5 Things To Do When You Forget Mother’s Day

Belated brunch is better than no brunch at all, so make sure she knows that she might not have anything to show for giving you birth right now, but some bagels and lox are rapidly approaching.

By Christopher Hudspeth

Updated 8 months ago, May 9, 2024

Moms are so important, yet we only celebrate them for this one day — I mean, even sharks get an entire week, so we’ve really got to make this count. If you somehow managed to miss the memo, you’ve got some damage control and critical thinking to do. Here are five tips to help you along the way.

1. Pretend Like You Were Playing A Joke

Oh, of course I knew it was Mother’s Day, I just wanted you to think that I forgot your special day so you’d be super bummed for 24-hours, then have your spirits jolted high upon this revelation. Your phone call and gifts are no longer “forgotten,” so much as they are intentionally tardy. I know this sounds a lot like a sitcom character’s unrealistic solution, but depending on your acting ability and how quickly you can wrangle up a sentimental gift, it’s possible to pull it off. Technically speaking, you actually did forget the day, so you’re already a method actor of sorts as it is.

2. Blame It On The Crowds

Explain to your beloved mother that you wanted to save her he trouble of lengthy waits in packed restaurants for brunch, so you’ll be treating her in the future, on a less active day. Belated brunch is better than no brunch at all, so make sure she knows that she might not have anything to show for giving you birth right now, but some bagels and lox are rapidly approaching.

3. Ride Somebody Else’s Coattails

Did a sibling or your dad buy something for Mom? I doubt everyone else who loves your mom was oblivious to her special day, so try to take advantage of this by seeing if they’ll let you sign the card, or claim to have pitched in on buying the gifts. This is a day celebrating family, so why not depend on other members of your household to help you lie and bail you out of your predicament?

4. Tell Her That Her Gift Is In The Mail

Blame the postal service for taking longer than expected, then order something to be rush delivered her way. Yes, you’ll sacrifice a few bucks paying for the hasty shipping, but your forgetfulness has a stiff price sometimes, so cough it up.

5. Promise To Make It Up To Her

There’ll be other holidays and occasions, let her know how much you love and appreciate her, then reassure her that she’ll benefit greatly for her birthday, or any other chance to spoil her. This is a missed opportunity, but being honest about forgetting and letting it be known that you intend to treat your mom at a later date isn’t too shabby of a solution.