How to Plan a Mother's Day Dinner

Create a special evening for Mom on Mother's Day or any time of the year.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Flowers
• Photo Albums
• Taper Candles
• Fine China
• Cameras
• Cameras

1. Determine how many guests you will have over for dinner.

2. Choose a menu. Keep in mind Mom's favorite dishes and her particular likes and dislikes. Remember that your goal is to please Mom, not yourself.

3. Make a shopping list. Include fresh flowers for the table and for Mom.

4. Shop a few days ahead and prioritize your efforts.

5. Prepare as much of the food as possible ahead of time. Give yourself a lot of extra time to get the dinner ready. Mom shouldn't lift a finger.

6. Consider hosting a potluck (at which Mom doesn't bring anything) and invite your siblings, other family members and/or neighbors and their kids. It's a great way to get extra help for the evening and create a sense of family and community.

7. Clean the house and clear away any clutter.

8. Set the mood. Light candles, decorate the table and set it with your best china. Dim the lights if you'd like.

9. Take photos to commemorate the evening. Combine the resulting photos in an album and give it to Mom.

10. Greet Mom with hugs, kisses and enthusiasm. Offer her a drink and a cozy chair.

11. Shower Mom with gifts.

12. Make a toast. Share with Mom how much you love and appreciate her. Invite others to do the same.

13. Make sure Mom doesn't help with the cleanup. Ask her to do a project outside of the kitchen, like smell the flowers, gaze out the window or read a book you've recommended. Let her relax.

14. Smile. Kiss and hug your mother.

Tips & Warnings

• This is not the occasion for you to get back at your mother for making you eat brussels sprouts when you were 10. Be considerate, loving and generous, and everyone is bound to have a great time.

[neucar2001]

on 5/6/2009 Create a slide show with photos of Mom and the children. Start from birth until now. Add as many as you would like. Add songs to the slide show that relate to a mother/child relationship. This is a gift that really is PRICELESS!!!! Mom will LOVE IT!!!!!!!

on 9/18/2006 For little children - write a coupon book with chores. Present it to your mother. She can present a coupon to you and you'll have to clean the dishes or clean your room without mumbling and grumbling! Trust me. Mothers love it.

on 3/21/2006 Buy a pretty notebook and invite all your siblings to write something that they remember their mother used to do that meant a lot to them, maybe a meal they used to make or a special joke they would have together. Present it to your mother, and add to it from time to time.