happy mothers day

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

Make your mother feel special today

Happy Mother’s Day ~ make your mother feel special today

Copyright © Stephanie Walmsley 2012 www.HomeschoolFamilyLife.com

I T ’ S G O O D T O S H A R E !

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About the Author

I am a teacher by profession, with teaching experience in New Zealand

and England. After I had children I worked as a volunteer for over

twenty years, supporting mothers in their mothering and

homeschooling. I started Homeschool Family Life as ‘The Broad Room’ in

2002 because I saw a need for good, professional, homeschool help

available from someone who has ‘walked the talk’.

My desire is to encourage and equip you as a homeschooling mother, so

that you have the confidence to do what you know in your heart is the

best for you, your own children, and your family, without comparing

yourselves to other families or succumbing to pressure from well-meaning peers.

I am married to Philip and we started officially homeschooling our five children in January 1985.

The older two had a couple of spells in school; the younger three never went to school.

Philip says: I am a computer software support and development expert and I’ve worked in the

computer software industry since my university days. I love the challenge and stimulation of my

work.

Homeschooling has been a wonderful way to bring up our children. And I feel blessed to have

enjoyed the closeness and the added breadth and depth homeschooling brings to family life. I am

Stephanie’s technical person, and advisor for her websites.



Contents

Who is This Book For? ............................................................................... 5

The Story of Mother's Day ......................................................................... 6

Mother's Day Around the World ............................................................... 7

Perfect Gifts for Your Mother .................................................................... 9

Ways to Make Mother’s Day Special ....................................................... 12

Mother’s Day Crafts for Toddlers ............................................................ 13

Mother’s Day Brunch Ideas ..................................................................... 14

Homemade Chocolate Truffles – Great Gift for Mother .......................... 15

Inspiring Words to Include in a Mother's Day Card ................................. 18

Other Products Available ......................................................................... 19



Who is This Book For?

This book is for teens and kids to get ideas for celebrating Mother’s Day. I’ve included a little bit

of history and information about Mother’s Day and then I’ve collected together lots of ideas of

how you can make Mother’s Day a special day at your house for your mother, without having to

go and spend a stack of money.

Mothers love to give to their children. They often sacrifice their time and their money to give the

best to their children. It’s good to receive the gift of loving care from your parents with grace and

thankfulness.

And then, on Mother’s Day, we can show our appreciation while our mothers show us how to

receive a gift with grace and thankfulness.

Enjoy your mother – she’s the one God gave to you, and no-one on planet Earth loves you more

than she does. So let’s celebrate our mothers!



The Story of Mother's Day

A day in the year to celebrate mothers and motherhood has been around since Roman times. And

we know that in England, Mothering Sunday was being celebrated as long ago as the sixteenth

century. But modern Mother’s Day is much newer than this…

In America, in 1868, Ann Jarvis decided to start a ‘Mother’s Friendship Day’ as a way of bringing

back together families torn apart by the American Civil War. This was the start of the idea of

Mother’s Day in America.

After Ann Jarvis died in 1905, her daughter, Anna Jarvis wanted to have an American national

holiday honouring mothers. She asked her local church, Andrews' Methodist Church, to have a

day honouring all mothers and as a way to remember her own mother.

The church agreed, and on May 10, 1908 there was a special service to honour mothers.

Carnations were given to each person who attended the church service that day. And mothers

were given two carnations. Carnations were chosen because the white carnation was Anna’s

mother’s favourite flower.

Shortly after this, there was a United States Senator called Elmer Burkett from Nebraska who

proposed to make Mother’s Day a national holiday. He made the proposal on behalf of the Young

Men's Christian Association (YMCA). He didn’t manage to get the bill into law, so Anna Jarvis

decided to give up her job and devote her time to petitioning governments to create a Mother's

Day.

The World's Sunday School Association agreed with her and supported her. And in 1912, the state

of West Virginia became the first state to recognize Mother's Day in the United States. President

Woodrow Wilson then signed a law declaring the second Sunday in May as national observance of

Mother's Day.



Mother's Day Around the World

New Zealand, Australia, Canada and United States of America celebrate Mother’s Day on the

second Sunday in May.

