5 ways to safely celebrate Mother’s Day
So far, this has been a year of distance learning for everyone. We have had to adapt to doing almost everything differently, including how we keep in touch with friends and family. As Mother’s Day approaches, family gatherings might still be deemed too risky, and many might need to start thinking about alternative ways to celebrate Mom.
Here are 5 ways you can honor the special person you call Mom, from a safe distance.
- Buy a gift card or gift certificate: Support your local florist or garden center and celebrate mom, too. Even though many businesses have been ordered to shut their doors for a while, you can still give the promise of plants and flowers for mom or that special caregiver, that they can enjoy later, when it is safe. Plus, you’ll be helping local businesses stay afloat during the current crisis. You can email the gift certificate to mom, or pop it in a card and post it. You have to admit, getting the mail has become a highlight of your day again, hasn’t it? Proven Winners Gift Certificate
- Buy a bouquet at local flower growers or at the supermarket: Even though it’s great to have a bouquet designed by a professional florist and delivered to that special person, when floral shops are closed, cut flowers growers are still depending on the avenues of sales they have open to them right now. Some local flower farms are still open for business, but you can also buy bouquets at your local supermarket. When you’re thinking about your next trip for essentials, the American Flower Industry has asked that your grab a few bundles of flowers as well. You can simply give them a fresh cut and put them in a vase. Remember to disinfect the vase (and your hands) and drop them off to mom. Why not surprise her and bring them over early? When you’re shut in, a bouquet can really brighten your day.
- Do some yard work! Getting out and working in the yard is great exercise, and it’s perfectly safe. Many older adults rely on landscape service companies to take care of their spring clean-up, and in some states those companies have been told to stop working for the time being. Head on over to your parent’s or grandparent’s place and rake the leaves from the flowerbeds and lawn – your mom will be thrilled to see her fresh outdoor spaces when she looks out the windows.
- Order a plant online. Many businesses in the green industry are still selling plants online. Order now and schedule shipping or curbside pickup for the week before Mother’s Day. If you want to buy locally, just Google “local online plant nursery” and you’ll see a map of which business you can call that may be taking orders for delivery through the mail or another carrier. In West Michigan, Great Garden Plants and Garden Crossings come up in local search. Chances are, like these, your local mail order nurseries also deliver nationally. com also delivers nationally, and has a huge selection of plants mom would love. Buy online at ProvenWinners.com
- Combine #3 and #4! My mother has recently been expressing dismay that the bigleaf hydrangeas by her back deck haven’t been blooming and seem to be overgrown. My guess is they are an old variety that blooms on old wood and the buds are being damaged by late-season frosts. My plan for Mother’s Day is to take out her old hydrangeas (they have a shallow root system and are surprisingly easy to remove) and replace them with a more compact variety of super-hardy reblooming hydrangeas, like the Tuff Stuff™ series of mountain hydrangeas ( serrata).
 Tuff Stuff™ Reblooming Mountain Hydrangea |
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Hopefully these ideas make it a little easier to navigate the holidays during this tricky time. While cards and video calls are nice, with a little pre-planning you can make this Mother’s Day the most memorable one, ever.
