To be a mother is one of the most challenging, under-awarded, and complex jobs any woman can choose to undertake. In this day and age, when access to safe reproductive care is not guaranteed when women become pregnant, let’s give our moms more than a round of applause for being strong enough to bring us into this world. In this article, I’ll share some ways I’ve celebrated my mother and some fun ways I’ve seen on social media, but the most important part of Mother’s Day is to reflect on the power women have to bring life and celebrate that power.
Some ways I’ve celebrated my mom
- The basic MOM necklace
My mom is not big on wearing jewelry, but she has always been intentional with wearing any piece of it that I give her. When I was in elementary school, I gave her a different mom necklace for three years straight on Mother’s Day. She still has them a decade and a half later, and she still wears them from time to time. So, if you’ve never gotten your mother a MOM necklace, then this is your sign to do it (but only once or twice across your lifetime).
- Spending quality time with her
Quality time is my primary love language, and I got it from my mom; when I was growing up, my mother was a social worker, and she spent most of her time having to be other kids’ legal guardian than my mom, which was such a noble sacrifice she made. Therefore, any time my mom could spare was sacred time, and I began drifting away from tangible gifts in favor of just spending time with her. Now as an adult, getting to know the person my mother is vs. the parent she is has been such a beautiful journey I’ve gotten to be on for about six years now. As a kid, I’d take my mom to the movies or to get our nails done together, but, as an adult, I cherish just sharing meals with the powerful force of a woman that my mother is. If you haven’t been able to set aside time from your schedule to spend quality time with your mother on Mother’s Day, then this is your shining billboard to drop whatever thing you were doing and spend time with your mom.
- Writing her a personal letter
One year when I was in high school, I wrote my mom a letter and gave it to her on Mother’s Day, and in the letter were moments in my life that she shone her positive light on. My mom is a human sunflower, and I am someone who has suffered with anxiety and depression since elementary school; despite this, my mother has never ceased to amaze me with her positive resilience, which she always shares with me. Day in and day out my mother is the embodiment of grace and light, and I wrote to her about the specific events she changed in my life for the better. It is a privilege to be her daughter, and I wrote her a four or five paged letter so that she could have a tangible representation of her impact in my life (other than me).
- Calling her
Every Mother’s Day, regardless of what state I’m living in, I call my mom on Mother’s Day. It is the bare minimum if you have the privilege of your mom still walking this earth and having a relationship with her. I do my best to never take for granted that I can call up my mother and hear her soothing voice over the phone, so I call her more often than I call or text anyone else. Especially on Mother’s Day, everyone that can should call their mother just to say thank you for the sacrifice you made and to let her know that you value her presence in your life. For me, my phone calls with my mom never end before at least two hours have passed, but make sure you tell your moms that you love them on Mother’s Day.
Some fun ways to celebrate I’ve seen on social media
- Giving her flowers
Now, I normally would have done this for my mother, but she has the opposite of a green thumb and she’d find a way to kill a cactus or succulent. Those lovely big flower bouquets can be such a beautiful gift for your mom.
- Giving her a reflection journal
This company I found on TikTok called Hear Your Story makes reflection journals for all the people in your life, so they can share their memories with you or the whole family. The best kinds of Mother’s Day gifts are the ones that bring you and your mom closer, and what better way to do that than to have her write down and preserve her memories for you?
- Going on beach walks or mountain hikes
Getting into nature with your mom can be such a bonding experience, almost like you and your life bringer can witness nature’s version of that. The power of Mother Nature can be seen reflected in your mom when you actually spend time together in nature.
- Throwing her a garden party
Celebrating multiple moms in your life? No worries, throw them a garden party where Mother Nature comes to you, and you can DIY your living, dining rooms or outdoor spaces to create a fun celebration of the powerful women in your life.
No matter how you choose to celebrate, make sure y’all’s mommas know how much you love her, and don’t assume she just knows, tell or show her. As for me, this is part of my gift to my mom; an article where I talk about all the ways I love and have celebrated her in the past, while I eagerly await getting to celebrate her in person in June!
To my momma, I love you and l miss you like crazy! Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.