Mothering Sunday in Great Britain is celebrated the fourth Sunday of Lent.

Mother's Day in Norway is celebrated on February 13.

Mother's Day in Georgia is celebrated on March 3.

Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Laos,

Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Serbia and the Ukraine all have March 8 as their

Mother’s Day.

Ireland and Nigeria both honour their mothers on March 14.

Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Saudi

Arabia, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen all celebrate Mother’s Day on March 21

(first day of spring).

Slovenia celebrates Mother’s Day on March 25.

Hungary and Lithuania celebrate Mother’s Day on the first Sunday in May.

Albania and South Korea celebrate Mother’s Day on May 8.

Mexico celebrates Mother’s Day on May 10. This time to honour mothers began with an editorial

in a Mexico City newspaper and was combined with an additional media campaign (and the

support of the Catholic Church) to really take hold.

The first official celebration took place on May 10, 1922. It was an attempt to refocus the

importance of women in the role of child bearer. Since the holiday is celebrated on a specific date

it often falls during the week. On these days, mothers can take off of work and children stay home

from school so they can spend the day together.

Poland celebrates Mother’s Day on May 26.



Bolivia celebrates Mother’s Day on 27 May.

Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mauritius, Morocco, Sweden and Tunisia celebrate Mother’s Day on

the last Sunday in May.

For France it is the last Sunday in May except if it coincides with Pentecost day which is the 50th

day after Lent, in which case it is shifted to the first Sunday in June.

Nicaragua has Mother’s Day on May 30.

Luxembourg has the second Sunday in June.

Kenya celebrates Mother’s Day on the last Sunday in June.

In Thailand they use Queen Sirikit Kitiyakara's birthday, August 12, as the day to honour mothers.

Costa Rica and Antwerp, Belgium celebrate on August 15.

Malawi celebrates the second Monday in October.

Belarus celebrates on October 14.

Argentina celebrates on the third Sunday in October.

Panama, Spain and Portugal celebrate on December 8, which is the feast of the Immaculate

Conception. This feast honours Mary, mother of Jesus, as well as all other mothers.

Indonesia has Mother’s Day on December 22.



Perfect Gifts for Your Mother

Mother’s Day is one of those times where it really is the thought that counts. Mothers appreciate

being appreciated - no matter if it comes in the form of a day out or a hand-crafted card

reminding Mother that she is loved.

The gift doesn’t have to cost a great deal of money. In fact, most mothers appreciate handmade

gifts made with thought and love as much as something you could buy. Here’s some ideas to

inspire you in your gift giving or making this year.

Service coupons - Make up a stack of coupons that will give your mother something

special on her day. Include one for making her bed, cooking a meal or taking her on a day

out with the family. What about coupons for looking after the younger children, or (if you

live within walking distance,) taking younger siblings to play dates or practices. For

teenagers, you could also provide babysitting services so Mother and Dad can go out.

Younger children can include coupons for things like washing the car, doing dishes, taking

out the rubbish, dusting the living room, tidying the kitchen, making a cup of tea. The

options are endless. Be sure the coupons focus on things that Mother likes and enjoys.

A foot massage after a busy day would also be good to include in the coupons.

Video montage or scrapbook - Put together a review of the past year in pictures or on

video. Let each person in the family add their own personal notes or video to complete the

project. If you choose to do this each year, Mother will also have a record of how each

child has changed over the years.

Day off - Officially give Mother the day away from all of her responsibilities. Mothers do so

much throughout the year it will feel like heaven to have one day where she’s not

expected to do anything.



Show it in words - Write a special poem that includes a list of everything you appreciate

about all she does. Or write a letter telling her "thank you." As long as the sentiments are

real she will love the gift.

Show it in pictures – Make a beautiful painting for Mother’s special day. Take it to the next

level by having it specially framed for Mother. Make sure the artist signs the creation.

Find it in nature - bought flowers may be beautiful, but nothing says ‘special’ like hand-

picked flowers from the garden.

Create a bouquet that can be wrapped in tissue paper, or put together an arrangement in

a special vase. Make sure you ask permission if you want to pick flowers from a garden

that does not belong to you.

