Mother’s Day is a special day for us to honor and celebrate all of the mother figures in our lives. While we celebrate moms, this day is just as important to celebrate all of the mother-figures who care for us, too. A mother figure is any significant woman in our life who has nurtured us in some way. This might be a spiritual mother who helps you grow closer to God, an aunt or cousin who has helped you grow more into yourself, a friend who has cared for you when you were sick, a mentor who has walked alongside of you. It could even be celebrating yourself if you have gone through a re-mothering experience. We celebrate the amazing strengths that these women bring into our lives, and all of their love, friendship, courage, kindness and prayers. As we prepare to celebrate all moms and mother-figures on Mother’s Day, we wanted to share our favorite ways to honor those that hold such a special place in our hearts.
Our Favorite Mother’s Day Ideas
These are some of my favorite ways to celebrate my own mother! These ideas can be used for your own mom, the mother of your children, your spiritual mother, or even yourself. We hope these ideas help inspire your plans.
- Go to mass together: Sunday mass with my mom is my ideal start to a Sunday! This is the perfect opportunity to spend quality time together. Mom always loves to receive the Mother’s Day blessing from the priest, too. After mass, you can take her to her favorite spot for brunch (Don’t forget to make a reservation ahead of time since Mother’s Day is one of the busiest restaurant days!)
- Gather all of her favorite things: Mothers love to feel seen and known. After having spent so much time with your mom over the years, you likely know the best out of everyone her favorite things. Her favorite coffee drink, her favorite candle scent, her favorite flowers, her favorite treat, and her favorite place to shop. Gather everything together and give to her in a cute basket. Add a little note telling her everything you love about her. She will cherish it forever.
- Spend the day together: Plan a day of activities, hangout at your parents house, or invite your mom over to spend the day with you. Regardless of where you are, or what you do, the most important thing is to enjoy your time together!
- Send money on a special treat: Think of all the mother figures in your life and send them each a small gift via Venmo to tell them that you are thinking of them! I like to do this for all of my mom friends who tread this road alongside of me. $5 for a coffee will make them feel seen.
- Send snail mail: For the important women in your life, send a letter telling them what they mean to you, why you admire them, and why you are grateful for them.
- Say a prayer for all of their intentions: Honor them by praying for them by name today. Pray for their intentions and needs. You could even specifically ask them if they have anything you could pray for.
Honoring Our Mother Mary
For anyone who finds Mother’s Day to be painful, it is a good day to turn to Mary. She said through Our Lady of Guadalupe that she is a mother for us all. It’s just as important to honor our spiritual mother Mary, as it is to honor our mother-figures.
- Build a Marian Garden: A garden for Mary is a special way to honor Mother Mary, and reflect on her virtues. This garden is composed of special plants, flowers and/or herbs dedicated to her. These plants have specific “Mary names” (aka religious names) that reflect her life. To learn more about building a Marian garden, click here.
- Pray the rosary: Grab your rosary, find a peaceful spot around the house (or in your Marian Garden!), and pray the rosary. This is a beautiful time to be present and let go of all outside distractions.
- Listen to our Fatima playlist on Spotify: Honoring Mary through worship and music is always a great idea!
Let’s Acknowledge and Care for Every Mom
For some of us, Mother’s Day is a very difficult time. It’s important that we take a moment to acknowledge and pray for women that may be...
- Mourning the loss of their child or their own mother
- Soon to be mother’s preparing for a new baby
- New moms exhausted from long nights with their newborn
- Longing to have children
- Single mothers who are juggling, caring, and providing for their children
- Caring for their children with loving care
- First mothers
- Adoptive mothers
- Foster mothers
- Spiritual mothers to many
- Step mothers and love their children as their own
With that in mind, pease join me in prayer -
Mary, mother of us all, hold us tightly in your motherly embrace. Carry to your Son all of these requests. We pray for all mothers - mothers who are thriving, mothers who are drowning, mothers who are longing, mothers who are grieving. We pray for all of those who miss their mothers who are no longer here. We pray for all of those who have been hurt by their mothers. We pray for those who long to be mothers. We pray for our spiritual mothers. We pray for our mama friends and the moms we walk past at the grocery store. We pray that we all may continue to be mothered, that we have people in our lives who love us like our mother, and that we also mother those in our own lives. Mary, in your deep love for your Son, teach us to be kind like a mother, compassionate like a mother, faithful like a mother, and loving like a mother. Amen.
