Things to Do for Mom on Mother's Day

Do you always end up doing the same old thing for Mom on Mother's Day? This year, try something new! You'll surprise Mom, and she'll appreciate your effort to celebrate her special day with creative, new activities. Here are ten new special ways to celebrate Mother's Day this year.

1. Cook a special meal for Mom. You may be used to taking your mother out to a restaurant to eat on Mother's Day. But it's so much more special if you make the effort to cook for Mom. Even if you still want to take Mom out to her favorite restaurant for dinner, consider making her breakfast or a special lunch or brunch. Breakfast in bed is a classic Mother's Day treat! Preparing Mom's special meal is a fun way for kids to get involved too.

2. Take Mom out to tea. A grown-up tea party is an elegant way to treat you mother on Mother's Day. Most upscale hotels will offer tea service, often in a special room dedicated to serving tea. There may even be a special Mother's Day tea service.

3. Take Mom to the spa - or bring the spa to her. What mother wouldn't appreciate a day at the spa? If you're doing a mother-daughter spa day, ask the spa to have the treatments done in the same room so that mom and daughter can talk. If a day at the spa is too pricey, consider having a home spa day. Making mom's spa treatments can be a fun project for the kids, too.

4. Go explore a quaint town with Mom. Find a quaint town within driving distance of your mother's house and go explore with her. Once there, take a walk around the town, visit any historical sites or other special attractions, and find a nice restaurant for lunch. Or, if it's a nice day, consider bringing a picnic lunch to enjoy outside. Make sure to bring a camera and take lots of pictures! A framed a picture of you and Mom together on you Mother's Day adventure also makes a perfect Mother's Day gift.

5. Go to the museum with Mom. Going to the museum is something many busy moms want to do, but never have time for. Surprise Mom by making time for it on Mother's Day! There may even be a special exhibit that the two of you can see together.

6. Go for a hike with Mom. Even if you and your mom are not particularly outdoorsy, a hike can be a surprisingly pleasant way to spend the day together. If the weather is nice, this is a great way to get some fresh air, enjoy the beauties of nature in the springtime, and, most importantly, spend the day talking with your mother. Just make sure you not to choose too challenging of a route, as that would undermine one of the core purposes of this activity: chatting!

7. Take a family portrait. Get the whole family together and go to a photography studio for a family portrait. Mom will appreciate your efforts for years to come.

8. Take Mom to a play or concert. Seeing a live performance is a rare luxury for many busy moms. Consider taking Mom out to a play or concert, or other live performance, of her choosing on Mother's Day.

9. Do Mom's chores for her. Turn Mother's Day into a "mom-does-nothing day." Take care of all the cooking, cleaning, laundry, errands, etc. for Mom on her special day. Make sure that Mom does nothing all day, except relax and take time for herself.

10. Do anything Mom has been meaning to do. So many moms never get around to going places or doing things for themselves because they are so busy doing things for everyone else in the family. Find out what Mom has been meaning to do - see a particular exhibit in a museum, go to a movie, get a pedicure, etc. - and make sure that she finally gets to do it on Mother's Day.