How to spoil those close to you this Mother’s Day

Let’s face it, Mother’s Day is different for everyone. It can be the ultimate affirmation if you celebrate it surrounded by wonderful family. But also spare a thought for friends who are missing their mothers, those who can’t have children, or friends who have more strained family relationships. There’s no right or wrong way to celebrate Mother’s Day, but for those who want some inspiration, here are a few tips on how to make it a great day – whether it’s for your own mother, or to give a boost to another mother-at-heart.

What to give?

The best way to show you care is to give something personal – whether that’s the gift of your own time, something you’ve made, or something you’ve really carefully chosen. Here are some ideas.

Get everyone together and eat until your heart’s content

For those with a hectic lifestyle, brunch is always a winner. Invite the wider family over so no-one misses out. The menu doesn’t need to be complex, just think about what she would order when she goes out for brunch and try to model the menu on that. For example, homemade bircher muesli can be made the night before while eggs, or smashed avocado on toast are quick to whip up in the morning. Here are links to some easy favourites:

If she’s into breakfast bowls, try these recipes from Delicious which are full of flavours and options

If you can’t wrangle all the nearest and dearest over for brunch, afternoon tea is another low-key way to celebrate. Get everyone together with this fail-safe Coconut, Almond and Blueberry cake recipe from Ottolenghi’s Sweet cookbook. I can’t recommend this cake highly enough, every time I serve it, it receives rave reviews.

Create home-made gifts of cherished moments

Nothing says I care about you more than when you create something yourself. Hand-drawn cards and paper flowers are fun but options like Canva and Spotify can take it up a notch. Have some great photos of you all together? Upload them to Canva and create your own card. (I recently did this for my father. I found a picture of him aged three, uploaded it to Canva, added some text and overlaid some icons of a birthday hat, balloons and whistle. With the help of foam core and a printer, I turned it into an oversized 80^th birthday card that took pride of place on the mantel piece for quite some time!)

Another great idea to bring back happy memories is putting together a Spotify playlist of favourite tunes and play them for her at your brunch or afternoon tea (you’d be amazed at some of the golden oldies you can find on there!).

Swap chores for pampering

Offering to do the chores for the day is a simple gesture while mum takes some time for pampering. Think about what she least likes doing and then do it for her (personally I hate vacuuming but am okay with ironing, but everyone is different!). Or if your mum is already super organised when it comes to chores, she may prefer that you join her for a day at her (or your) favourite spa. If your mum’s elderly, a day spa may not always be her ideal way to relax, but don’t forget manicures and pedicures are other excellent ways to be pampered (believe me, touching your toes does get harder as you age, so pedicures are a great option!).

Give carefully chosen, personalised gifts

Sometimes you can’t be there but a personal gift can make the difference.

Of course we think jewellery is a winner, so we’ve put together a small edit of of Brave Edith's picks here, not least of which is the Precious Pendant which can be personalised with one or two initials. This can be delivered direct to mum, gift-wrapped and with a hand-written note from you.

If your mum is a plant lover, then a beautiful ceramic pot of with one of her favourite flowering plants is sure to go down well. If you live in Sydney or Melbourne, The Plant Society is a wonderful store; they have a beautiful array of pots by local makers and can help you choose the ideal plant.

Another idea for those in Melbourne is a bouquet (or series of bouquets) from The Beautiful Bunch. It’s a social enterprise that gives training and employment to women from refugee backgrounds who are finding it challenging to find employment. You can order a daily bunch from $60.

And don’t roll your eyes, but given slippers have gone next level, this may finally be the year when slippers really are a good idea. I love these Mayberry sheepskin slippers from Emu. If your mum is older, these pure cashmere slippers available at Rose Street Trading Co have to be worn to be believed.  (They’re also a little safer than slides).

And let’s not forget, mothers and true friends are forgiving – it’s not about perfection in what you give and do, it’s about the thought and care. Hope you have a great day, whatever you decide to do.