Mother’s Day: alternative ways to celebrate indoors

With countries across the world on lockdown over coronavirus, Mother’s Day 2020 looks set to be one of the most low-key in decades.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged all Brits to avoid gatherings with friends and family, as well as visiting pubs, restaurants and theatres, meaning many plans for Sunday are being scrapped.

Here are some alternative ideas for Mothering Sunday to show your mum you care.

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Send a gift or card

Royal Mail has reassured Brits it is safe to send gifts and cards for Mother’s Day, despite the outbreak.

According to the Daily Mirror, the postal service “insists there is no risk of transmitting the disease through deliveries as the virus cannot survive for long on objects such as letters and parcels”, and thus “posting home presents is a safe way to celebrate Mother’s Day”.

Shane O’Riordain, managing director of marketing at Royal Mail, told the paper: “It is business as usual at Royal Mail.

“We are delivering Mother’s Day gifts as well as important documents like hospital appointments. We will continue to play our part.”

Florists are also still offering deliveries.

Face-to-face calls

“Why not have a virtual Mother’s Day and spend time chatting over a group video call?” suggests HuffPost UK. “With stricter social-distancing measures due to come into place, now’s a good time to make sure relatives know how to utilise technology to stay connected.”

The website says planning a Skype, FaceTime or other video call conversation is “particularly important if you usually visit parents or grandparents in care homes on Mother’s Day, as residential care workers have been instructed to encourage virtual visits”.

Virtual dinner

Going one step beyond a call, those with more time on their hands could sit down to a video-call dinner

“Fire up the laptop and dial in for some one-on-one time with the mothership using Skype,” The i recommends, suggesting what it calls a “synchronised family dinner” at which you can “make believe that all is well in the world”.

Vogue has some suggestions to make the meal particularly special. “Just as with a regular dinner party, put some thought into your lighting and table setting,” it says. “If you’re going to be having a Skype supper club, you’re going to need a lot more light so that people can see what’s going on.

“Set the tone and the mood that suits you. If you’re in a calm and quiet space, embrace it. If you’re listening to loud music and dancing around like a maniac, that will definitely shine through.”

Dinner delivery

Many restaurants and takeaways are still operating in the midst of the crisis, meaning that you can easily order a fancy take-out meal to your mother for the big day.

But as Time notes, precautions still need to be taken.

“Just have the delivery person leave the food at the door and go,” the magazine writes. “That’s the protocol now. Don’t exchange paper money, don’t have any physical contact. This is one reason it’s good to order online and have everything paid by credit card or otherwise electronically.”

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Indoor spa

A pamper package in place of a spa day or nail appointment is the perfect Mother's Day gift.

“Ok, so you may have had to scupper your spa plans. Don’t let that result in no pampering for your mum whatsoever,” says Good Housekeeping.

“Instead, deliver the pampering to her - literally. John Lewis has heaps of lovely goodies on their website and a whole section dedicated to helping you find the right bits for your mum.”