Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 13th this year and it’s coming soon. It’s a wonderful day to celebrate Mothers and doesn’t need to cost lots of money or have families feeling like they need to rush out to the mall for more stuff. All of these frugal and fancy gift ideas have a theme: homemade, simple, and heartfelt. These are gifts I’ve received and like to receive (hint, hint) on Mother’s Day or on any other special day for that matter.

Now, I do remind my husband about Mother’s Day (or my birthday, Valentine’s day, or our anniversary) and I highly recommend it. There’s no reason to think he will remember and I mean that in the nicest way. Early on, I realized that I didn’t want to leave these special days up to chance or be disappointed that someone forgot. It’s much better to just smile and sweetly say, “Don’t forget….Mother’s Day is coming up soon.” He in turns reminds our kids and it becomes a beautiful love fest of honoring me for the day! Here are my favorite ways to celebrate Mother’s Day.  They’re all of course frugal, fancy, and fun!

Frugal and Fancy Mother’s Day

• Gift certificate: Give a homemade gift certificate for a service around the house: wash the car, make dinner, clean up the kitchen, do laundry, mop the kitchen floor, make the bed, foot massage, paint my finger nails – you name it. Gift certificates are great and even very little hands can make and give these.
• Homemade card: A homemade card is the sweetest. An expression of love, gratitude or thankfulness is always better when it’s homemade. Scrap paper, cardstock, glue and basic art supplies are all that’s needed. I love the ones that read, “You’re the best Mom in the world.” Melts my heart every time.
• Dinner of your choosing: In our family, on Mother’s Day (or your birthday), you get to choose the meal. I order up all of my favorites and everyone helps with the cooking, baking, and clean-up.
• Coffee in bed: With a big wooden tray and hot coffee, I’m happy to linger in bed and receive my well wishers. We don’t all climb into bed like we used to when our kids were little but we still gather in our bedroom to open cards and smell the pretty…..
• Flowers: To accompany that hot coffee in bed served on a tray! Fresh flowers from the yard (which many times are weeds…) in a glass jar or simply tied with a ribbon.
• Get out: Go on a hike, bike or picnic or some other special outdoor activity. These are all fun things to do and a special Sunday is what it takes sometimes to get us to stop with the to-do lists and routines and appreciate nature.
• Plant a garden: In more recent years, this is my secret way to get my kids to help plant our vegetable garden. “I’d like to plant our vegetable garden on Mother’s Day” is how I say it and who can so no to that? No one at my house! If the soil is prepped and the vegetable starts are ready to go into the ground, it’s much better.
• Memorize a poem: Ask your husband and kids to memorize and recite a poem that they’ve written or chosen for you. This is something my kids and husband all do for my birthday (which happens to fall on Mother’s Day this year!) but it is the best gift and makes my heart burst. Yes, I have a handkerchief handy to wipe my tears. It’s worth repeating: this is the best gift.

What’s your favorite way to spend Mother’s Day?

Related Links:
Homemade cards
DIY: framing artwork
Turn artwork into wall decor
Raised garden bed for growing vegetables

Sara Tetreault

Sara Tetreault writes and speaks about living well on less with thoughtful spending, smart use of resources, and efficient use of time. Sara loves good food, travel, and cashmere. With home swapping, cooking at home, and buying items second-hand, she hopes to inspire you with her stylishly frugal ways. Sara keeps a home, one husband, two children, and three chickens in her backyard.

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