Giving the Gift of Time: Experience-Based Mothers’ Day Ideas
Lately we’ve been really attracted to the idea of experience-based gifts – instead of adding to the pile of “stuff” that we own, we encourage our family and friends to give the gift of time together. We’ve done baseball games, bowling dates, and ski days for our kids and their friends. We’ve even encouraged grandparents to take the kids for a movie night or give the gift of a special summer camp.
With mothers’ day around the corner, why not consider the gift of time for your special mamas?
In line with our homesteading life, we tend to focus on food and nature. Sure, you can do breakfast in bed or a spa day, but here are a few “outside of the box” experienced-based ideas for mom:
Annual Park Pass: Take the mom in your life to a local or state park, and while you’re there give her the gift of regular visits all year-long by gifting her an Annual Pass. Not only will this gift create space and a place for your family to be together, but she can also use it on her own when she needs a solo hike. Likewise, you’ll be supporting the local park and its ongoing operations.
Weekly Flowers: Flowers on one day is nice, but promising mom that she can have flowers on her counter or her desk all summer long is even better. Consider buying her a couple of perennials that are great for cutting like Shasta Daisies, Coreopsis, or Bellflowers. Alternatively, look for a local flower market or cut-your-own flower field and buy her a gift certificate that she can bring back and use weekly.
Monthly Cooking Day: If the mom in your life loves cooking or baking, make her a certificate for one weekend day a month where she gets to take charge of the kitchen in whatever way she wants for a good few hours – create some menus for her like homemade pasta day, bread day, or pastry day and collect some recipes online that you think she might like. You can either offer to join her on these days or just get out of her hair, but definitely offer to do the dishes.
Kitchen Herb Garden: Build or buy mom a raised bed that can be placed right near the kitchen door; take her to pick out a bunch of herbs and plant them in the garden bed. You can also buy her the soil and compost necessary to create a great bed, and even download a guide for using herbs, especially if you try a few unusual ones, like marjoram, lemon thyme, or summer savory. She’ll remember you each time she clips a sprig (in fact, why not include a new pair of kitchen shears with your gift?!). If you really want to go for it, make her an herb dryer, buy her a dehydrator, or add a cold frame set up to the mix.
Event Tickets: Our area in Vermont is full of opportunities to visit a fair or a farm show and get new ideas for the homestead. Get mom a family pass to one of these events, or hire a babysitter for that day so that she can attend on her own or with friends. Is there a Mother Earth News Fair in your region? A craft fair? A local goods show? Give mom permission to not only attend, but take her time, by giving her the whole day to enjoy it.
Moms – please feel free to forward this list to your family (hint, hint) and let us know if you receive (or have received) any of these things as a gift!
Is there something specific you’d add to the list?
