Just because you and your mom aren't physically near one another this Mother's Day doesn't mean you can't show her just how much she means to you. Long-distance Mother's Day options can take lots of forms, but we've rounded up some of the most meaningful. These are sure to make your mom feel special and loved, even when you aren't there to give her a hug.
Be the Very First Person to Wish Her a Happy Mother's Day
Is your mom a night owl? If you know she's going to be up at 11:55 the night before Mother's Day, call her and stay on the phone until midnight. Then be the very first person to tell her to have a great day. If your mom wouldn't appreciate an 11:55 p.m. phone call (and many moms wouldn't), call her in the morning when you know she'll be up. This might mean you need to set your alarm early, but it will be worth it. She'll know you made an effort to make the day special.
Have Dinner Together (Even When You're Not Together)
Even if you can't be together on Mother's Day, you can still have dinner (or brunch) with your mom. Set this up with your mom ahead of time so she doesn't make other plans. Then order delivery from her favorite restaurant so all she has to do is eat and talk with you. You can get something similar for yourself and do a video chat while you both eat and celebrate.
Ultimately, what you eat is less important than just spending the time together. If you find yourself getting overwhelmed with the details here, you can keep it super simple and just do pizza. Your mom is going to love the time with you, no matter what's on the menu.
Send Your Mom Videos All Day
One of the hardest things for moms is not really knowing what their kids are up to all day (no matter how old those kids are). Spend Mother's Day sharing the details of your life with her and including her in your day by sending little video messages.
To make a ton of impact, try to connect each message to what she enjoys or how you think she might feel about something. Show her the pretty flowers growing outside your apartment or the cute dog you saw while you were out. Aim to send her 10-20 messages throughout the day so she knows you're thinking of her the whole time.
Related: What to Write in a Mother's Day Card That's as Special as She Is
Plan Your Next Visit or Adventure Together
If you know when you'll be seeing your mom in person, spend part of Mother's Day planning the visit with her. You can add in some fun things you know she'd love to do. When it comes to visits like these, anticipation is almost as fun as the visit itself. Giving your mom a chance to look forward to your time together (and sharing that anticipation with you) is actually a really nice gift.
Write an Old-School Love Letter to Your Mom
Love letters aren't just for romance. Image how happy your mom will be to open her mailbox and find a handwritten letter from you that describes just what you love about her. We promise this is the kind of thing moms will treasure for years to come (and rereading it can give her a boost on those days when she's feeling down).
Don't stress if you're not confident in your writing skills (and no matter how tempting it might be, don't turn to AI either). It's actually really easy to write your mom a love letter. Here are a few ideas to help:
- In one or two sentences, tell your mom about the situation. For example, you might say something like, "It's Mother's Day, and I wanted to put into words just how much you mean to me."
- List some of the specific things you love about your mom. These should be things that are uniquely her, such as the way she laughs or how she makes the best muffins.
- Share a memory of time your mom did a great job as a parent.
- Tell your mom about a time you shared with her and how it makes you feel to remember that.
Have a Long-Distance Mother's Day Mani Night
While you can't exactly head to the nail salon together when you're not in the same place, you can have an at-home manicure session that you share virtually. Send her some supplies ahead of time if you have a specific idea in mind, or if she has a lot of polishes already, she might just want to use one of them. You can do the same nail designs or do different styles based on your personality. What's important is spending the time together.
Ship a Live Plant to Your Mom
Sure, you can send flowers, and your mom might totally love that. The thing is, flowers die. If you've got the time, pick up a hardy plant to ship to your mom. It won't die as quickly (even if she has a brown thumb, it will last for a while). Just pack it carefully, noting which side of the box should stay up, and send it the fastest way possible.
Hold a Virtual Movie Night on Mother's Day
You don't actually have to be together to watch a movie together, which makes a movie night the perfect way to celebrate Mother's Day long distance. Choose a movie you know your mom would really love (or even better, a favorite you have watched together over the years). Set a time to start and have her on the phone or computer while you watch together.
It works well to have one earbud in to talk to your mom while you watch. That way, you can still hear the movie and also talk to her or laugh together.
Related: Timeless 90s Family Films for a Fun Nostalgic Movie Night
Start a Book Club With Just the Two of You
Mother's Day only comes once a year, so it's really nice if you can find a way to celebrate that isn't just for that one day. If you both like reading, start your own book club! For the first one, pick a book you know your mom will love but hasn't read and ship it to her house. Then reveal your plan to her on Mother's Day and set up monthly calls to talk about the books. She'll love knowing she can share this with you all year.
Make Your Mom a Video Montage
If you've got access to some old photos and videos of you and your mom together, turn them into a montage to send her on Mother's Day. There are lots of ways to do this, but Adobe Express and Canva are easy options. You don't need a ton of clips. Just edit them together and set them to music. Bonus points if it's a song you know makes your mom sentimental.
Even if you don't use Facebook, chances are your mom did at some point in the past. You can download photos and videos from there, giving you access to lots of oldies that will be sure to make her smile in your montage.
Show Her Just How Much You Love Her
There are so many great ways to show your mom how important she is to you on Mother's Day, even if you can't be there with her. No matter which one you choose, it's going to mean a lot to her that you are thinking of her on this special day.