Make a card - All it takes is a folded piece of paper and some imagination. Add some

glitter for a little glitz or stickers for some special designs. Pull out the glue and craft

supplies and let your creativity loose. (If you are helping a younger sister or brother,

remember that small children should never be left alone with glue or you never know

what will be glued to what when you return.)

Make a bookmark – You can choose a favourite saying, Bible verse, or poem. Write it very

beautifully on a bookmark-shaped piece of card. Decorate the card. Punch a hole in the

top of the card and add a ribbon. Add stickers. (It’s probably best to avoid the glitter, glue

and paint for this as libraries don’t like it when books come back covered in glitter and

with smudges of paint.)

Make a pamper basket for Mother. Get a beautiful basket and fill it with items that

Mother can use while treating herself to a spa day in her own bathroom. Find packages of

candles which can be placed around the bathtub. Bubble bath and other bath items can

also be added.

Some more ideas for the ‘pamper basket’ include:

o Bath salts. These are something many mothers enjoy because they make the skin

feel smooth and soft. Buy a box of Epsom salts; add non-staining food colouring

and essential oils to create bath salts with your mother’s favourite scents. You can

also add a drop or two of your mother’s favourite cologne or perfume.



o Of course, you’ll also want to make sure Mother has the time she needs to take a

relaxing bath and enjoy using the bath salts you make.

o Make a CD of her favourite music or classical music which will make relaxing that

much easier.

Make a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign for Mother to place on the doorknob so she can retire to a

quiet space for 15 minutes when she needs a break during the day.

Photos are a good present. There aren’t many mothers who don’t enjoy pictures of their

children. Why not find a clear box and put photos inside to make a photo cube? Mother

will love the pictures and having them inside a clear box will protect them. When she

wants a different picture, she can flip the cube to see a different smiling face.

Beaded safety pins can make fun jewellery for Mother to wear on Mother’s Day and other

days during the year. These pins are made using special safety pins and beads in various

colours.

A terracotta pot that you paint can be a great gift for a mother who enjoys growing things.

You can place a plant in the pot or use it as a container for chocolate of lollies which has

been wrapped in coloured cellophane and green chenille stems.

If your family is musical you can give a concert for Mother – this is a favourite for most

mothers who love hearing their children play.

Using craft sticks or twigs from your yard, you can make a vase or pencil holder for her

desk. Start out with a clean, empty can and glue the craft sticks or twigs onto it. Tie a raffia

or fabric ribbon on the can to both keep the sticks on the can and add a decorative touch.

Create a homemade message board. Find an old picture with a frame. Take the picture

out, cover it with fabric and stretch ribbon from one side to the other to create diamonds.

Staple the ribbon around the edges and place it back into the frame. When it is hung up,

Mother can place notes or pictures on it so she can keep track of things that are important.



Ways to Make Mother’s Day Special

What mother wouldn’t love a day to relax? Tell her the night before that she is going to be treated

like a queen on Mother’s Day. How do you accomplish this?

Start by letting her sleep in. When she finally wakes up,

treat her to breakfast in bed or a homemade brunch. Let

her choose where to eat lunch or dinner.

To cap the day off, let Mother have control of the remote

and watch anything on TV she wants.

If you think Mother will have a difficult time relaxing and

letting others wait on her for the day, getting away from

the home may be the only way to keep your mother from

cleaning up. Planning a day trip can be the perfect way to make the day special for that

special mother.

Picnics are a great way to make Mother feel special on Mother’s Day. Make all the food

ahead of time so there’s nothing to do but pack it into the picnic basket and go. Be sure to

include all of Mother’s favourite foods. You can probably find a wonderful spot in a local

park to lay out the picnic. Along the shore of the lake or a beach would also be good

choices.

Of course, if the weather doesn’t cooperate you can always have the picnic indoors on the

living room floor.

Think of things which interest Mother. Does she love rock climbing? Find somewhere that

offers rock climbing classes. Would she prefer a quiet walk outdoors with a pair of

binoculars around her neck? Find a lake or forest or park where birds are plenty and let

her enjoy her day in nature.

