Creative ways to honour your mom on Mother's Day

My mom always used to say to me, "you will never understand how much I love you until you become a mother". Those words could not be more true. I find myself saying them to my 11-year-old daughter quite often these days.

As Mother's Day approaches, we think of ways to honour our mothers. This year, why not do something different that does not cost a lot of money. Here is a list of six things to make your mom, wife or that important woman in your life who nurtured you, feel very honoured this Mother's Day.

Photo collage

Find five amazing photographs of you and your mom from childhood to present. Print and arrange them in a collage with words written around them that describe your love for her. If you can, put it in a nice frame. If you feel you are not that creative, then make a little photo album that shows your lives together.

Home-cooked meal

Buy all the ingredients for her favourite meal and dessert. Take them to her home on Mother's Day and cook her a wonderful meal including setting the table and washing up! Get fancy, go to town with flowers, candles, balloons, music she loves etc. and let her sit and chat to you with a glass of wine while you work!

Alone time

Take your mom on a walk, a hike, a picnic, to the beach or to a yoga class ... just you and her. Create some alone time when you can be fully present with her, doing something she loves to do, without cellphones or any other distractions. Let her be the centre of your attention.

Make a card

Make a card just for her. Put a beautiful photo of your mom on the front telling her your deepest thoughts about her and how she has influenced your life.

Help around the house

Offer to do a chore that she needs help with! Maybe mom needs some help planting a garden, painting a room, rearranging furniture, hanging pictures, washing her car or cleaning out a storeroom.

Sign her up for a class

Sign her up for an interesting class. This year, I gave my mom the gift of painting lessons for her birthday. She just adored the gift. She loves to paint but would never have done it unless it was a gift. There are so many courses being offered around town - flower arranging, jewellery making, dance, yoga for beginners etc. Enrol her in something you know she will love.

Sharon McConnell-Feanny is a certified yoga instructor and co-owner of Shakti Mind Body Fitness in Kingston. She has more than 25 years experience in health and fitness; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.