The first virtual Mother’s Day is just around the corner but to show mum how much we love her in the time of coronavirus means we need to be a bit more inventive than the usual card, flowers and chocs.
While over-70s and those with certain health conditions are hunkering down at home, family get-togethers and pub lunches are off the agenda for Sunday.
But there are plenty of ways to show you care. We’ve come top with 10 of our top tips for a virtual Mother’s Day celebration:
- Write to her – an old-fashioned letter on lovely paper!
- Make a playlist so that even if you’re apart, you can all play music together. Include songs you and Mum listened to together, which hold memories from weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and holidays through the years. Spotify or Apple Music lists are simple to create.
- How about listening to an episode of Two Way Family Favourites while Sunday lunch is cooking in the respective households? That’ll take us all back in time. Smell that Bisto!
- Sweet treats or a pub lunch – lots of local cake makers are offering to take round a dessert or cake to addresses in their area. Pubs are making their menus takeaway – and delivering locally too.
- Photos – get the whole family to email mum an up to date picture or create a collage. Google has an easy way to create a collage or animation.
- Donate to charity. Spend the money you would have spent on your mother for Mother’s Day on a worthy cause instead. Have a chat with Mum about which one she would like to support.
- Buy a voucher for the future. For a meal, a hairdo, nails or beauty treatment or activity. This will mean a lot to local independent businesses at the moment. Make sure it’s got a long use-by date.
- Phone or plan a video chat – if mum is all set up, make it virtual by FaceTime, Skype, WhatsApp or Zoom.
- Watch a film. A subscription to streaming services such as Netflix, Now TV, Amazon Prime Video or Britbox will give Mum an endless supply of TV series and films to keep her occupied. You could watch the same shows simultaneously, with your mobiles on speakerphone, and chat as you do. Or letsgaze.com lets you watch a film from a streaming site while video chatting. Netflix Party allows people to watch the same show simultaneously.
- Send flowers, of course… or a selection of plants, compost, a trowel and pretty gardening gloves – and a lovely pot for the garden. Garden centres are already geared up for local deliveries and are usually pleased to create bespoke gift packages.
Find our up to date advice and information on coronavirus and how to deal with it here.
We’ve also set up a dedicated coronavirus support community group on Facebook for you to share advice and get support from others
