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Unique Ideas to Celebrate Parents' Day

Cheryl Mascarenhas
Dedicating a day solely to thank and revere our caretakers is a good way of showing our parents we love and care for them. This Parents' Day what do you plan to do for the two people who never cease to love and care for you?
"Romance fails us and so do friendships, but the relationship of parent and child, less noisy than all the others, remains indelible and indestructible, the strongest relationship on earth." - Theodore Reik
Parents are a source of joy, hope, stability, security and love for their children. They play an important role in imparting values, and there is no doubt why there shouldn't be a day to revere them.
Parents' Day was formulated in 1994 by the then President Bill Clinton, who declared the fourth Sunday of July as a day to commemorate the role of parents and to promote ideal parenthood. According to the National Parents' Day Council, it is not just a day to honor Moms and Dads, but also a day when parents can rededicate themselves to their children.
The idea behind the concept of Parents' Day is to celebrate a day of unconditional and true love. The Roman Catholic Church venerates 26 July as the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The church dedicates this day to parents and grandparents the world over.
Considered to be the grandparents of Jesus, Saints Joachim and Anne are venerated as exemplary models for all parents. According to the American Catholic organization, 26 July is celebrated as the 'Feast of Grandparents'. It is a day to remind grandparents of their responsibility and it also acts as a foundation for future generations.
It is a day to remember the role of parents in each one's life. As the world gears up to celebrate Parents' Day with gifts and cards, you can make this day extra special for your parents in a unique way. It's a day you get to honor your father and mother in a way that you have never done before.
After all respecting parents is one of the commandments given by God. Take a look at how you can make this day a special occasion for your parents.

10 Ways to Make it a Special Occasion
"There is no friendship, no love, like that of the parent for the child." - Henry Ward Beecher

Happy Wanderers

Pack your backpacks and wander off together as a family. Take along some eatables and some games too and have a wonderful time bonding with your parents. Knapsacking as happy wanderers is a good way to reminiscence your childhood days.

Dine Out

Surprise your parents by booking a table at a nice little restaurant and treat them to their favorite cuisine. If you are capable enough, reserving a table in a plush multi-cuisine restaurant won't do you any harm. You can add a little bit of charm by asking for some special music, or better still, surprise them by playing a song or two yourself.

Bring the Restaurant Home

Set up a nice little tent in the backyard or the garden and decorate it with drapes, wind-chimes or beads.
Then cook a nice meal and dine out in the open along with your parents. To make it even more special, ensure you include the things they love to eat, or maybe try out a dish that they have never tried before. You can ask an older relative to help you out with your preparations.

Organize a Theme Party

Get your family together by organizing a theme party. It would be fun to revisit the good old childhood days when you and your siblings wore matching ensembles. Only this time match your outfit with that of your parents' so it would be 'like father like son' and 'like mother like daughter'.

Book a Yacht

If you are capable enough, you can book a private yacht for a day and set sail with your parents. If this seems too costly an affair, opt for a day cruise which will allow you to spend quality time with your parents. You can spend the day catching up on good old memories.

Book Tickets for a Show

Present your parents with tickets for a concert or a theatrical or even for a movie that they like. You can even book tickets for a game that they enjoy. You would have to ensure that you keep spare tickets for yourself to make it even more special. Try to rope in the entire family for the event to make it a day for the entire clan to remember.

Plan a Nice Little Holiday Together

Seems too far-fetched an idea, but if it brings a smile on your parents face, it would be worth the effort. The amount of time you spend with your parents, no matter how old they are, the better their day is bound to be. You could drive down to a place they would love to go to, or hiring a caravan could do the trick.

Organize a Surprise Potluck

The greatest gift for a parent is to see all their children spending happy moments together. You can do your bit by organizing a surprise potluck party in honor of your parents. Get each of your siblings to prepare a dish that your parents enjoy. Then get together and see their happy smiles when you shout "Surprise!".

Gather Memorabilia

This would require a little bit of hard work on your part. Gather all your childhood pictures, prized possessions and trophies that have made them proud of you in the past and display it in your garden. Invite your parents to visit a museum and surprise them with a mini-museum right in your backyard or attic.
This would be a true walk down memory lane for your parents and the best possible way of showing you are grateful for all those memories.

Make a Promise to Keep

Put on your thinking caps and come up with a handful of vows that you promise to keep for your parents. They can be simple ones like 'I promise to be there for you', or 'I promise to spend a day in the week with you'.
Whatever the promise, remember to diligently follow it. Dedicate your time, energy and love for the people who never cease to love and care for you. Time is the only supreme gift that you, as their child, can give to your parents.

Ideas for the Perfect Parents' Day Gift
Time and love are the only gifts your parents will be satisfied with. However, you can show your love and gratitude for all they do for you with a present or two as well. You will never go wrong with some of these personalized gift ideas.

Say It with a Scroll

Prepare a scroll by artistically sewing or painting a good quote or an excerpt that expresses your love. Display the scroll once your parents have gone off to sleep, so the first thing they notice on Parents' Day is the beautifully done up scroll.

Gift a Frame

Create a collage of all the best pictures of moments spent with your parents and put it together on a chart. Do remember to personalize it with a few splotches of palm prints, or fingerprints and a few phrases to complete it. Present this as a memoir of the best days of your life.

Quotes Diary

Compose a nice little poem, or gather some of the best quotes on parents and fill up a few pages with them. Present this diary as a sign of gratitude for all the sacrifices they have made to keep you happy.

Photo Album cum Scrapbook

Recollect all the best moments you have spent with your parents and compile them into a scrapbook. Add your personal touch by describing each captured moment the way you remember it. Presenting a scrapbook is a good way of remembering the old days.

Become a Music Jockey

Hunt for the songs that your parents love and put them together on one disc and present it to them. You could even record few of these songs with the help of a few friends and compile a disc and present it to your parents.

Say It with a Card

A homemade card makes a nice gesture to show your love for your parents. Make it even more special by pasting their pictures along with a few of yours to remind them how much you love them.

Cakes, Chocolates and a Bouquet

Flowers have the capability to put an instant smile on anyone's face. Think of the many ways you can decorate the house with flowers; for a more ethnic touch, prepare a garland and present it to your parents.
Chocolates are known to be heart warmers and have no age bar to enjoy. Take along some cake, chocolates - and there you have it - you can make the day the most special day ever.
Finally, tell your parents how much you love them with a nice bear hug. And if you're still not satisfied, say a prayer for your parents, that's one of the best gifts you can ever give them this Parents' Day.
This hymn should be able to sum up all your heartfelt gratitude for the gift of your parents "I thank my God each time I think of You, and when I pray for You, I pray with joy."