As a young woman transitioning into adulthood, you quickly learn there is no more potent force than a mother’s wisdom. I never take for granted the privilege of calling my mom every day. Whether I am signing a lease, picking a dress for a sorority formal, or merely deciding what I want to eat for dinner, my mom’s input is invaluable to me.
Being a freshman in College, this will be the first Mother’s Day I’ll be away from my mom. Instead of dwelling on indisputable geographic separation, I’ve created ways that both you and I can celebrate our moms — even from a distance.
As my relationship with my mom grows more sophisticated — and as I, like many others, transition into full independence — the gifts I give my mom are evolving. While I’m sure our moms appreciated elementary crafts with outlines of painted hands, pipe cleaners, and pink construction paper, our transforming relationships call for new gift ideas. This list of gift ideas not only reflects our shifting relationships with our moms but creates creative ways to celebrate the most special woman in our lives from a distance.
Personalized Recipe Cards
As someone who has had an abundance of dietary restrictions my whole life, my mom has always tailored her cooking and baking to my benefit. Not only did this teach me the foundation of selflessness, but it also bonded me and my mom over our love for culinary creation. Being hours apart, we can’t cook together, but mailing a compilation of home-cooked recipes to try is a personalized approach to Mother’s Day gift giving. As someone who loves crafting, making cohesive and personalized recipe cards is not only a fun activity but something that your mom could cherish forever!
One of a Kind Memory Vlog
If a lack of resources leads you to prefer a more digital approach, creating a compilation of memories is sure to make your mom feel appreciated. Using free apps like iMovie, you can take all the videos and photos you have of your mom and put them into a short film. Not only will this help you cherish the memories you have with your mom, but it is also an amazing keepsake to appreciate for years to come.
Movie Night Favorites
Another creative and personalized idea is to send your mom a care package with movie night supplies: a blanket, popcorn, her favorite candy, her favorite drinks, a gift card for a streaming service, and a movie journal. A movie journal is a great way to personalize the basic concept of a care basket. In the journal, you can make a list of movies that you would like your mom to watch. Then, you can set up a time for you and your mom to watch the movie together, whether through streaming or in person, creating a bonding experience that your mom will not forget. After watching the movies, you and your mom can review them in the journal, a fun activity that turns into a cherished keepsake!
Mom and daughter destination art
As someone who has a mom who loves home decor, my house has always been highly curated with picture frames and trendy decor. If your mom is the same way, creating personalized destination art is the perfect way to appeal to both her interests and valued memories. By taking an aerial perspective map of a destination that you and your mom have visited, whether it be your hometown or an extravagant European vacation, and adding pins of the places you have visited, a beautiful artwork is created. By simply adding a frame, your mom has a piece of art that not only adds to her home but also appeals to the amazing memories you have with her.
Long-distance celebration
Whether or not you get to spend this Mother’s Day with your mom, celebrating her doesn’t have to be a physical gathering to be special. Instead, taking the time to create a personalized approach will bring your mom closer to you despite the distance.