Easy, Affordable Ideas for Celebrating the Moms in Your Life

Do you hear the ominous sound of horse hoofs thundering in the distance? If you’re an unsure gift giver or if you’ve got a budget that is stretched to the max, that sound you hear is the fast-approaching queen mother of all mom holidays: Mother’s Day.

Let’s get the basics out of the way speedy quick here: Mother’s Day is always the second Sunday in May. Always. What that means is that it won’t always have the same date, but it will always be the same day. Make sense? It’s like how Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday in November. So no excuses from here on out, okay?Second Sunday in May is Mother’s Day. I’ve put it in a little rhyme to help you remember.

I’ll go one further. Here are the actual dates for Mother’s Day for the next few years. Look, I even made you a chart. You’re welcome:

You should be good for the next decade or so with the above dates, so no excuses, right?

Here’s the next thing you’re going to do. Send out this link to the moms in your life for whom you’ll be wanting to honor on Mother’s Day.  It’s a link to a free quiz for the 5 Love Languages. The 5 Love Languages is author Gary Chapman’s approach to the idea that we all have preferred ways of how we both give and receive love. When it comes to wanting to show the people in our lives the way we care about them, we’re often inclined to do that in a way that makes us feel loved. For example, if you really appreciate it when people tell you, in words both written and verbal, how much they love and appreciate you, you’re likely to want to give that to someone as an expression of what they mean to you. But it might just be that your recipient has an even better way they understand and receive your affection. When you’re armed with knowing what your loved one’s love language is, you can better customize what will convey to them how you feel about them. 

So send the moms in your life the link, ask them to take the quiz, and then ask that they let you know what love language is their primary love language. Armed with this info, you’re ready to go to the next targeted, budget-friendly step in honoring Mom this holiday.

WORDS OF AFFIRMATION:

If Mom came back as someone whose love language is words of affirmation, you’ve got a whole wealth of things that will mean the world to her. Write a handwritten letter to her about what you love and appreciate about her. Make a slideshow video of her throughout the years, complete with narration and music that speaks what is great about her. Buy the sentimental card and write all the sappy and sincere stuff you can think of. And don’t forget to also tell Mom, out loud, in words, on purpose, all the things you love about her.

RECEIVING GIFTS:

If your mom goes out of her way to find the perfect gift and wrap the perfect gift and hover while you open said gift and then seems filled with all kinds of delight and joy that you like the gift, you’ve got a mom, who, wait for it, has a love language of giving and receiving gifts. And make sure you take this to heart; it’s not just the gift. It’s that you’ve looked for something that is really ‘her,’ that you haven’t thrown it together last minute, and that you’ve taken time with the presentation, i.e., the wrapping and bow. If Mom loves a good book, find one you know she’d love. If it’s a potted plant she’s had her eye on, bring home that new green, botanical friend. The thing to think about here is what she would like as a gift, not just a repeat of something she already has.

QUALITY TIME: If Mom’s Love Language quiz comes back as quality time, it’s a straightforward home run. She wants time with you. Not you in the same room on your phone. Not an occasional phone call. You. Tell her you’re going to have Mother’s Day Quality Time. Go ahead and call it that ~ why not? Gather up some games, find a park with a great walking path, pack a little light lunch, and take Mom on a gentle adventure that includes lots of time for chatting and connecting. 

ACTS OF SERVICE: Acts of service are those things you do for the other person that help make their life a little easier, that demonstrate that you see them and see what would be helpful to them. Let’s face it, moms do so much in terms of acts of service for the people in their lives, it could be easy to assume it’s your mom’s love language whether it is or not. That’s why asking her to take the 5 Love Languages quiz can be so helpful in helping you determine what really speaks love to her. If the mom in your life has acts of service as their primary love language, consider the following ideas to make her feel appreciated. Ahead of Mother’s Day, ask her for a list of things around the house she’s needing help with. It might be patching a hold in the drywall or replacing an outlet, or getting the oil in her car changed. Once you’ve got her list, pick a couple of things to take care of for her and surprise her by getting those done. Your thoughtfulness will speak volumes to the mom who speaks acts of service. 

PHYSICAL TOUCH: For the mom who loves physical touch, schedule that massage or pedicure for her. Be sure and give plenty of hugs on Mother’s Day. Arrange for a spa day for her, either through a local spa or by getting fun potions and lotions for her to try. Set up a special bubble bath time, where she discovers that you’ve set up a warm bath with fresh towels, candles, a new book, and an icy drink. There are lots of ways for a mom who loves through physical touch to get to experience your appreciation through services you set up for her, along with some sweet Mother’s Day hugs. 

“A mother’s hug lasts long after she lets go.”
—Unknown

None of these ideas have to be expensive; in fact, most of them you can do at little to no cost. What is priceless about this kind of approach to honoring the moms in your life on Mother’s Day is that you have noticed them. You’ve shown that what makes them tick, what makes them feel loved, is important to you, which means that they are important to you.