Water cooler: Let your imagination bloom with these Mother’s Day gifts
Uh-oh – where has the time gone? It is almost Mother’s Day. Do you have a gift ready for mom or another special woman or caregiver in your life?
Getting the perfect Mother’s Day gift may be a bit more challenging this year since we are not in school and not able to get to the store as much. Here are some ideas to help you figure out a creative and meaningful gift for this Mother’s Day.
Handprint art: This is a classic gift that parents and caregivers never get tired of. You can paint your hand and use it as a stamp, or you could trace your hand and fill it in with your own design. With a little imagination you use handprints to create flowers, trees, caterpillars, birds, butterflies and more. Don’t forget to mark your age so later you can look back and see how much you’ve grown over time.
Painted flower pots: Make a special flower pot. Decorate it with the recipient’s favorite colors, flowers, animals, fun geometric designs or whatever comes to mind. You can even put a houseplant in it to serve as a constant reminder of your love as it grows.
A bouquet: Flowers always make for a cheerful gift. You can get a bouquet from the store or go on a nature walk and collect things for your custom bouquet along the way. Don’t forget to stick it in water.
A letter: Make someone feel loved by writing down your thoughts and feelings about them. Share your favorite memories, things they do that you are thankful for, the special things about them that you especially like, and what they mean to you.
Painted rocks: A painted rock can be a great way to remind someone you love them. Paint a happy face on it so they can look at it when they’re having a rough day, or paint them as a cute bug to place in the garden, or you could even use a few of them to create a mosaic. This one has unlimited possibilities.
Coupons: This is a great gift if you don’t have a lot of craft supplies available. You can make coupons for favors like cleaning part of the house, doing the dishes, massages, quiet time, a car wash, a hug, yard work, laundry, a movie together and even a wild card if you are brave enough.
Breakfast in bed: This is probably the ultimate Mother’s Day gift. Let Mom stay in bed while you slave in the kitchen this time. Have another adult help you for the harder parts. Mom will surely be impressed.
Brain train
Test your knowledge with today’s trivia question
Which of these was not a color Bob Ross used in his paintings?
- Dark Sienna
- Sap Green
- Tin Silver
- Alizarin Crimson
Tuesday’s answer: Eagleton
Cinco de Mayo
Did you celebrate Cinco de Mayo Tuesday?
Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday that translates in English as “The Fifth of May.”
A lot of Americans celebrate the holiday by enjoying Mexican food, but if your family and friends aren’t of Mexican heritage you may not have heard the history or meaning of the holiday. Here are a few Cinco de Mayo facts to help you learn more about this annual celebration.
The holiday celebrates the Battle of Puebla, which happened on May 5, 1862. There was a lot of turmoil on the North American continent as this was also during the years of the American Civil War.
In 1861, 6,000 French troops under General Charles Latrille de Lorencez were sent to invade Mexico (not for the first time) with the intent to collect debts incurred during Mexico’s battle for independence from Spain. Despite the French army being larger and better equipped, the Mexicans were able to claim victory in the city of Puebla.
The battle lasted less than one day with the French pulling back after losing nearly 500 men. Fewer than 100 Mexicans died at the battle.
The French army later regrouped and eventually took Mexico City, but the day still stood as a morale boost to the Mexicans for standing against overwhelming odds.
A common misconception is that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day, but that is actually Sept. 16, which celebrates Mexico’s independence from Spain.
According to history.com, “Chicano activists raised awareness of the holiday in the 1960s, in part because they identified with the victory of indigenous Mexicans (such as Juárez) over European invaders during the Battle of Puebla.”
The holiday is continued in America as a celebration of Mexican-American culture. In the city of Pueblo, Mexicans celebrate with art festivals and reenactments of the battle.
For many Mexicans, however, May 5 is a day like any other: It is not a federal holiday, so offices, banks and stores remain open.
Arts and crafts
Need someone to doodle with? Try Mo Willems, artist in residence at The Kennedy Center.
In March, the Kennedy Center launched a series of videos called “Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems!” The entire series has 15 episodes and each one features Willems sharing a few thoughts about life in quarantine and about what he should doodle that day.
He gives time for kids to get their supplies and draw along. Willems also answers audience questions that cover anything from what games he likes to play to his favorite characters from his books. He shows some of his old notebooks, talks about his studio and his ideas and processes behind some of his doodles and stories.
Willems is a writer, animator and voice actor, so he knows how to get kids inspired about their ideas and creations. If you have a bored kid at the house, check out this video series – each episode has been archived on The Kennedy Center YouTube channel as well as at kennedy-center.org. Find the doodles from other participating young artists with the hashtag, #MoLunchDoodles.
Looking for more of a challenge? You can follow along with the teachings of Bob Ross on one of his two series available on Netflix: “Beauty is Everywhere” and “Chill with Bob Ross.”