I remember all the times my mother planned something special for our family, yet none of us fully appreciated her efforts. In fact, we were anything but grateful, my sister and I arguing, disobeying, or running amok.
Meanwhile, all Mom wanted was a photo, a way to forever capture a sweet moment with her babies that she knew she wouldn’t get back.
As with most things in life, I didn’t appreciate the magic and memories my mom wanted to capture with our family until I became a mom. Now, I’m the one who has a meltdown in the car when my perfectly laid plans for a sweet family day are turned upside down by a missed nap, a tantrum over snacks, or some other childhood detriment I couldn’t plan for.
Motherhood’s Relentless Effort
Sadness like this often comes from exhaustive planning, from the relentless effort moms put into the event, with no one willing to appreciate or celebrate the experience she wants to create.
That said, why not give her head and heart a break this Mother’s Day and gift her with an experience that leaves her rested? If you’re willing to go the extra mile with the kiddos, she can end the day with a refreshed body and a content heart that’s filled with sweet memories.
Not sure where to start? I’ve created a list of 12 experience-based Mother’s Day gifts that will spark your creativity and allow you to create an unforgettable but restful holiday for that special mom in your life:
1. Plant Workshop
One of the local plant shops in my town offers monthly classes, including how to grow your own herbs or build your own terrarium. If that special mom in your life loves collecting plants or is an outdoor gardening guru, check with nearby plant shops or nurseries to see if they offer any special events.
If she wants to include the kids, most plant shops that offer adult classes also host kid-friendly ones. Our plant shop hosts a monthly “Kids Korner” that adults can participate in, too.
2. Cooking/Baking Class
Does your mom love spending free time in the kitchen, cooking, baking, and trying new recipes? Consider enrolling her in a cooking or baking class so she can enjoy a unique experience while building her recipe box.
Can’t find any cooking or baking classes nearby? Bring the learning to her! Ask a close relative or friend to come over one evening to host a free lesson, sharing a favorite family recipe or a special dessert. If you want to get the kids involved, let them pick a recipe to try with Mom—but you clean up the mess, no matter how wild it gets.
Remember, it’s not about the money you spend, but the memories you allow her to make!
3. Animal Encounter
I’m a mom of two and in my thirties, but I still get a kick out of visiting the zoo. Our nearby zoo offers special giraffe and sloth encounters for a reasonable price, and any animal-loving mamas in your life would enjoy an opportunity like this!
I live in East Tennessee, where tons of farms host public events. One farm offers a “coffee with a highland cow” experience, where a local coffee vendor provides drinks while you pet, take pictures with, and love on their highland cows.
Get creative by researching what your nearby zoo and/or commercial farms offer.
PS - I find most of these experience-based offers by following zoos and farms on their Facebook pages. This is often where you get early access to limited tickets and events.
4. Paint and Sip
This is a classic, so whether or not that special mom in your life is a true artist, it’s therapeutic to snag a special drink, sit down to a blank canvas, and create something beautiful.
No matter if you live in a big city or a small rural town, paint-and-sip events are popular and easy to find. If Mom has a few close friends and the budget is flexible, consider purchasing enough tickets for her to bring a few of them.
Many of these places offer kid classes, too, so if Mom wants the littles to tag along, make sure to purchase tickets for a kid-catered class.
5. Pottery Date
Unless I’m watching a show that I know my husband doesn’t enjoy, I usually want him to do just about everything with me. I like quiet time and enjoy my hobbies in peace, but that doesn’t mean I want to do these things alone all the time.
Hubbies, if it’s been a while since you and your wife had a date night, let this Mother’s Day be a perfect excuse to try a pottery class with her. My husband and I tried a pottery class together for the first time a few months ago, and it was such a sweet time. Bonus points that we got to keep several pieces of pottery we made!
PS - Don’t forget to go the extra mile by already having a babysitter coordinated for the kiddos and reserving a table for dinner at her favorite restaurant.
6. Bookstore Splurge
If the mom in your life is a book lover, offer her a gift card to the nearby bookstore—but don’t let the gift stop there. Drive her to the bookstore and let her peruse the aisles as long as she likes.
