Celebrate Mother’s Day 2024: Unique gift ideas and special activities!

Mother’s Day is a time to honor and appreciate the incredible women who have shaped our lives with their love and care. As Mother’s Day 2024 approaches, it’s the perfect moment to celebrate the special women in your life with unique gifts and memorable activities. At Teroprints, we’re excited to offer creative and thoughtful gift ideas that will make this Mother’s Day truly unforgettable. From personalized fashion items to delightful experiences, discover how you can make this occasion as special as she is.

I. When is Mother’s Day?

In the United States, Mother’s Day is celebrated annually on the second Sunday in May; therefore, the date changes yearly. Although Mother’s Day is a national holiday widely observed in the U.S., it is not a federal or public holiday (when businesses are closed).

II. The history of Mother’s Day

A day to honor mothers has existed for as long as, well, there have been mothers. Festivals honoring mothers in ancient times were often tied to gods and goddesses and maternal symbols of fertility, birth, creativity, and growth cycles. The mother is the protector and nourisher of children and, by extension, of all humanity. The Phrygians held a festival for Cybele, the Great Mother of the Gods. The Greeks and Romans also honored the mother figure of their gods. Even today, an important festival in India, Durga-puja, honors the goddess Durga.

1. Mothering Sunday

And long before Americans celebrated Mother’s Day, Europeans honored their mothers on the fourth Sunday of Lent on Mothering (or Simnel) Sunday. During the Middle Ages, laborers, apprentices, and servants mainly daughters who had gone to work as domestic servants would be given a holiday on the fourth Sunday of Lent to return to their mothers and the “mother” church.

Family reunions were the order of the day, with sons and daughters assuming all household duties and preparing a special dinner in honor of their mother. Sometime during the day, the mother would attend special church services with her family. The Lenten fasting rules were relaxed for that day. (Often, the gospel for the day was about Jesus feeding the crowd with loaves of bread.

2. The Simnel Cake

In 16th-century England, the eldest son or daughter would bring a “Mothering Cake” or “Simnel Cake,” which would be cut and shared by the entire family. The Simnel Cake is a dried fruit cake with two layers of almond paste. The cake was made with 11 balls of marzipan icing on top, representing the 11 disciples. (Judas is not included.) Traditionally, sugar violets would also be added.

3. Who “Invented” the Modern Mother’s Day?

In the United States, three women were most instrumental in establishing the tradition of Mother’s Day: Ann Reeves Jarvis, Julia Ward Howe, and Ann’s daughter, Anna M. Jarvis. What might surprise you is that the great women being honored as mothers were activists who fought for children’s welfare, health, and peace.

III. 10 ways to celebrate mother’s day

Not up for baking a Simnel Cake? Here are 10 more creative ways to reach out to Mom to show her a little extra comfort, love, and recognition. After all, moms are always there for us!

1. Offer your own services in the garden

2. Decorate your mom’s door or give flowers

• If you’re nearby, you can have fun decorating your mom’s front door with streamers, special signs, a wreath, and flowers!
• A potted plant such as a geranium is always welcome.
• Buying cut flowers?

3. Cook for Mom with these recipe ideas

• Breakfast in bed is always a classic and appreciated! Something simple is fine for this, such as toast or a croissant with jam or fruit and a cup of coffee or tea.
• Or, bake one of our simple cakes! We love this Chocolate Mousse Cake as well as Nana’s Funny Cake.

4. Give your mom a call or put on a virtual talent show

• Just give your mom a ring or “Zoom” and make her laugh. Perhaps prepare some good “mom jokes.”
• Put on a talent show! It can be simple. Sing a song, show off some gymnastics, or play an instrument.

5. Watch a movie or show together, side by side

• If you’re all at home in one place, have a movie night, complete with theater treats.
• If you’re in separate locations, watch the same movie on your computers at the same time. Or, start a marathon of your favorite TV series.

6. Get creative: Make mom a video, a music playlist, or a piece of art

• Record a video from all of the children. They can each say “Happy Mother’s Day” and explain why they appreciate her. You can always use iMovie to splice videos together on your phone.
• Make a tape or a music playlist. You could gather calming songs for bedtime, such as the sound of the sea. Or, you could gather her very favorite songs from the era that she loves most. (If your mom has an iPhone, create a special iTunes playlist that will get emailed to her.)
• How about a special work of art for mom?  For example, paint the outside of a terra-cotta flower pot and fill it with garden seeds and a card. Or, make a beautiful photo frame with your family photo inside. You can find many ideas on Pinterest and elsewhere on the Web.

7. Get outside! Go for a stroll in the park, or how about packing mom a picnic?

• Fresh air always lifts the spirit. Spring is a wonderful time to visit a park and look for all those lovely spring flowers.
• How about packing a simple picnic? If mom’s living nearby, drop off a picnic basket on her porch! If you’re living together, pack a cooler for a beautiful drive through the countryside.

8. Make a homemade gift

You don’t need to go out to a store and buy a gift. Mothers love gifts from the heart.

9. Travel virtually to a museum or garden

Even if you’re not together, the wonders of technology make so much possible today. More and more museums are opening up their “walls” to offer virtual tours!

10. Make your own card

Don’t forget to send a card in advance! In our home, it’s a tradition to make a homemade card every year. Moms love homemade!

IV. Conclusion

Together, let’s honor the women who raised us making sacrifices for us every day and nurturing our families and greater communities. You can also visit Teroprints shop to choose fashionable gifts for your mother with unique and interesting designs. Follow us on Pinterest to keep up to date with the latest products.

Of course, if you are a mother, all of us at Teroprints wish YOU a very Happy Mother’s Day!

FAQs - Mother's Day