Decide what it is that Mother enjoys or is most interested in learning and you’ve found the perfect

activities to share with her to make her day something she’ll remember and make her feel special

at the same time.



Mother’s Day Crafts for Toddlers

Toddlers love to join in with family celebrations. They like to give and they love being part of the

excitement of secret gift making and wrapping. If you have a toddler or pre-schooler in your

house, you might like to try some of these fun Mother’s Day crafts with the little person.

One of the easiest crafts a very young child can make is

the coupon book. The coupons can be made from

sheets of paper cut in thirds. Help them to think of

things to put on the coupons – “One hour

uninterrupted bubble bath,” “Kisses” or “A flower

garden bouquet.” Let your little person enjoy

decorating the coupons, too.

Help the toddler make paper hearts that may be left

over from Valentine’s Day. If you don’t have leftover

hearts, you can help them cut out paper hearts in

Mother’s favourite colour.

If you have any flowers in the garden, help the toddler

to pick some flowers and put them in a little vase. The

vase could go on the tray for Mother’s breakfast in bed.

Buy a pastel t-shirt for Mother. Then, using fabric paint, get all the children place their hands into

the paint and press them into the fabric. Be sure to write down the child’s name and age on their

handprint. You can also write the date on the t-shirt so Mother will be able to look back and see

how the children have grown over the years.

Use macaroni pasta and some string or wool for your toddler sibling to make a necklace or

bracelet for Mother. Use markers to colour the pasta before threading; your sibling will come up

with a colourful creation for sure.

Let the toddler create a card for Mother. Make sure you stay close by when they are making their

card. Help the little one to spell out what he wants his card to say, then you can help him trace

the lines with a glitter marker. Glitter markers are better than actual glitter because the markers

already have the glue in them – easy clean up!



Mother’s Day Brunch Ideas

Show Mother how much she means to you with these Mother’s Day brunch ideas. Rather than

planning breakfast in bed and waking Mother up early, let her sleep in and use these ideas to

create a Mother’s Day brunch Mother will thoroughly enjoy.

She will appreciate not having to cook on Mother’s Day. However, you’ll want to make sure you’re

also prepared to clean up after yourself. There’s no reason to make Mother clean up after the

meal if it’s her special day. Remember you’re letting her relax and enjoy a day without cooking

and cleaning.

Think about the food Mother loves for breakfast or lunch. You may also want to consider items

she wouldn’t normally eat. The goal is to prepare a meal that your mother will enjoy and

remember for a long time.

Start with freshly squeezed orange juice. Then toast bagel halves, spread cream cheese on them

and then top the bagel halves with a few thinly sliced pieces of smoked salmon. You can top them

with capers, red onions or lemons if you want a traditional garnish. Try diced tomatoes or minced

chives for a different taste to this classic brunch item.

Pancakes are also a good choice if you’re serving brunch. You can make them sweet or savoury.

Traditional maple syrup is wonderful as a topping and fresh fruit is also delicious.

Once the main part of the meal has been served, don’t forget a healthy final dish. Many mothers

love fresh strawberries any time of the year. When you want something healthy and delicious,

slice up fresh strawberries and add sliced kiwifruit. Mix the two together. They will make their

own sauce. Serve the fruit with ‘fancy’ cookies such as biscotti, ladyfingers or Amaretto. Your

mother will love the combination of the fruit and cookies.

If it’s okay with Mother and you are reasonably safe and responsible around fragile objects, set

the table to include your family's best dishes and cutlery. These dishes probably aren’t used that

often so why not use them to make Mother feel really special? You can also find fresh flowers

from the garden. Mother will love the extra effort you've made by using some of these Mother’s

Day brunch ideas or coming up with ones of your own.



Homemade Chocolate Truffles – Great Gift for

Mother

Does your mother love chocolate? Many mothers do. If you’ve never

made homemade chocolate truffles, they’re a great gift. Take a look at

these two recipes and choose the one your mother will enjoy most!

These homemade chocolate truffles are only for those with cooking

experience and they may take a while to make, but the results will be well

worth the effort and the wait.