If the bookstore has a coffee shop or gift store, make sure she gets her favorite drink and leaves with some book swag.
I’m an avid reader, but outside the Bible, I’ve never seen my husband read an entire book in our eight years of marriage. So, whenever he spends an entire afternoon following me around the bookstore, it’s not so much the books that are special as the sentiment that he is doing something that bores him to tears so that I can feel seen and loved.
Again, it’s the memories, folks. And sometimes, the sweetest memories come from sacrificing a bit of yourself!
7. Museum Tour
Is Mom a history guru? Does she have a favorite subject? I’m a die-hard Titanic and WWII nerd, so my hubby has taken me not only to a Titanic museum but also to a special aviation museum that features WWII airplanes and hosts air shows with those original aircraft.
Take some time to find nearby museums that feature bits of history or subjects that Mom loves. Buy her a ticket and some dinner, and make this a sweet experience she won’t forget.
8. Concert Tickets
While most moms (of littles, at least) are stuck listening to whatever their children enjoy, make sure she gets to jam out to her favorite songs by buying concert tickets.
Whether it’s a smaller band at a nearby lawn concert or it’s a big-name artist at a huge arena a few hours away, allow her to indulge in the music that brings her joy.
PS - Go the extra mile and purchase parking ahead so she doesn’t spend the evening regretting wearing her heels!
9. Spa Day
This is an original, so that you won’t get points for creativity, but you can’t go wrong with a good spa day gift for Mom. Whether it’s a pedicure/manicure gift card or a trip to the nearby massage therapist, let her have a few hours to herself to take care of her body. Let her know that she’s worth that special treat!
If you want the kids to join in on the fun, have them put together a special little basket that includes nail polish she can take to the salon or a new pair of comfy sweatpants she can wear for her massage.
10. Photography Session
A few years ago, I gifted my mom a Mommy+Me photo session with me, my sister, and my oldest son. What I love about this gift is that it’s an experience that lasts a lifetime.
Plenty of photographers offer motherhood photoshoots around Mother’s Day, so it shouldn’t be hard to book a session.
If the pictures come back in time, you can have some printed and framed, or made into canvases.
11. A Have-the-House-to-Yourself Day
This might seem a bit dull, but for a busy (tired) mom, simply enjoying the peace of alone time at home is such a gift! On my birthday last year, part of my gift was my husband taking our oldest son to play and letting me binge-watch my favorite TV show.
For roughly three hours, it was just me, a tub of ice cream, and one of my favorite shows. Truly, that remains one of my favorite birthday gifts I’ve ever received.
Something so basic can still grant that special mom in your life the rejuvenation and relaxation she needs to feel truly celebrated and loved. Don’t count out the simple gestures, especially when you’ve put lots of thought and effort into them!
12. Flower Bar Tickets
Put a special twist on Mother’s Day flowers by buying your mom a ticket to a flower bar. A flower bar is an event hosted by a florist or plant nursery, where they present fresh, pre-cut flowers so each guest can create their own bouquet.
Bonus points if you offer to dry the flowers once they’re wilting, so she will have them as a keepsake!
The Gift of Motherhood
I just gave birth to my second son a few weeks ago, and right before his debut, my husband bought me a “push present”—a gift the dad gives the mom for giving birth. While I love the beautiful motherhood necklace he purchased that perfectly represents both of our boys, I told him that the greatest push present is our healthy, handsome sons.
We, mamas, know that we already have the best Mother’s Day gift, our babies. We want to enjoy them and know that they are happy, healthy, and, above all, pursuing God in their daily lives.
So if the budget is tight or time has run out to create that special Mother’s Day gift, don’t count out a special phone call, a handwritten note, or a surprise dinner where you can thank her for being Mom. Make a list of your favorite memories she created for you, or craft a poem centered on your favorite things about her.
Remember, motherhood is the actual gift, so don’t be afraid to let her know that motherhood is where she shines brightest!
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/skynesher
