Today I realized something: MOTHER’S DAY IS TOMORROW.

Which would be fine and dandy and wonderful, if it didn’t come with the realization that I DIDN’T PLAN AHEAD. Two of the moms in my life (the two who are MY moms, mind you) live at a distance where, uh, this means they’re getting a nice text and a delayed gift. Again.

This is an ongoing problem for me, and especially lately. Ahhh, well.

Let me help YOU, though, with YOUR Mother’s Day gift giving, shall I?

I wrote this little piece for our Knights of Columbus newsletter last year, and I dug it up recently. (Confession: the newsletter editor saved my skin and dug it up when I was woefully late and stuck for this month’s submission.)

Mother's Day Gift Ideas (that won't cost a dime) - SnoringScholar.com

If you’re like any of the men I know, you’re longing to find just THE right gift for that special mom in your life, whether she’s the mom of your children or your own mom or a special spiritual mother. Here are three ideas:

For the mom who wants time alone:

Oh yes, you can be awesome and give her an entire Saturday, but you could also arrange to give her an hour or two every Saturday through the winter, couldn’t you? Winter seems to be a particularly challenging time for me (mentally and physically), and the opportunity to be alone every week would be a truly wonderful gift.

Make this gift really shine by involving Eucharistic Adoration somehow.

For the mom whose list is longer than your arm:

It’s possible she’s bad at planning or that she’s bitten off more than she can chew. It’s also possible that she’s just in that season of life where things are busy. So why not offer her your help–your actual, physical, full- attention self for a few hours every week?

Now, mind you, you might have to be a little sneaky about this. She might nod and thank you and expect you to forget. There’s some accountability you’re going to have to take on to really give this as a gift of yourself to this mom. But wrapping a virtual ribbon around yourself and offering to fold laundry, do dishes, juggle schedules, or any number of other things will be something she won’t ever forget.

For the mom who’s technology-challenged:

Can you offer to be tech support for her? To take care of all the annoying little things that come up with her computer, her phone, or her other devices? Can you program her TV, make the remote work with the DVD player, or set up the computer to leave her alone about the anti-virus controls?

What would you add, moms?