How to Celebrate Mother's Day When Your Mother Has Died

The thought of celebrating Mother's Day when your mother has recently died can be difficult. It might seem blasphemous and wrong to have a joyful day when your mother can no longer share it with you. Celebrating your deceased mother, though, can be healing and can help you remember all the mother's days that have gone before, when your mother was there with you.

Here are some ideas about celebrating a motherless Mother's Day:

Mother's Day Tip #1: Plant something beautiful and permanent. Spring is the best time for planting so spend time at a local nursery picking out a perennial plant or tree to plant in your mother's honor. Choose a plant that has your mother's favorite color blooms on it. Plant it somewhere on your property that you will see it every day and remember your mother. Popular choices for trees are magnolias (which in the North bloom around Mother's Day), lilacs, and cherry trees. Popular perennials include roses, bee balm, and lavender.

Mother's Day Tip #2: Start a scrapbook. Everyone has a box (or several) of old photos that never made their way into an album. Pull them out and choose pictures that represent your relationship with your mother. Design a scrapbook with those photos and add commentary to describe the scene in the photos and how you felt at the time being with your mother. This is a beautiful gift to pass down to your children someday.

Mother's Day Tip #3: Invite Mom's friends. Have a party near Mother's Day in honor of your mother. Invite her friends who will appreciate the opportunity to talk about and remember her again. Plan the party as if your mother was going to be there: choose her favorite flowers, favorite foods, and favorite music. Take this time to let yourself reminisce about your mother and learn things about her from her friends you may not have known before.