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There’s a bit of a doom feeling about Mother’s Day with limited things to do in lockdown this year, perhaps it’s something to do with the fact that Covid started showing its face in the UK exactly a year ago now and 12 months later, we’re still at the whole social-distancing thing. However, whether we can see our mums in person or not, Mother’s Day 2021 is a chance to celebrate everything she does for us and it turns out, there are plenty of ways to make her feel extra-special, no matter what your plans might be.

So, we’ve pulled together some Mother’s Day lockdown ideas that you can do from the safety of your home that will definitely bring her some much-needed cheer this Mothering Sunday (which btw is Sunday, 14 March, put it in your diary NOW). For more ideas, check out our edit of the best Mother's Day gift ideas for every kind of mum.

Bake and send her brownies in the post

There’s nothing quite like a home-baked treat to show someone how much you care. Of course, you could bake your mum anything this Mother’s Day and if she lives nearby, drop it off on her doorstep. If, like many of us, your mum isn’t a hop away, why not bake and post some brownies? You can order brownie boxes on Amazon and - since this is our specialist subject - they travel pretty well thanks to being so beautifully dense. Check out one of our favourite brownie recipes here, bake and post on the same day for guaranteed freshness and don’t forget to include a handwritten note too. If you don't have time to bake yourself, you can order personalised letterbox brownies from Belle & Wilde, vegan letterbox brownies from Jostle and luxury letterbox brownies from GC Couture.

Send a breakfast-in-bed delivery

Just because you can’t physically make her breakfast in bed like the good ol’ days (burnt toast, a slither of butter in the middle and cold tea, we really did spoil her) go one step further and plan ahead, ordering a surprise breakfast-in-bed hamper that's stacked full with pastries, juice, farm goodies and more. Whether it’s from your local bakery and deli or a little more luxe - the likes of Fortnum’s, Gail’s, Rick Stein and BoroughBox offer delivery options across the UK - you really can’t go wrong.

Send an afternoon tea delivery

If she has a sweet tooth, she might prefer an afternoon tea delivery over a breakfast box. You could order one for yourself, too, and eat them together on Zoom. Morrisons have released an afternoon tea box for £20 which is flying off the virtual shelves right now. It includes everything she needs to enjoy a traditional Afternoon Tea at home, from classic Ham & Cheese and Egg Mayo sandwich fillers to All Butter Sultana Scones, Strawberry Conserve and Sparkling Sicilian Lemonade. You can even upgrade your box to include Prosecco for £5. Elsewhere, M&S has an Ultimate Afternoon Tea hamper for £20 and John Lewis offers an extensive selection of afternoon tea gifts.

Make a photo book

If you’re anything like us, we have heaps of photos on our phones and always tell ourselves we’re going to get some printed but somehow never get around to doing it. Likewise, when was the last time you had some pictures printed of you and your mum? (on the front of a Moonpig card doesn’t count). Surprise her with a photobook made with some of your favourite snaps - places like Papier make this super easy to do - and you can send the finished product straight to her. She’ll adore it.

Make a film

If you're more of a creative whizz and prefer turning all those cute pics and vids of you and your mum into something extra-special, you could try your hand at making a Mother's Day video. Whether you want to make it hilarious or get the tears rolling, apps like iMovie, Magisto and InShot make this a doddle and you can send it to her via Whatsapp or email.

Gift an online course

You might not be able to treat her to a spa day or lunch but you could gift her an online course to do while in lockdown. Masterclass run some seriously cool workshops with pros (think Jeff Koons for art and Annie Leibovitz for photography) or something crafty like an online floristry workshop or a Jamie Oliver cookery class.

Look into your ancestry

There's nothing more sentimental than looking into your family history journey - and you can get mum involved too by having a dig around on Ancestry.co.uk. Their records include everything from censuses, wills, birth records and even records of people’s jobs. You just enter your family’s names and dates of birth, or as much as you can, and once you start adding them, you’ll get hints for other records and people, that help show you where to look next and lead you to even more discoveries. You might even be related to the royal family without realising it. You can either gift her a pass or do it yourself and create a scrapbook full of the details.

Send her a bespoke recording

While we're still in third lockdown, there's no doubt you're missing your mum - and your little ones probably are, too. That's why new parents and pro musicians Johnny and Helena set up Story Time Soundtracks - a clever musical initiative that puts your voices into their magical soundtracks to send to your loved ones, from a bedtime story from Grandma or Grandad, to a special song from your child for a favourite auntie. Looking for a really sentimental gift for mum? They can set your child’s singing to a bespoke musical track that will turn beloved sounds into lasting memories. Johnny and Helena have been professional musicians for over a decade, performing on the soundtracks for major motion pictures such as The Hobbit, Iron Man 3, The Chronicles of Narnia and How to Train Your Dragon so you can expect magic. Prices start from just £9.99 and you can find out more on their website or Instagram.

Enjoy a virtual pamper session

Just because you can't get to the salon doesn't mean the salon can't come to you. Charles Worthington stylists are hosting virtual sessions for you and mum to enjoy from the comfort of your home - bring bubbles! Book by emailing Bookings@charlesworthingtonsalons.com or calling 02078315303. Alternatively, you could send her some beauty treats like Aromatherapy Associates bath oils or Selfridges' exclusive Mother's Day face mask gift set so she can create a spa-like experience at home.

Go old school and send flowers

Fresh flowers in your home are an instant mood booster, and receiving a blossoming delivery is a sure-fire way to make their recipient feel appreciated – and really, is there anyone on the planet that deserves to feel that way more than your beloved mum? Some of our favourite flower delivery companies now have options to keep the love going beyond Mother's Day with a fresh, beautiful bouquet arriving at mum's door as often as every week. We've rounded up the best flower delivery services, as well as the best flower subscriptions and the best letterbox flowers. Spoiler: Bloom & Wild, Marks & Spencer, Bunches, Serenata and Appleyard are rated very highly.

Treat her to a letterbox gift

If nothing else tickles your fancy (or in addition to one of the above), sending a letterbox gift is a lovely option. Loads of retailers have branched out with their letterbox gifting options since Covid hit. Some of our favourites include this Mother's Day chocolates from Hotel Chocolat, this gardener's letterbox gift from Bombus, Letterbox Gifts' Gin Letterbox Gift and this Organic Spa Letterbox Gift Collection.

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