12 Creative Ways to Celebrate Mother’s Day 2024

Mother’s Day is May 12 – thus giving you your annual chance to show your mom, grandmother, the mother of your children or any other maternal figure in your life a little extra love and appreciation. 

The origins of Mother’s Day can be traced back to a woman named Anna Jarvis who organized the first official Mother’s Day celebration in 1908. By 1914, President Woodrow Wilson officially designated the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day and made it a national holiday in the United States. Since then, Mother’s Day has become an internationally recognized day of celebration, observed in more than 50 countries around the world (although not necessarily on the same day).

Ordinarily, mothers got honored with flowers, candy, small gifts and maybe a nice meal – but why limit yourself to anything ordinary when you’re celebrating someone extra-special and all they’ve done for you? If you really want to make a big statement this Mother’s Day, we’ve got ideas!

Mother’s Day Ideas to Fit Every Budget

Cards, jewelry and brunch are classic ways to show your feelings on Mother’s Day – and there’s nothing wrong with falling back on the tried-and-true for this special occasion. However, you don’t need to spend a ton of money to show your feelings. The gift of your thought and time can be deeply touching. 

Here are 12 good ways to make a big impression on that special woman in your life, some pricey – but many not:

1. Cook Together: Do you have a mother who always demonstrated her love through her food? Why not do the same for her? Sign up for a cooking class (in-person or virtually) with a master chef and you and your mom can bond over the shared culinary experiences. It gives you a chance to create memories while enjoying delicious food.
2. Picnic in the Park: Does your mom seem a little stressed out by life right now? Get her to step away from the hustle of her daily life by taking her for some quality outdoor time, surrounded by nature. Pack her favorite snacks (and maybe a bottle of wine) and spend a couple hours just talking and reconnecting. 
3. Send Her for a Spa Day: Moms deserve a little extra pampering on their special day, so why not take her out for a spa day? The trick to doing this right is to go with her for that manicure and facial – because your attention and time are what she’ll value the most. 
4. Take a Craft Class: Whether it’s a painting class, pottery-making or some other creative activity, there are places that specialize in offering people a fun way to express themselves. You’ll also automatically have a memento of your outing together, and the sight of it will always bring back the happy emotions of the time you spent together.
5. Go for High Tea: Give your mom a chance to be extra fancy this year by taking her to a tea room for a traditional English tea service with all the trimmings (and desserts). She’ll love the novelty of the experience – and the food.
6. Organize a Game Night: Do you secretly miss family game nights from when you were a kid? Mom probably does, too! See if you can organize your siblings to get together at mom’s house for a few rounds of Uno or a Monopoly game and a pizza. 
7. Watch a Movie Together: Do you and your mom share a favorite film genre? Whether it’s Godzilla or Everything Everywhere All at Once, you can easily find a movie streaming on a subscription channel. Then, curl up on the couch beside mom with popcorn and other snacks like you did when you were a kid, and just hang out together.
8. Take Her on a Book-Buying Spree: Is your mom a reader? Take her to a bookstore and tell her that you’re buying. Set a spending limit (and insist that she actually use it), and tell her to stock up for the summer.
9. Go Down Memory Lane: Go up into the attic or pull the box of family albums out of the closet and sit down with mom to revisit some of her most cherished memories. This is also a great time to ask her questions about her life – before you came along. It’s an excellent way to connect with your mom as a person, and that will make your bonds even stronger – and it doesn’t have to cost a thing.
10. Go Thrift-Store Shopping Together: If your mom loves a bargain and likes looking through flea markets and antique shops, take her to a thrift store or two and see what you can find together. Even if it’s a fairly routine activity for her, the fact that you’re there will make it special. If you want to grab brunch after, mom definitely won’t mind.
11. Visit a Museum, Gallery or Zoo: If your mom is someone that values history, art or animals, make a date to go out together at a local museum, art gallery or zoo. Not only does this give you a focused way to spend time with your mom, but you may be surprised at the interests you have in common.
12. Write Her a Letter: This one can be tough, because how do you sum up what you feel about your mom in one short letter? You can’t – but you can write a letter that she’ll cherish forever. Tell her what you admire the most about her or talk about what part of her you see in yourself (or your own children). Your letter doesn’t have to be long, but it will mean more than any pre-printed card.

Whether your mom is young-at-heart, a little avant garde or fairly traditional, all moms are the same in that they love having their children’s attention – and all of these ideas are designed to give her exactly what she wants: your time.

Final Thoughts

The most important thing is to show your mom how much she means to you. Let this Mother’s Day be a day filled with expressions of appreciation and gratitude for all the love Mom has given you throughout the years and the sacrifices she’s made.