Mothers have been celebrated since ancient Greek and Roman times. The Greek maternal goddess Rhea was highly respected, while in Rome a spring festival called Hilaria was held in honour of the mother goddess Cybele.
In England since the 17th century, the Virgin Mary was celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent, with the day eventually becoming a celebration of all mothers.
In the United States in the 1870s, the idea of an official Mother’s Day was first discussed. By 1911 it was being celebrated annually ‘unofficially’, and in 1914 President Woodrow Wilson declared that Mother’s Day would fall on the second Sunday of May. During the Second World War American troops spread the tradition to other nations, and so began Mother’s Day in many other countries around the world.
There are many ways you can show your mum how much you love and respect her this year, from the simplest hug and kiss to more elaborate gifts and tokens of your appreciation. Here we’ve thought of 10 ways you might want to display how much you care for your mum…

1. Take her out for lunch at Lantern Club’s MàZi Restaurant

Gather up your family and friends and celebrate Mother’s Day with an extra special celebration at Lantern Club’s MàZi Restaurant. We’re offering a special set Mother’s Day menu with three entrée and dessert options, and four main course options. Indulge in delicious dishes such as Szechuan seasoned tiger prawns, veal scallopine and seared salmon fillet, finished off with indulgent desserts including classic cream caramel and dark chocolate panna cotta.
Enjoy lunch with our extensive range of boutique beers, wines and maybe some champagne, to add an extra special touch to your Mother’s Day celebrations.
To make the day extra special, the ‘Lombardo Jazz Trio’ will be performing in the lounge from 11.30am-3.30pm.
*Please note there are vegetarian options in every course.
Update: Unfortunately, it looks like MàZi Restaurant is now completely booked out on Mother’s Day. However if you’d like to make a booking for you and your mum on another day, call (02) 8037 8200, or book online.

 2. Organise a trip to the Botanical Gardens

Buying flowers is a traditional gift on Mother’s Day, and it’s clearly a favourite for most mothers. But take it a step further and spend a few hours with her at the local Botanical Gardens, inviting family and friends to celebrate the day with her as well. Organise a picnic dinner with cheeses, cold meats, olives and wine and relax into the afternoon.

3. Take her shopping

Most women love shopping, and chances are your mother is no different. Take her to some of her favourite stores, and if the budget stretches far enough, pay for a personal shopper to accompany you so she feels extra special. Most malls or department stores have a personal shopping service, and they will be able to offer some great ideas that you and your mum might not have otherwise thought of.

4. Weekend away

Either pay for your mum to enjoy a weekend away with her husband, a friend or by herself, or you can accompany her to make it extra special. Think about what she enjoys and find a retreat that fits such as yoga, spa treatments and art. If she’s into golf, maybe take her to a links course with accompanying resort so she can play a great course during the day, and get pampered in the evening.

5. Technology to stay in touch

If your mother doesn’t live close by, and hasn’t organised an easy, efficient way to stay in touch, pay for a technician to go to her home and set up the latest technology. Maybe all she needs is someone to set up her Skype account, make sure her internet connection is strong, or connect a webcam to her computer, but whatever it is make it easy for her to stay in touch and see your face. It’s especially important if they have grandchildren they want to see and speak to regularly.

6. Give mum the day off

This one is easy and doesn’t require any financial outlay. Start the day by making her breakfast in bed, and then do any chores that your mum normally does. This could include doing the laundry, weeding the garden, vacuuming, ironing and cooking dinner. While she’s got her feet up, make sure she’s entertained with a new book, a movie she’s always wanted to see, or a CD of her favourite music. This is a great idea for getting the children involved, and could be accompanied by gifts they may have made at school for her.
Somewhere in between all of that work for you, and relaxation for mum, take her to MàZi Restaurant at Lantern Club for an incredible lunch. For details, check out number one in this list again!

7. Donate to mother’s charities

For the mother who has everything, or who has insisted on not getting any gifts, perhaps you could make a donation to a mother’s charity on her behalf. There are lots of charities that help mothers who are doing it tough, and it might be a great way to get your mum a gift without actually giving her something materialistic.

8. Book of memories

Modern technology has made it super easy to create your own professional looking books, so why not gather up as many photos of your mum as possible and submit them to an online book making and printing service. It could be a mix of photos from her youth, of you and her together, or of her doing some of the aMàZing things she’s done and achieved throughout her life. Memories are often the most precious things we have, and to be able to recollect those by flipping the pages of a book dedicated to her would be extra special.

9. Make a home video

Every camera and smartphone these days has a built in video camera, so it’s easy to gather friends and family to make a short video of everyone telling her how much she means to them. Smartphone apps and free online tools makes editing a breeze, and if you’re not confident enough to do it yourself, there’s bound to be someone you know who can do it easily. Send her a copy on a DVD, via a free online transfer service such as We Transfer, or post it to Facebook so everyone can see how much she means to you.

10. Bake a cake

If you have kids, this is a great activity to do together. They can help make the cake, and then add their own personal touches to the decorations. Nothing says I love you more than making something for your mum with your hands, especially if the children have played their part.
The most important thing for mothers is almost always their family and friends, so no matter what you do, try and incorporate this into the day as best you can. Putting some effort and thought into the day, and thinking about how you can make Mother’s Day unique to her, will show her how special she is to you and your family. For all mothers their number one concern is the welfare and happiness of their children and grandchildren, so on this special day of the year it’s important to turn the tables and make sure she is well looked after. While gifts are always appreciated, often a kiss and an ‘I love you’ is the best way to express how much you care, and is what she’ll remember long after the day is over.
While we no longer have availability on Mother’s Day, you can still make a booking at Lantern Club’s MàZi Restaurant on another day. Just call (02) 8037 8200, or book online.
 
© Lantern Club, Roselands