How 2 Women Are Celebrating Their Moms From Afar This Mother's Day

The spring of 2020 did not go the way any of us planned. Birthday parties, weekend trips, graduations, and countless other celebrations had to be postponed or adjusted to fit the new reality. Take Mother's Day, for instance: while you might have spent previous years at a fancy brunch or family party, this year's celebration may need to take place virtually, if you're not sheltering in place together.

On a typical Mother's Day, Minna and her sister would usually take their mom out for a day of browsing local boutiques and plant nurseries. Since they won't be able to spend time together in person this year, Minna plans to send her mom a few of her favorite things — including a hydroponic indoor garden for her green thumb and some luxury skin-care products for an at-home spa moment.

Minna said she's also trying to make Mother's Day as personal as possible for her mom, since she can't wrap her up in a hug the way she'd like to. "Thoughtfully written cards or even making a little home video with old photos and videos of memories together can be such a mood booster and loving gesture," Minna said.

Of course, Minna's also hoping to connect face to face with her mom on Mother's Day — over video chat, that is. "Where would we be without video chat nowadays?" she joked. Minna relies on the easy-to-use Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G* to make staying in touch seamless. "My mom normally isn't the biggest fan of video chats, but she's gotten used to it now since we video chat every other day — if not every day — to just check in on each other," she said. "This way, we feel like we know what each other is up to and our lives aren't so distant, despite the physical distance."

For Chelsea and her mom, Mother's Day usually revolves around food. In years past, Chelsea put together a special menu and spent Mother's Day afternoon cooking with her mom. The time they spend together in the kitchen is almost as special as the meal itself. "Since I will not be able to cook for her this year, we plan on cooking together via video call and having a virtual brunch," Chelsea said. "Anything that can help elevate our virtual interactions makes her feel loved and appreciated."

Video chatting is an integral part of staying close during social distancing for Chelsea and her mom, and Mother's Day will be no different. "I always check in to make sure she is staying home and have convinced her that grocery delivery or curbside pickup is the safest option for her," Chelsea said, noting that her mom has been using the time at home to focus on her health and wellness routine. Chelsea said she's been texting her mom photos of her healthy meals for inspiration, since the revolutionary camera on her Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G makes them look especially good. She plans to send her mom a few relaxing gifts — like detoxifying bath salts, a scented candle, and new bamboo sheets — to make her home even cozier.

Thankfully, Chelsea said keeping in touch with her mom has been incredibly easy with her Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G. Since it's so easy to use, she also recommends it as a Mother's Day gift — no matter how tech savvy your mom is. "She'll be able to take lots of high-quality pictures and share them with you and other family members," Chelsea said. Plus, this smartphone will actually help her take better snapshots: Using the revolutionary Single Take AI feature, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G allows you to shoot for up to 10 seconds, then recommends the shots and formats that look best. It's an easy way to level up Mom's photography skills — and who doesn't want better photos?