Honor your mom every day

May 09, 2011 11:45 AM by Mary Fetzer

Posted in Holidays & Seasons / Mother's Day

Make Every Day
Mother's Day

Mother's Day comes just once a year, but you can celebrate it every day. Here are some simple and thoughtful ways to honor the most important woman in your life.

woman-keping-in-touch-with-daughter

Keep in touch.

Whether you live across the ocean or right next door, you can have daily contact with your mother. Elizabeth moved several hours away from her mom but keeps in touch by phone and email. And now that she's a new mom herself, Elizabeth set up webcams so Grandma and her new grandbaby can "visit" each other every day.

Learn to Skype! How to use a web cam>>

Make memories together.

Spend time with your mom doing things you both enjoy. Garden together, hit the yard sales or get pedicures. If you don't share the same interests, take turns. Indulge her in her shopping pastime if she agrees to lunch at your favorite café. "I honor my mom by spending time with her and making memories every time we're together," says Carole.

Get crafty! Make memory boxes.>>

Help a less fortunate mom.

The International Rescue Committee encourages you to take the money you might spend on flowers or a fancy dinner for mom and instead put it toward goods and services for refugee mothers. Each day, place $1 in a jar, and by the end of the month you'll have enough to make the $28 minimum donation that will help a less fortunate mother and her children stay warm and fed. And for each donation you make, your mom will get a card that a contribution was made in her honor.

Take a trip with your mom.

If you want some real mom-daughter quality time, consider a little getaway for just the two of you. Plan a weekend trip to a country bed and breakfast or treat yourselves to a spa excursion. For some creative fun, enter Olay's contest, which is running between now and May 30th. Just submit a short essay on Facebook describing the moment your relationship with your mom blossomed into a special friendship. You could win a three-day/two-night trip to New York City, including roundtrip airfare, hotel accommodations, a makeover with photo shoot and a $500 spending spree.

Travel tips: Great things to see in NYC>>

If your mom is no longer with us...

Mother's Day (every day, actually) can be sad and lonely for those whose moms have passed away. If you are without your mom, honor her memory with a simple daily tribute, like one of these:

Keep fresh flowers next to your favorite photo of her.
Wear a necklace or bracelet containing her birthstone or a special charm.
Try to observe your children (her grandchildren) through your beloved mom's eyes.
Make a scrapbook of her life.
Light a candle in her memory.
Spritz a sachet with her signature fragrance (the scent will bring your memories to life).
Remember Mom in your nightly prayers (a great way to honor moms who are still with us, too!).