3. I have been called a “Guy’s Guy,” but I want you to give Mom a tea party. Invite family as well as friends who are close to your Mom. Prepare some super-sweetened iced tea or flavored hot tea and serve my world-famous, not to be missed, will-make-you-toes-curl-they-are-so-good tea sandwiches (see my recipe below) and cookies. By the way, I don’t believe in those really small tea sandwiches. You’ll see my trimming instructions below.

Darryl’s Tasty Crab & Lobster Tea Sandwich Recipe

1/4 cup finely chopped chives
3/4-cup soft butter or cream cheese
20 slices of bread of your choice (I suggest wheat or sourdough)
1/2-cup mayonnaise
2 cups finely chopped crab and lobster
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Trim the crust off of the bread. Combine the chives and butter and spread this mixture onto 1 side of 10 slices of bread. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl, and then spread the mixture over the other 10 bread slices. Top with the other 10 slices, and cut in half. Makes 20 tea sandwiches.

4. Make Mom famous. Record you and the rest of the family and friends saying what they love about Mom. Upload this video to YouTube.com and the entire world will know how great your Mom is.

5. Take Mom out to the mall for some shopping.

6. Tell Mom to sleep in. If need be, get a friend to take the kids for one night so that she can get those extra zzzzzzs.

7. Get some of your favorite photos from back through the years and create a photo collage highlighting the special moments that your Mom will appreciate.

8. Get Mom some delicious chocolates.

9. Okay, okay. Get Mom jewelry.

10. Spring for a special cruise or other comfortable vacation for Mom.

11. Spend the entire day with Mom.

12. If your Mother likes to travel, I suggest you take her to Venice for a ride on a Gondola. She will treasure the experience forever.

13. Tell Mom to read for fun. Stack up all the magazines she’s let back up for the past several months and just let her read!

14. Take Mom out for breakfast. As much as I think that making breakfast with my kids for my wife is a great thing — we always leave the kitchen less-than-Mom-worthy when we’ve finished. Plus, are my kids really making pancakes that taste good? (I refuse to answer this question!) Let’s just say we can cut out the hassle and get the quality by taking Mom out for breakfast. Be it upscale or Denny’s or Roscoe’s Grits and Waffles – it’s all good!

15. Take Mom on a walk with your kids.

Be Creative (or just pick from this list!)

16. Hug your Mom for a Really Long Time – What I’m talking about here is taking a Moment to give your Mom one of those really deep hugs where you hold and squeeze them until they say stop. While you are holding them, tell them how fortunate you are to have her as your Mom. Hug her several times throughout the day.

17. Create a Memory Video. Record members of the family detailing memories they have of Mom. Present the DVD to Mom and have all of the family members sitting around her as she watches this walk down memory lane.

18. Write a letter to your children about how being their parent has enriched you. Save these letters in a special journal or album to give to your children when they become parents themselves.

19. Spend some time looking through your scrapbooks and reflecting on the bounty of love that comes to you via family and maternal love.

20. Hold a 3-way conference call with your sibling(s) and your Mom and sing a special (written by you) in celebration of Mother’s Day song.

21. Write a letter to your Mom that recounts something your Mom did for you that helped you for the rest of your life (or for just that day).

22. Host a Mother’s Day party for your Mom and her friends who are Moms.

23. [For Mom to do] Journal Your Motherhood Journey – You don’t have to be a professional to write a few thoughts about all the things you’re grateful for as a Mother. Do a list of what’s great about being a Mom. I like lists. As an example, you could start with: A is for Athletics – You could write about all the weekday afternoons, mornings and weekends you spend driving your kid(s) back and forth from their sports practice. C is for Cousins – as in you are not sure that you trust your child with their cousins. Hey! You know what I’m talking about!

24. [For Mom to do] Time for Mom’s Adventure Stories. I still remember the first time my kids asked me to, “Tell us an Adventure Story!” They told me that my stories of my childhood, my work-life, my cousins, my sports experiences, my vacations, them as little kids, my time in the military, etc. – were Adventure Stories. And they loved them! Give it a shot yourself.

25. [For Mom to do] Give Thanks for being a Mother!

26. Bake cookies with and for Mom.

27. Take Mom to the beach and collect seashells.

28. Plant a flower garden with Mom.

29. Play a board game with Mom. This is especially great to do with your kids and Mom.

30. Go out dancing with Mom.

31. Watch a funny movie with Mom.

32. Take a walk around the block or in the park with Mom.

Your Mom will be the envy of the neighborhood!

33. Trace your kid’s hands on pieces of paper. Cut out the outline of the hands. Then take a 3-foot long piece of string and attach each end to one of the hand cutouts. On one hand write the word “Mom.” On the other hand write the words, “I Love You This Much!” Send to Mom or give to her. She’ll keep this forever.

34. Create a memory book. Get copies of family photos and write captions to accompany them. Then have each family member and friend-of-Mom write a special letter to be placed in the book.

35. Make Mom her favorite meal. Mom usually spends a lot of time cooking and baking for others (you know who you are), but she doesn’t often get a chance to be waited on. This Mother’s Day, surprise Mom by “burning” her favorite dish. And YOU do the dishes!

36. Give Mom a coupon book (that you make) full of things she will love to do. She can redeem them for a date at the movies, a day at the spa, a day not doing the dishes, or anything else that she would enjoy.

37. Host a Mom-movie-thon. Get DVDs of Mom’s favorite movies and set her up for an afternoon/evening with her favorite snacks and beverages.

38. Clean the house. Get Mom away from the house on a bogus trip with a family or friend. Then clean the house (or hire someone else to do so). She will be surprised and thrilled to come home to cleaned everything!

39. Take a photo of everyone in the family. Get the photo supersized and framed. Then give it to Mom as a gigantic surprised.

40. Take Mom on a Picnic.

The Genius Is In Your Personal Touch

41. Update Mom’s Wardrobe. My advice: Hit the stores with a personal shopper and let Mom go to town.

42. Update Mom’s Room. My advice: Hit the home accessory stores and load up on pillows, and other stuff that will freshen up Mom’s favorite room.

43. Tell Mom “Happy Mother’s Day!” first thing in the morning. Don’t wait.

44. Get Mom a bouquet of 100 flowers. The more, the better. This is kind of a repeat of number 2 – but, it’s worth it.

45. Make Mom an oversized Mother’s Day card using materials found at the department or office wares store. My kids and I did this a few years ago and my Mother still has the card out in her living room where every visitor can see it!

46. Make a quilt memento. Get pieces of scrap fabric from around the house and the fabric store. Each member of the family gets a different-looking piece of fabric. Sew the pieces together (or get then sewn by a professional). Ask each member of the family to sign their quilt piece with a special message to Mom. Kids can make their handprints in ink on their piece. Make sure that you place the date on the quilt, as this will be a keepsake for generations. You may also want to get the quilt placed in a frame.

47. This Mother’s Day, treat Mom to breakfast in bed. Serve her donuts, fruit slices, and juice on a tray along with some hand picked flowers and small gifts from everyone in the family.