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Away From Your Mom This Mother’s Day? 10 Last Minute Virtual Options to Celebrate Her

Honor Mom with a long-distance game night or picnic this year, even if you can’t be with her

Mother’s Day can be a mixed emotional bag if you find yourself away from your mom. Distance, naturally, can make the celebration options far more limited given that the usual brunch and in-person flower delivery isn’t a viable idea. If you’re struggling to figure out how to honor Mom this Mother’s Day, even if you’re apart, here are 10 last minute virtual options to consider. 

Take a virtual garden tour for Mother’s Day

Nothing says “I love you, Mom,” more than quality time, and while you may be away from her this Mother’s Day, a virtual garden tour is a great way to still spend meaningful moments together. There are dozens of virtual garden tours to choose from, all accessible thanks to the world wide web. For example, “travel” to England and take a tour of the Highgrove Gardens, home to King Charles III and Queen Camilla (a great option if Mom loves all things royal). If she loves art, a virtual tour of Monet’s garden at Giverny awaits you both courtesy of YouTube. Travel from France to the United States and round out your garden extravaganza at the Botanic Gardens in Washington, D.C.’s Bartholdi Park. Thanks to the world wide web and a quick search of virtual garden tours, there are plenty more to choose from!

Treat your mom to virtual wine tasting

Going wine tasting brings out the lavishness in so many people, so why not indulge Mom with a virtual wine tasting experience this Mother’s Day? For this one, you may need a hand from someone who can take a trip to BevMo! near her home, or scope out the DoorDash options in her area for wine delivery. With that said, here’s what you’ll need to do. Start by picking out a wine selection you know she’ll like – from whites to reds to champagnes and rosé options, choose four bottles, mini bottles, fun cans, or wine samplers worth indulging in. From there, consider ordering a wine flight sampler board (with overnight delivery courtesy of Amazon) and having it shipped to her. Once the selection is presented and the Zoom is set up, the two of you can indulge in sipping and sampling, even if you can’t be together. 

Experience a virtual escape room with your mom

For the moms who love adventures and problem solving, an online escape room is a fun and unique option for a long-distance Mother’s Day activity. Thanks to the depths of Google, there are plenty to choose between, from Harry Potter-themed Hogwarts escapism to Romeo & Juliet-inspired plots. Simply set a time on Mother’s Day for you to get together with Mom, spring the news on her that she’ll need to get ready for a quest, and indulge from there!

Sign up for a virtual cooking class

For the moms who love to expand their culinary skills, a virtual cooking class you can do together is a great option for Mother’s Day. If you don’t know where to start, simply head to Sur La Table to browse their variety of gourmet cooking class options, and you and Mom will be making shrimp tacos, chocolate cake, and fun cocktails in no time. If you want to kick it up a notch, sign Mom up for a year of MasterClass, where chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Roy Choi spill their culinary secrets.

Related: The 50 Best Mother’s Day Instagram Captions to Show Your Love This Year

Learn how to flower arrange with your mom in a virtual class for Mother’s Day 

Mother’s Day is all about the flowers, and instead of sending her a bouquet courtesy of a local delivery, sign up for a virtual flower arranging class with Mom. This takes the standard gift to the next level – not only are you getting to spend quality time together, but both of you will walk away from the experience with a new skill and beautiful flowers in the house! To help spark inspiration, check out Alice’s Table and their virtual classes with 1-800-FLOWERS. You’ll be able to learn the basics, can hop on over to the succulent side of things, and leave Mom feeling well taken care of.

Take a virtual fitness class with mom

Some moms live and breathe fitness. If that’s yours, taking a virtual fitness class together on Mother’s Day will be the perfect present to make up for the long distance. Set aside some time with Mom – maybe not on Mother’s Day itself so she can have a much-deserved break – and get ready to sweat! Thanks to services like ClassPass, Peloton, Alo, and Mindbody, there are plenty of classes to choose from that cater to all fitness levels. If you really want to turn the gift up a notch, send Mom a virtual Mother’s Day card with a gift certificate to her favorite workout store – think Lululemon, Fabletics, and plenty more – so she can be outfitted for your fun fitness day together! 

Have a long-distance game night 

Nothing gets the good cheer going like a game night, and Mom will love tapping into her competitive side – and seeing your silly antics – during a virtual game night. Simply set up a Zoom call, choose some games, and get to playing! Options like Heads Up! are great for the trivia lovers, while Outburst will force the whole family to work together in a Family Feud-type setting. If you really want things to get silly, a round of Quiplash – an Apples to Apples-style game – will make fill in the blank that much funnier. If Mom is on the artistic side, opt for Drawful 2, a Pictionary-based game that’s perfect to play virtually. 

Related: The 7 Best Pickleball Shoes for Women That Look and Feel Great

Host a virtual paint and sip night with your mom for Mother’s Day

Paint and sip nights have taken the world by storm, and if your mom is in for a giggle and a silly craft night, hosting this virtual event will be the perfect Mother’s Day option. To begin, order some cute Paint by Number options (again with overnight shipping), and have them sent to both you and Mom. The best time to do this is the evening, so set aside an hour or so and set up the Zoom camera. From there, you and Mom can sip your favorite wine, paint a cute design together, and cherish the finished product as a symbol of a Mother’s Day well spent. 

Have a virtual movie night with your mom for Mother’s Day

There’s nothing better than curling up on the couch with your mom and watching a favorite film, and thanks to the internet, you can create a virtual movie night to celebrate her on Mother’s Day. Before you hesitate, don’t assume that you’ll simply be FaceTiming Mom while she’s watching her movie of choice. For example, options like Rave will sync your platform to hers so you can watch your movie at the same time, free from unmatched audio problems and video lagging. Teleparty is another great service that you and Mom can both download as a Google extension, allowing you both to jump into your respective cozy beds and watch together, even while apart. 

Host a virtual brunch

Brunch is a Mother’s Day staple, and while you may not be able to join Mom for the big day, you can still indulge her by hosting a virtual brunch. Ahead of the main event, browse the restaurant delivery options near Mom’s house and pick out a delicious spread to have sent to her. Similarly pick a brunch delivery option for yourself, line up the arrival times, and then set up a video call with her. The two of you will be able to indulge in yummy treats, all while chatting and enjoying each other’s company. Bonus! If you can get Mom’s spouse involved, have them pick up her favorite flowers and set the table perfectly so she’s extra pampered. 


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