Mother's Day Ideas

Who takes care of you when you're feeling blue?
Who makes you cookies and chicken soup, too?
Who lends her shoulder when you need to lean?
Who will still love you if you turn your hair green?
Who is always there whether you lose or win?
And who always wants to know where you've been?

The answer to all of these questions is your mother, of course.  So, why not take some time this Mother's Day to make mom feel special? What does she like to do with her spare time (when she has spare time)? Is she a fan of shopping, or is gardening her passion? Maybe she longs to spend hours meditating or relaxing in peace. Some moms live in the kitchen, striving to create a culinary masterpiece, while others long to be pampered. Make mom feel special by giving her a day filled with a few of her favorite things.

Multiple components of this theme can be combined, or stick with one track based on mom's preferences.

Mother's Day Invitations
A custom caricature of mom doing her favorite activity is sure to be a hit. It makes a great gift and looks fantastic framed. You can then use the caricature as an invitation if you're hosting a larger party.
Most of the time Mother's Day celebrations are very informal and do not require invitations. However, you can choose to make this day special by giving the only invite (especially crafted by you) to the guest of honor, your mom.  This Mother's Day Party Invitation would work well, too!

• Shopping Mom - Invite your mom to join you for a shopping spree. Make a collage with the names of a bunch of different stores as well as a number of products that the two of you (or the entire family) can shop for together. On the opposite side of the invitation make sure to write some heartfelt sentiments so that mom knows how you feel about her.
• Relaxing Mom - Entice mom with a brochure from her favorite spa as the invitation to her Mother's Day getaway. Inside the brochure, write a message on stationary inviting her to enjoy a day of relaxation (with or without other family members). Give her the time of her appointment, the name of the person with whom she has her appointment, and the services that she will be receiving (services and tip should be pre-paid to avoid any confusion).
• Gardening Mom - Attach your mother's invitation for her special day to a new pair of gardening gloves, a small garden tool, or a bouquet of beautiful flowers. In the invitation, tell her that she is in store for a "beautiful botanical bonanza".
• Cooking Mom - Lure your mom away from her stove with an invitation on the back of a recipe card. Invite mom to learn to cook a delicious meal from the best chef or cooking school in town (besides her, of course).

Mother's Day Decorations

Decorating for Mother's Day should be fun and simple. Different kinds of flowers always add beauty and fragrance to any room, and are easy to arrange for just about any theme.  

• Shopping Mom - In the middle of the table, place a few different small shopping bags filled with a bunch of dried wildflowers. This way you can stay with the shopping theme and not have to worry about waterproofing the bags for the floral centerpieces.
• Relaxing Mom - Along with fragrant candles, place a few baskets of potpourri along the center of the table. This will promote serenity and a calming fragrance throughout the room.
• Gardening Mom - Place a few different plants along the center of the table. Some should be potted flowers, while others can be fragrant herbs. These can be given to mom, or a different plant can be given to each mom at the party.
• Cooking Mom - Because of the culinary theme, a few potted herbs used frequently for cooking can decorate the center of the table at this party. These work great as favors or gifts for the moms, too!

Mother's Day Menu
The food served at this party is not really important as long as mom is not the person in charge of cooking. Since it is a day of her favorite things, why not take mom to her favorite restaurant?

Another fabulous idea is to gather the family together and let everyone take part in cooking mom her favorite meal. Do not let her in the kitchen while the meal is being made, though, or she might try to help with the cooking.

Let smaller children help set the table or make place cards for everyone. (In an informal gathering, place cards are not necessary, but they will keep the smaller children busy.)  Add some pink or green paper goods to set the table - also makes for easy clean up! 

Mother's Day Activities

• Shopping Mom- Take a small shopping bag from one of mom's favorite stores and place "coupons" inside to help facilitate a shopping spree on Mother's Day. The first coupon is for a "bag holder" to escort your mom on her spree (this would be you). The next coupon is for a "shopping snack". You will purchase the snack, of course. Shopping is difficult and your mom will need a snack to keep up her strength. Another coupon is for a "driver". You can't expect your mom to walk or drive herself to the mall on her special day! The last goody in the bag should be an envelope with a gift certificate to her favorite store (or give her a few smaller gift certificates to different stores). It's more fun to shop if you don't have to pay the bill. Other fun things to do with a mom who loves to shop are to go to flea markets, outlet malls, or antiquing.
• Relaxing Mom - Gather together all kinds of goodies to put into a basket to help ensure that mom has a relaxing day at the spa. Some items to include in the basket are a pair of terry cloth slippers, a CD/tape of relaxing music, a comfy cotton or terry robe, a candle that smells like the ocean (or something equally comforting), and a relaxing pillow that contours around the neck.
• Gardening Mom - Take mom to a place that boasts beautiful botanical gardens. Walk around and enjoy extraordinary plants and flowers with your mom. Inspired by the beauty, you can even offer to help your mom in her garden on any day of her choice!
• Cooking Mom - Invite your mom to join you and attend the taping of a popular cooking show. Another idea is to buy your mom cooking lessons. She probably won't start the lessons on Mother's Day but you can help her get ready for them by giving her a basket of cooking tools, a new apron, and oven mitts.

Gift Ideas for Mom

Shopping Mom - Here is a list of some gift ideas for moms who like to shop.

• Gift certificates
• A new purse (large enough to hold her new purchases on a shopping spree)
• A new watch (so she doesn't lose track of time while shopping)
• A new outfit (she can shop for accessories to match)
• A good book (to enjoy at her leisure)

Relaxing Mom - Here is a list of some gift ideas for moms who like to relax.

• CD/tape of relaxing music
• New slippers and bathrobe
• A basket of relaxing products like massage lotion, bath beads, bath pillow, body lotion, relaxing linen spray, etc.
• Candles
• Spa package (manicure, pedicure, massage, facial, etc.)

Gardening Mom - Here is a list of some gift ideas for moms who like to garden.

• A beautiful bouquet for her table
• Canvas gardening bag and tools
• Salad growing kit
• Flower arranging book
• Garden journal
• Unique watering can, flower pots, and new seeds to plant
• A beautiful vase

Cooking Mom - Here is a list of some gift ideas for moms who like to cook.

• A basket of new cooking tools
• New cookbooks and a set of blank recipe cards
• A decorative bowl/basket made by an artist
• A new set of cookware
• A basket of new gourmet sauces (to experiment with different recipes)

Make your mom feel like one in a million and help celebrate her greatness with a few of her favorite things! Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there from the Party Girl and the Party-ettes!