Mom’s The Word This Sunday

With all of the doom and gloom of this past week’s blogs, we figured that we would go into the weekend on a positive note. And while yes, the Louisiana oil spill among the other environmental mishaps of 2010 would put a downer on just about any situation, we should remember that there is always time for enjoyment and happiness. We hope, of course, that you will bring that sentiment into the weekend with you as we prepare to honour moms everywhere with Mother’s Day this Sunday.

This Sunday, May 9th, is the day of all days to celebrate mothers by letting them know how much they all mean to us. And while we believe that moms should be shown this courtesy and compassion all year round, we know that Mother’s Day is the day when sons and daughters go that extra mile to prove just how much they love their mommies.

Thing is though…it can get expensive. While the traditional, tried-and-true route is to show up with flowers and a card, possibly accompanied by jewelry or even a trip to a restaurant for dinner, there are other less expensive ways to tell your mother just how special she is to you.

Earlier this week, Carla Kessler of HealthyFinancialHabits.com wrote of the various ways that people can celebrate Mother’s Day without having to necessarily break the bank. Many moms love either gardening or cooking, if not both, she says. One of Kessler’s first suggestions is to consider building your mother an herb garden. Noting that this can be a homemade gift, this tip helps for you to be both thoughtful and cost-efficient at the same time.

She reveals that “all you really need to create an herb garden is a few pieces of scrap wood, some potting soil and a few herb seeds of your choice. Simply creatively build your herb box using screws and other fasteners.” Herbs grown from herb gardens, says Kessler, are among the most flavorful you can find. If you have children yourself, consider having them paint the herb garden. There’s nothing that warms a mother’s heart more than a gift that reminds her of her grandchildren’s love all year-round.

Gift baskets are also great tokens of love and appreciation for moms on Mother’s Day. These gifts are generally expensive, however, creating your own basket helps for your present to be a more personal and cash-saving experience. Kessler recommends grabbing some fresh fruit from your local grocery store. Locate a basket and some filler from a dollar store. Tissue paper and other crafts that help liven up the basket would also be nice.

You may also throw in some family pictures, especially those that include you with your mom into the gift basket. This loving gift shows the time and effort that you put into making your mother happy. The pictures, obviously, will also bring back fond memories that you may share throughout Mother’s Day.

The time you spend with your mom, of course, is the greatest gift of all. Kessler asks that you “ask yourself this question: ‘When was the last time I spent a day with my mother?’ If you really can not remember, maybe you should consider spending time with your mother this Mother’s Day.”

“Most of the time, it’s the simple things in life that really make a big difference,” she continues, “While most of us are caught up in the fast pace of everyday life, we all need to take a step back and think about the things that make occasions such as Mother’s Day truly unique.” To all the moms out there, we wish you a very happy Mother’s Day!