Five Ways to Honor Mom
From:
Mari Tzikas
122 days 10 hours 57 minutes ago

Though celebrating Mom should be a perennial practice, Mother’s Day is a worthy way of showering her with the praise she deserves. This year, go beyond the staid flowers and fragrances and present her with a creative, thoughtful gift that fully reflects your love and appreciation. Here, find five ideas that do just that. At the least, it’ll show that one of her wise lessons stuck: It’s the thought that counts.--Mari Tzikas
1.
PICTURE PERFECT: Scan your favorite photographs with her onto your computer and go online to create a fantastic photo album that she can peruse (and show off). There are lots of great online companies that compose professional-looking photo packages at surprisingly reasonable prices. Try MyPublisher.com or Snapfish.
2.
DAYTIME PLAYTIME: Plan a day dedicated especially to her—and spend it with her. Some ideas? Try a spa service neither of you have done before, plan a day-long hike (and pack a lunch), or glam it up and snag tandem appointments for your hair, makeup, and nails.
3.
GET PERSONAL: Give her something personalized that the kids can't borrow. An engraved locket (with sentimental pictures inside, of course) or luxe, monogrammed bath towels should do the trick. The branded item will give her something pretty to possess for years to come.
4.
KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL: Make her most famous recipe—with her! Not only is the kitchen an easy, relaxed venue for quality time, but cooking is also a great way cultivate more memories. Plus, it’ll give her a good excuse to divulge her secret (or not-so-secret) tricks. After, you can enjoy the meal together, too.
5.
PRACTICAL PAMPERING: Show mom you recognize her selfless efforts by taking over all of her responsibilities for a day. Make her breakfast, clean the house, do the laundry, and cover the grocery shopping--and encourage her to lounge and do absolutely nothing all the while.