5 ways to make Mother's Day special when you're far apart

Celebrate Mother's Day by taking an online class together - dance or cooking classes are widely available. Photo / 123rf

While Mother's Day might usually mean family brunch or afternoon teas, this year we're all doing things a little differently.

But there are plenty of ways to treat your mum, even when you can't be together.

Win the ultimate Mother's Day IOU with our Bay of Islands mini break competition

The classic Mother's Day IOU

It's not too late. Buy a voucher today and Mum will get that email immediately. Massages and spa treatments are off the table for now, but you can bet they're coming back. You can buy now and she can book later - those businesses will appreciate the support, and Mum has something lovely to look forward to once lockdown is lifted.

A family get-together

The Mother's Day phone call no longer cuts it. This year, you can gather the family face to face, even if you're in different houses, cities and even time zones. Download Zoom, fire up the Facebook Messenger app or send each other invites to Houseparty. There are so many ways to connect right now and Mum can see all your beautiful faces at once.

Celebrating Mother's Day - with a twist. Photo / Unsplash

Go to the movies together

There are myriad ways to share a screen with your loved ones from afar, from Netflix Party to Google Play. Google Play allows up to five households to access your video library (as well as any downloaded books, e-books, apps and games you have). Netflix Party synchronises your playback, ensuring everyone is at the same spot. You could dial into a group video call, but we'd recommend choosing a message service such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp or the group chat service Netflix Party provides.

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Take a class together online

From cooking classes to dance classes, the world of learning has moved online since lockdown began. Why not sign the two of you up for Tapac's vintage jazz class on Monday evenings - classes are streamed on Zoom for $9 a session. Or follow along on Instagram at @annabellelangbein and @joshemmet and have a live cook-off.

Take your mum to the theatre

Is your mum a stage fan? Broadway HD allows you to stream all your favourite Broadway hits form home. From the classics such as Kiss Me, Kate to contemporaries like Brokeback Mountain, with Shakespeare and Dickens in between, a subscription will see her through until you can book her a box seat in the real world (broadwayhd.com).