Mother’s Day is less than a week away, which means, if you haven’t planned something already, you’re shaping up to look preeeeetty shoddy in the eyes of the woman who gave you life.
But don’t feel bad– there are plenty of others just like you (author included). There’s a reason lists like this exist in the first place.
Rather than going out and buying a gift, we’ve compiled a list of activities you can do with your mom, to show her just how much she means to you. Gifts are a nice supplementary item – Mother’s Day should be about spending time with her, showering her with praise or love. Or heck, just be in the same room with her. Sometimes that’s enough.
Every thing here is easy to plan and shouldn’t cost any more than a decent birthday present. Go on – be a good son/daughter.
Side-by-side pedicures
OK, yeah, this is maybe too feminine for some people, but is there really a better way to spend time your mother, reading US Weekly, having your toes tended to while swapping juicy gossip about your neighbours, or whatever?
Well, yeah…maybe (for other ideas, read on), but none of them will result in dazzling toe nails that will look just fetching in a pair of open toe heels. And guys, if you’re not into the whole “have your corns scraped off with pointy utensils” thing, you can always purchase a gift certificate at the nearest aesthetician and do one of the following suggestions.
Brunch (duh)
Highly recommended for the procrastinators, the unimaginative, anyone who likes a satisfying meal and good conversation, or all three. Take your mom out for some delicious eggs Benedict at a fancy-ish restaurant (no dives!), then follow it up for a nice walk in a scenic part of the city – or better yet, get out of your city and take a trip to quainter parts of the Lower Mainland. Fort Langley, anyone? Steveston? White Rock? English Bay? All these make for lovely, cost-effective day trips that offer great food options.
Tandem bike rides
This is a great way to share some laughs while getting some exercise. Tandem bikes are meant to bond cyclists with teamwork, which I guess is why you always see German families riding them on the Sea Wall. Yes, it’s a silly thing to do, but that’s the point.
Wine tasting
If your mom’s anything like ours, she’ll feel right at home at a tasting bar, with a sommelier explaining the vintages or what have you while you sip nervously and nod, pretending to comprehend.
There are plenty of options for this sort of thing. Vancouver Urban Winery in downtown Vancouver offers a unique experience, showcasing a large selection of wines from across B.C. Pacific Breeze Winery in New Westminster – a.k.a. Canada’s first Garage Winery – is holding an open house for Mother’s Day, which will feature a free chardonnay tasting.
Or you can buy her three bottles of decent wine and drink them all together while playing crib. Either way.
High tea
This is optimal, really – some tea, some sandwiches, some sweets, some cute frilly dresses in a room full of other mothers and daughters (and occasionally sons) reveling in the fact that they’re refined enough to even think about doing high tea. It’s certainly a popular choice for Mother’s Day, so make sure to plan ahead and make a reservation, if you can. Downtown Vancouver offers an abundance of venues for high tea on Mother’s Day, but most of the suburbs have quaint tea houses that will be serving high tea.
Our choice? Fairmont Hotel Vancouver or, if you’re interested in trekking to Richmond, Adorabelle in Steveston.
A home cooked meal (duh)
This might be the best option, depending on what kind of woman your mother is. Stay in, make sure she’s comfortable on the couch or on some sort of cushioned stool while you slave over a hot stove and cook a delicious meal. It’ll be a small thank you for all the times she made sure there was food on the table. Bring dessert.
Do whatever you want – just be with her
Go see a movie. Or a play. Or go for a walk. Have a nice conversation. If you’re short on time, or you live in another part of the world, forget about buying a card – make her one!
Dig deep, if that’s what it takes, and plan an activity that’s unique to your relationship with your mom. Put some heart into it. And some thought. Put your love into action. She deserves it (duh).
(Images via ThinkStock)
