5 ways to celebrate Mother’s Day

According to the National Restaurant Association, Mother’s Day is (usually) the busiest day of the year for restaurants, with more than one-third of U.S. adults dining out. This year, with most dining rooms closed, dining out with mom probably won’t be an option — but that doesn’t mean you can’t still share a meal! Ibotta is here to help you get savings, and get creative this Mother’s Day.

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1. Share a meal

Together: Make mom a home-cooked meal. Not a whiz in the kitchen? Use a meal kit like Home Chef, Purple Carrot, or Sun Basket, which include easy-to-make recipes and all the ingredients you need to create a culinary work of art. Start your online order in the Ibotta mobile app to earn cash back on your meal kit purchase! Or, if you’re cooking mom a meal from scratch, add grocery offers in the Ibotta app before you shop and upload your receipt after you check out.

Apart: Treat mom to brunch or dinner in by ordering from her favorite restaurant through Uber Eats, Seamless, or Grubhub. If Drizly is available in her area, you can even complement the meal with a perfectly paired bottle of wine or a six-pack of her most beloved brew! Start in the Ibotta mobile app to earn cash back on your meal or alcohol delivery order.

2. Plant some leaves

Several studies have shown that plants — both inside and outdoors — make us happier and healthier. And who deserves health and happiness more than mom?

Together: Common gardening wisdom holds that the best time to plant your garden is on or after Mother’s Day. While that advice can vary depending on where you live and what you’re planting, we think it’s safe to say that helping mom plant her garden can be a great way to spend Mother’s Day together. Save on gardening supplies and plants when you use Ibotta to shop at The Home Depot and Lowes, both in-store and online.

Apart: If you live far away (or if neither of you has a green thumb), you can still give mom the gift of greenery. Earn cash back when you place a Mother’s Day order for a blooming bouquet or potted plant from 1800Flowers.com through the Ibotta app.

3. Get crafty

Whether she’s a master scrapbooker or she’s been itching to teach you how to cross-stitch, today is the day to take part in her favorite hobby.

Together: Pick a project to work on together. One easy idea is to round up and organize loose photos into albums or scrapbooks. You’ll both enjoy the walk down memory lane! Refinish a piece of family furniture together, or take mom up on her long-standing offer to teach you how to crochet or quilt. Want something you can hang on the wall? Set up a couple of easels and grab some canvases and cocktails for a paint-and-sip session. You can save on supplies when you shop online or in-store at JOANN with the Ibotta app and in-store at Michaels using Pay with Ibotta for a contact-free checkout.

Apart: If you can’t get crafty with mom in person, set aside some time to connect over a video calling platform like Zoom, Google Hangouts, or Houseparty. If you have a shared hobby like knitting, you can chat and craft, or search online for easy adult crafting kits or adult coloring books and order one for each of you to tackle while you talk! You’ll find plenty to choose from on sites like Etsy.com.

4. Entertain her

We love the idea of taking mom to the theater or a concert on Mother’s Day, but with many entertainment venues shuttered, you may need to get creative.

Together: Most movie theatres are still closed, but if Mom is a film fanatic, get her a gift card to her favorite theatre so she can enjoy a flick when they reopen. Earn instant cash back at both Regal Cinemas and AMC Theatres when you use Pay with Ibotta! Or, stay in and rent a movie, binge the latest hit series on Hulu, or catch a virtual concert — musicians and artists are announcing new live shows to stream nearly every day. Search online and check your local listings.

Apart: You might not be able to share a bowl of popcorn, but you can still watch a movie or binge your favorite TV show together using platforms like Kast or Netflix Party, or simply by using screen sharing on Zoom or Google Hangouts. Or, give the gift of a subscription to Hulu, Sling TV, or SiriusXM and earn cash back on all three when you sign mom up through the Ibotta mobile app.

5. Give the perfect gift

We know this one seems obvious, but hear us out!

Together: For most moms, the best gift they can get is the gift of time spent with YOU. So, how about spending the afternoon online shopping together or supporting local coffee shops and businesses (while social distancing, of course!)? Mom gets the gift of you, and you get to find the perfect gift for mom. It’s a win-win! Cozy up on the couch together and fill your online shopping cart (starting in the Ibotta app) at stores like Ann Taylor, Coach, Kohls, ModCloth, and The Body Shop. Or, snag her a gift card using Pay with Ibotta at participating retailers like Barnes & Noble, Athleta, Sephora, Bath & Body Works, and more to earn instant cash back before you even shop!

Apart: You know mom better than almost anyone, so consider what she really wants this Mother’s Day. If she’s a fitness buff, consider a new pair of workout shoes from Adidas or Nike. Fashionistas will flip for a StitchFix gift subscription. If she can’t wait for camping season, consider gear from Backcountry or Cabela’s. And if she loves vino, you can’t go wrong with a membership to Winc Wine Club. Start your online shopping in the Ibotta mobile app to earn cash back from these companies and many more.

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*Just remember, whatever gifting route you decide to take, it’s the thought that counts. Happy Mother’s Day from Ibotta!