Ingredients:

300 grams (10 ounces) finely chopped dark chocolate

3 tablespoons of unsalted butter

½ cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

¼ cup brandy (optional)

½ cup processed Dutch cocoa powder, finely chopped nuts, or toasted coconut to use as

coating

225 grams (8 ounces) dark (semisweet or bittersweet) chocolate, finely chopped

Instructions:

Place the first amount of chocolate and butter into a medium glass mixing bowl. Microwave them

for 30 seconds. Remove the bowl and stir the ingredients. Replace and repeat a second time. Set

the bowl aside.

Heat the heavy cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan. Heat this over medium heat until it

begins to simmer. Remove it from the heat and add the chocolate mixture into it. Let this stand

for two minutes. Beginning in the centre of the bowl, stir gently with a rubber spatula making



concentric circles until the chocolate is completely melted, smooth and creamy. If you are using

the brandy, gently stir it in now. Pour this into a 20cm x 20 cm (8 x 8-inch) glass baking dish and

place in the refrigerator for about an hour.

When the chocolate has cooled, use a melon baller to scoop the chocolate and place the balls on

parchment paper covered baking sheet. Return the chocolate to the refrigerator for 30 more

minutes.

Place the cocoa powder, chopped nuts and toasted coconut each in a separate bowl or pie pan.

Set them aside. Melt the second amount of chocolate in a medium glass mixing bowl which has

been set on top of a heating pad. Adjust the temperature to begin melting the chocolate and

allow it to reach between 32 and 33 degrees Centigrade (90 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit) but no

higher than 34 degrees Centigrade (94 degrees Fahrenheit).

Remove the truffles and roll them with vinyl or latex glove-covered hands. Dip the truffles, one at

a time, in the melted chocolate and then whatever topping your mother prefers. Leave the truffle

in the coating for at least 10 to 15 seconds and then place on clean parchment paper. Allow them

to dry for at least an hour and then place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Some mothers don’t like traditional chocolate. In fact they prefer white chocolate instead. If this is

your mother, try this White Chocolate Truffles recipe.

White Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter

½ cup icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar)

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 egg yolk

225 grams (8 ounces) white chocolate, broken into small pieces

1 cup blanched almonds, lightly toasted



Instructions:

Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler over low heat. Be sure

to stir constantly. Remove it from the heat when it has melted. Add the

sugar, egg yolk and almond extract. Beat this with an electric mixer until

smooth. Pour into a shallow glass casserole, cover and refrigerate for at

least an hour.

Shape the cooled mixture into 2-cm (1-inch) balls. Roll the balls in the

almonds, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours. Store the truffles in

airtight containers in the refrigerator. Serve in miniature foil cups at

room temperature.

To change the flavour, add different flavoured liqueur or brandy, or You

can also add peanut butter with the chocolate and cream if Mother loves peanut butter. In fact,

with homemade chocolate truffles, the possibilities are endless.



Inspiring Words to Include in a Mother's Day Card

Do you need an inspiring quotation for your Mother’s Day card? Let these words of inspiration

help you create the perfect card.

Or you could copy out your favourite quotation onto beautiful paper. Decorate the page, mount

it on coloured card and laminate it. Give it to Mother as a poster

‘A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly

announces she never did care for pie.’ - Tenneva Jordan

‘All mothers are working mothers.’ - Unknown

‘A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity

takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when

trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavour by her kind precepts and

counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.’ -

Washington Irving

‘A man's work is from sun to sun, but a mother's work is never done.’ - Unknown

The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.’ –

Honor de Balzac

‘A mother understands what a child does not say.’ - Unknown

‘The mother's heart is the child's schoolroom.’- Henry Ward Beecher

‘I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my

life.’ - Abraham Lincoln

‘Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.’ - Unknown

‘Mama exhorted her children at every opportunity to 'jump at de sun.' We might not land on the

sun, but at least we would get off the ground.’ - Zora Neale Hurston

‘Let France have good mothers, and she will have good sons.’ - Napoleon Bonaparte

‘Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.’ - Lin Yutang

‘A mother had a slender, small body, but a large heart - a heart so large that everybody's grief and

everybody's joy found welcome in it, and hospitable accommodation.’ - Mark Twain



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happy mothers day

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