Focus on giving the gift of experience rather than store-bought things...
Mother's Day is the time to show your Mum or special woman in your life how much they mean to you. Instead of buying a gift this year, why not do some 'memory-making' activities together that you'll both remember forever, and which won’t contribute to the wasteful and consumerist side of this beautiful day.
Memories after all are priceless and have much less impact on the planet.
Reducing your overall consumption can cut a huge amount of pollution and waste; an estimated CO2 saving of 17kg per month (200kg per year). Always question significant purchases, think if you or someone else really needs it, and resist impulse buying or pressures from advertising.
Here are some great ideas for you to try this Mother's Day...
1. Make breakfast in bed - This is a super easy way to make your Mum feel special and totally relaxed this Mother's Day. You can only win with breakfast in bed. Look for delicious seasonal fruits and vegetables to fill your breakfast tray. You could try this breakfast mess recipe, or this baked cranberry-apple oatmeal that your Mum is sure to love.
2. Cook a delicious recipe together - Why not have some fun cooking with your Mum today? Perhaps it's a brunch for the whole family, or a sweet treat to enjoy in the afternoon. It might be nice to try a recipe that neither of you have made before, just to add some interest. How about these veggie nori rolls ? Or for something more sweet you could try this vanilla chia pudding or triple-choc chickpea cookies . Put some music on that you both love and just enjoy each others company, and the of course the tasty outcome.
3. Make a handmade & recycled gift - A handmade gift is an incredibly thoughtful way to show how much you love and appreciate your mother. Even better when it's made from recycled items, as it's a gift that's not harming the earth. Making gifts with recycled jars is one of the simplest and most effective ideas, there's endless possibilities like filling it with a homemade jam, sauce, sweets or even a homemade face or body scrub . Another idea is a beautiful homemade card from recycled paper and other tid-bits.
4. Plant something together - Has your Mum got a patch of garden she's been wanting to turn into a veggie or herb patch? Today is the day to get started. If there's no garden, you could focus perhaps on making an edible balcony together. This is a thoughtful and useful gift that will last, and you will have a lot of fun doing it together, and involving the whole family too. Use this how-to edible balconies for help and see how to grow a garden salad here.
5. Get pampering - This one is all about indulgence and relaxation. Give your mum a 30 minute massage (15 minutes at the least) with some essential oils, or how about a manicure. It's a great way to spend time together chatting and she will love the treatment.
6. Clean the house - This is definitely amongst the top ideas for Mother's Day. Take a load of your mum and clean the house for her. This way during her weekend she can just relax. If you have the time, you could even throw together a few homemade natural cleaners as a gift which your mum can keep for the future too; like this DIY all-purpose cleaner, or these DIY kitchen cleaners.
Win your MUM or Nana/special lady in your life a day to remember forever this Mothers Day!
