What Are Your Mother's Day Plans?

When our daughters were born I told my husband that I didn't want to do anything fancy on Mother's Day. There are countless delicious local brunches we could attend, but I used to work in the public relations department of a big hotel. I spent every holiday waiting on news crews to cover our brunches, so spending a holiday in a restaurant makes me feel like I should be working. 

Instead we always look for something a bit different. This year I'm celebrating Mother's Day with my mom and all four of her granddaughters at The Center on May 6. This will be our first time at the Spring Time Tea among the wildflowers. We have our tea dresses and hats ready to go. This is a perfect opportunity for a girls' afternoon that still leaves our nieces free to celebrate with the rest of their extended families on Mother's Day itself.     

I'm also taking my mom to see Hairspray at the Drury Lane Theatre as a mother/daughter activity. We're big fans of this "local" theatre. The shows are always first-rate, parking is free and the commute is easy. If you read the local newspapers, you'll see that the reviewers always give the Drury Lane shows good reviews. We've been to several, as well as several Broadway in Chicago shows, in the past few years. The Drury Lane Theatre always measures up. Hairspray is a fun and silly show that we're looking forward to seeing.

Finally we'll celebrate Mother's Day itself. Our tradition is to plant our vegetable garden and do some yard work before we grill. After a patio project that left most of our backyard a mud pit for two straight summers, I'm really looking forward to spending some time puttering in the dirt. It's not the kind of high-pressure Mother's Day you read about in the newspapers and magazines, but sometimes the best gift is just the time to relax.

A quick poll of my girlfriends shows a full range of activities from going to brunch with the extended family to bike riding on the I&M Canal Heritage Trail to meeting downtown to see Motherhood the Musical at the Royal George Theatre. One friend emailed that she was going to run the stairs at the old Swallow Cliff toboggan slides, but I just pretended not to get that email invite. I realize it's a good workout, but on Mother's Day? 

Whatever you're doing for Mother's Day, now is the time to start planning. Don't wait until the last minute to figure out how you want to celebrate the moms in your life.

Full disclosure:  We've been to many Drury Lane shows. Mostly we pay for the tickets. Once in a while I am invited during a media preview. In either case, my opinions are my own.