Simple Living, also known as Voluntary Simplicity, is a movement that is gaining momentum, and shouldn't impede your Mother's Day plans.
What Simple Living Means on Mother's Day
Duane Elgin, author of Voluntary Simplicity & The Living Universe, describes it as, “Living in a way that is outwardly simple and inwardly rich.” Those with reduced financial means are becoming more frugal, but also starting to focus on what matters: living and gifting sincerely, without creating waste or funding third world sweatshops. Here are some ideas for a sweatshop-free and earth friendly way to show you care.
Make a Dinner For Mom: A Personalized Bistro for Mother’s Day
Making a meal for mom is good: doing all the cooking for the day would be great. You just know that restaurants will be filled with families “giving mom a day off.” Getting a reservation and sitting in a crowded venue may not be everyone’s idea of relaxing…or being a sincere, original sentiment.
If even your simplest culinary creations qualify as “cruel and unusual punishment,” consider borrowing a kitchen-savvy friend to help you out the day before. Either have him or her help you out with preparing it, or cook and chill it the day before.
Gardening Help: Landscaping as a Mother’s Day Gift
- If your mother likes to garden, get some local plants that are native to your area; not only will they likely require less watering and fertilization than an import, but will naturalize easier.
- Buying perennials will also make a gift that lasts; planting bulbs that will flourish in either late summer (or next spring) will be a present that will come back annually.
- Easier still, offer to prune, weed and generally help in the garden. Extra hands are always welcome when weed season begins in earnest.
- Starting up a compost heap together may be a great bonding experience, not to mention a good way to reduce garbage: Composting turns kitchen scraps into gardening gold.
Mother’s Day Spa Day at Home
An all-natural spa date at home might be just the thing: Put on her favourite music, and make some great skin treatments at home.
Here are some websites that include some great instructions for DIY all natural beauty treatments:
- The Dollar Stretcher features an article on making Homemade Facial Masks
- Fat Free Kitchen has a long list of exfoliating and moisturizing masks for a wide variety of skin types.
Mother’s Day Gifts For Out-of-Town Mothers
A videoconferencing function can reduce phone bills. Also, you can talk “face to face” even if both of you are in different cities. Offer to help setting up a web camera and the software, and give a quick tutorial when you are in town.
This gift is one that can be used year ‘round, and should be appreciated by all who want to see their family. However, if your mother is the sort who has trouble with a cell phone, one tutorial may not be enough, nor an appropriate gift in the first place.
Make a Photo Memory Book or Scrapbook
While many interpret scrapbooking as a chance to decorate an otherwise fine photo with needless doodads and stamped images of trite sayings, there is some merit to this hobby.
A good photo doesn’t need captions (or twee junk). A simple line or two about what you remember about the photo, location or the people in it can add more than any decoration ever could.
Share your ideas about Simple and creative ways to show you care on Mother’s Day: We at Suite101 are more than willing to hear your ideas for a Simple Mother’s Day!
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