COVID-19 can’t get in the way of us celebrating our mums.

Mother’s Day will look a lot different this year. For those of us at home with our mums, this special day will have to be honoured indoors. But those who live separately can still make it a day to remember via virtual means. Nothing should get in the way of your quality time. Below, we share some meaningful ways to celebrate Mother’s Day at home.

Have a feast while supporting your favourite restaurants and bars
There are plenty of restaurants with special Mother’s Day menus you can order for the special day. Otherwise, you’ll find what you need in this list of restaurants doing takeaways and deliveries. Order cocktails from these bars to accompany your meal and toast to a special day. Have two separate orders if you’re social distancing and dine as you usually would over Zoom.

Make a sizeable donation in your family’s name
If you’re skipping gifts this year, think of a charitable organisation you would like to support instead. This list of charities that aid frontliners and those affected by COVID-19 may help. Pour over the charities as a family, and make the donation in your mother’s, or if she prefers, your family’s name.

Cook up a storm
We all know food brings people together, but so does food. Pick up a DIY meal kit to replicate a meal from your favourite restaurant and lend it a personal touch, or add a secret ingredient Mum swears by.

Host a meal outdoors 
If you’ve got a garden, set up a table outside and prepare a picnic basket full of sandwiches, snacks, and pastries, and make some ‘Mom-osas’. Do this in the evening when the sun is down. If Mum’s not the tea party sort, have a backyard barbeque instead with grilled meats, vegetables that you can cook up with Dad.

Fake a vacation
There’s no telling when you can have your next family vacation, so theme the day according to the destination she’s looking forward to next. If that is Italy, plan your meals around the cuisine and wines of that country to accompany your virtual tours. Take mum on a stroll through iconic art Italian galleries like the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and Vatican Museums. Go on city or coastal tours, and visit historic sites like Pompeii. To conclude, finish the day with an Italian movie.

Watch a movie that celebrates motherhood
A relationship between mother and child can have complex nuances, and sometimes there’s no better way to step back and appreciate your own than through the lens of a movie. Think Mother’s Day, Stepmom, The Joy Luck Club, Steel Magnolias, and Mamma Mia.

Host a happy hour
Organise a Zoom happy hour with your mum if you’re living apart. Share a cocktail recipe to make beforehand and watch as the other tries to make it. Invite close aunts, cousins, and other female family members, and let the good times roll.

Hold a wine tasting at home
Take charge by keeping to a theme, such as Mum’s favourite wine region. Set the table with a white tablecloth, bland crackers, and food that can accentuate or alter the taste of the wines. Have two to three wine glasses at each place setting, with a water glass. Make the session fun by covering the bottles in foil for a blind tasting, and invite everyone to share their comments before revealing the bottle. For those living separately, order the same wines, wrap them up, and send them to Mum to replicate the experience over Zoom. Alternatively, attend a virtual live class together via FineWines.

Get creative
Gather papers, pencils and paints and put your artistic abilities to the test with an online art class with Mum. You’ll find a wealth of videos on Youtube, and paid platforms such as Skillshare.

Turn her bathroom into a spa
Pour her a glass of wine, and set the stage for a relaxing day. Light candles in the bathroom, turn on an essential-oil filled diffuser, and fill a tub with salts, and bubbles, and play soothing music. Prepare a plush bathrobe, towel set, and cosy bathroom slippers, along with pampering skincare and haircare products.

Take a floral arrangement class online
While you could order a bouquet of flowers for Mum, learning to arrange your own is far more rewarding. Spend an afternoon putting together beautiful arrangements via an online class and watch your living space become doubly inviting.