helps her to remember the message of appreciation much longer than an email, text, or post will, explains the Manners Mentor.
Take your mom out if you can or stop by with a thoughtful gift. You don’t need to break the bank, but getting something meaningful to her, like her favorite flowers or a book she has been talking about is nice.
Acknowledging the mother-in-law on Mother’s Day is important as well, making an effort to let her know she has a special place in your life.
For Close Friends and Family
A thoughtful card is a great idea for close friends and family on Mother’s Day. It is not expected, or customary, to buy a gift for someone who is not your own mother.
Do not feel bad if your friends or family give you something for Mother’s Day.
You are a good mom that works hard for your family, and if someone wants to go above and beyond to let you know that you should let them, without feeling guilty.
For Your Groups
These days any given mom can be associated with a dozen different groups, whether for yourself or your children.
If you feel led to give more to your group than the verbal “Happy Mother’s Day everyone” then do something sentimental, but stress free.
No use running yourself into the ground on the one day you are supposed to catch a break.
Baking cookies is a great gift idea for playgroups or Sunday school class, letting those mothers that play a role in your life know that they are special.
Another idea for mommy groups is to suggest each mom around the room say something they see exceptional in one of the moms attending.
For the Acquaintance
Do not feel obligated to give a note or gift to all the mothers you see throughout the day.
Your mail lady and the cashier that rings up your groceries every week are not expecting a surprise from you.
For these mothers, you can say “Happy Mother’s Day” if you see them, but you don’t need to go out of your way to contact them.
When you see them afterwards, you can simply say “Hope your Mother’s Day was nice!”
For Yourself
You probably have figured out by now that your family cannot read your mind.
If you want something specific for Mother’s Day, it is best just to ask for it. Try to be reasonable. You may want a week in the Hamptons but should settle for asking for an hour or two of free time.
Some great gift ideas for your husband and kids to give you a memorable Mother’s Day are:
- Breakfast in bed.
- Handmade crafts.
- Housework done.
- Personalized note.
- An evening without responsibilities.
There are even some simple and useful beauty products that your kids can make or you can make right at home for your mom, as Mommy Underground has previously reported.
While every mom is special, it doesn’t have to be your personal duty to greet and gift each one of them.
Let their friends and family share some of the blessing of gifting them, and you can focus on your own mom and family.
Mother’s Day is meant to enrich the life of a mother, so use that as a gauge when you are figuring out who you want to extend a card or gift to.
(h/t Mommy Underground)