Think out of the (gift)box this Mother's Day

Mother’s Day is normally a fantastic excuse to flock home to be with our moms, or to head out as a family to sit down to a gorgeous meal at one of mom’s favourite restaurants. This year, however, we’re going to have to get a little creative to show that we care, while we still adhere to lockdown measures that have been put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and keep us safe and sound.

The most important thing you can do to show your mom you care this year, is to keep your distance if you have not been in lockdown with her from the start. It feels counter-intuitive, but if you want to keep your odds of spreading the COVID-19 virus to your mom at a definite 0%, the kindest thing you can possibly do is to #StayHome.

With that said, whether you're in isolation with mom or not, here are a few creative ways to show her that you do care this Mother’s Day - and she will appreciate you going the extra mile!

Happily, most grocery and lifestyle stores are allowed to sell edible treats, selfcare essentials and certain wintertime necessities during Level 4 lockdown. So, you can still put together quite the lush care package for your momma - because she deserves it!. 

If you’re in lockdown together, this will be as simple as adding an extra few items to your grocery trip (remember to wear your cloth mask, use sanitiser and keep a safe distance from others). Not in isolation together? No problem – you can order online from stores that offer a delivery service. Just remember to get that order in early.

So, whether it's a beautiful blanket, a book, hot chocolate and a set of mugs, or a sneaky snack pack, slippers and a scarf, there is so much to work with in these these times. And, if you’re not quite sure what mom would like, then how about purchasing a digital gift card from her fave store that you can send to her via email or SMS.

View a full list of stores open during Level 4 lockdown here.

Stores like Clicks and Dis-Chem are allowed to sell self-care must-haves. If you’re living with mom it’s pretty easy to stock up on things like face masks, exfoliators and deep conditioning treatments, to organise an at-home TLC sesh. Alternatively, you can buy vouchers for facials, massages or manicures and pedicures from beauty salons like Sorbet or Deluxe Laser & Spa. This way she will have a little pamper date lined up for when beauty salons are allowed to operate again. The same goes for a voucher from hair salons like Carlton Hair. If her go-to salon does not offer online gift cards, then you can always give her an IOU.

If you’re currently isolating with your mom, let her sleep in, treat her to some tea or coffee in bed and whip up her favourite brekkie. We’d highly recommend our deceptively easy-to-make breakfast shakshuka by Bas Newman. It’s a tasty one-pan-wonder filled with immune-boosting ingredients like garlic, onion, tomato and paprika - Fun fact! Paprika has up to nine times the amount of vitamin C than tomatoes, which helps to strengthen the immune system.

If you’re not at home with your mom, you may need to get someone else who’s in isolation with her in on the action. Share the recipe and ingredients with them ASAP, or have it delivered to their home via a grocery store delivery service like Woolworths, Pick n Pay and Checkers. But, remember to order early to secure an open slot. If you live near your mom’s house, you could always do the shopping on their behalf, sanitise the groceries and drop them off curb-side for easy and convenient pickup.

Another way to share the love is to get all your siblings to make the same breakfast at their respective homes and patch everyone on in a shared call using a digital platform like WhatsApp video call, Zoom or Houseparty. If you feel a little awks eating on a video call, perhaps set up the call during the cooking phase of the breakfast experience so everyone can have a chat and wish mom well before you dish up.

If you’re cohabitating with mom, queue up her favourite movie, get a cosy couch situation going and snuggle up for a little movie date. Clothing stores like Ackermans, Cotton On and Edgars are now allowed to sell essential winter clothing, so you could pick up some new slippers, PJ's or a fluffy robe to make things extra plush for this home-bound movie experience.

Alternatively, you can leverage the power of technology to watch a movie with mom from the comfort and safety of your own home. Netflix party is an awesome and quite popular Chrome extension that allows you to watch your favourite shows and movies with friends and family. Watch Party is another nifty website to watch videos in real-time with others and react with them.

There is a certain undeniable charm to a home-made card or gift that will melt any mother's heart, and if you have a little more time on your hands right now, this could be just the thing – especially if you have children at home who may want to get in on the crafting action. Stationery stores like Yokico are allowed to operate, so it’s simple enough to pick up cardboard, glue, pens, stickers, etc. Make mom a big card or collage and send it by courier or hang a beautiful sign on her gate. Typo are also running a 30% off online promo for great stationery supplies, but also for a fun quirky gift for 

Alternatively, you can also go digital and use platforms like Canva or PowerPoint to create something special, try using copies of old family photos. In fact, why not push out the boat completely and perform a play with the kids, or record a video of yourself singing her favourite song or reciting her best-loved poem? The sky’s the limit when you start thinking outside of the box.

There you have it – a few unexpectedly creative ways to treat your mom this Mother’s Day.