With Mother’s Day a few days away, Facebook timelines must be bombarded by posts to treat your mom to a fancy restaurant’s Mother’s Day special, a relaxing day at the spa, a dozen pink cupcakes from your friend that just finished a new baking course or take an advantage of a hotel’s special rates. You’ve been thinking about finalizing one of these gifts for mom or maybe have been planning an upgraded Sunday lunch buffet for her at home… Well, let’s stir things up a bit and move away from the generic. While these gifts are all beautiful and thoughtful, we at CreativeTT would like to offer you a few innovative and clever ideas to make her Mother’s Day unique, unpredictable and…well, a little more creative 🙂
1. Get Her Vinyl Records of Her Favourite Calypsonians
In case anyone isn’t familiar, this is a vinyl record.
Photo Source: http://www.musicstack.com/item/432292501
The predecessor to cassettes and CDs, vinyl or gramophone records were very popular from the 1950s to 1990s. And, much like fashion trends, the vinyl record has made a comeback. Nevertheless, it is still seen as highly valuable and, based on availability, rare. So if your mom is a music enthusiast or lover of all things vintage, this is a gift she would definitely cherish. Feel free to scour various music shops across the country for vintage kaiso and calypso vinyl records. If you don’t find the records you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to try online auction sites or pester an uncle or friend’s parents to sell you their old records. You won’t believe how many people have records that haven’t been touched since the 80s and are probably collecting dust in boxes. By purchasing local records, you’re not only making your mother happy but it also helps contribute to the preservation of the local music industry. If you already have a record player at home, then voila, you’re set. However, you can also purchase one at a reasonable price at a local antique store or online shop. With your vintage records and player, let the rhythmic calypso sounds flow and turn mom’s living room into a 1970’s Port of Spain dance hall. Like and follow MusicTT’s Facebook page for everything concerning the local music industry! #musicoftt
2. Make A Video/Movie for Mom and Show It On the Big Screen…By Big Screen, We Mean TV
Skip the new Mother’s Day movie at the cinemas and create your own. You don’t need special equipment to do this but simply your smartphone that you use every day. After all, there are various smartphone film festivals worldwide, including Trinidad and Tobago so there’s evidence that some quality work can actually come out of your smartphone camera. There are two ways to go about this. The first is to combine photos and memorable videos that really capture your mom’s essence. These may have been funny clips you saved of her dancing, cooking or just ole’ talking. Add some music, voice overs and text using a video editor and customize a movie just for her, about her. Collaborate with your siblings (if you have) to make this happen and save the movie on a memory stick to be played on a television and laptop. Prepare the cinema-style snacks (popcorn, chocolate bars, soft drinks), gather for the movie and just wait for mom’s water works. The second route is to actually create a movie with a plot, theme, actors et al. Dedicate this movie to her and hey, this could be the start of your filmmaking career. Like and Follow FilmTT’s Facebook page for upcoming local film festivals that you may be interested in participating in and attending.
3. Create an All-Local Fashion Package
Support your local T&T designers! We can’t say it enough. There has been an increase in local shopping events that really have gotten more Trinbagonians to support craftsmen and designers indigenous to the country. Yet, the numbers could be larger. Many of us would readily purchase items from abroad, directly or through our malls but our local fashion industry can offer something more distinctive and unique:- from hand painted silks to colourful tribal prints to chunky statement pieces. Visit one of the many craft markets and pop up shops this weekend and grab some gorgeous threads to match your mom’s personality and celebrate the individual she is. Top the package off with some local handmade accessories- earrings, necklaces, purses etc and watch her strut.
Photo Credit: Edison Boodoosingh
http://www.discovertnt.com/articles/Trinidad/Spotlight-on-TT-Fashion/363/3/30#axzz47mlpUZyZ[/caption]
Like and follow FashionTT’s Facebook page for updates on all Mother’s Day specials happening this weekend in the fashion world!
4. Take Her to See a Local Play
Photo Credit: Robert Macfarlane
http://www.guardian.co.tt/arts/2013-10-06/doubles-necessary-experiment
Trinbagonians are truly a talented bunch of people! Take mummy to see our local talent on show at a play this weekend. Queens Hall and Central Bank Auditorium are booked with plays on this special weekend so get her all dressed up in her new outfit (see number 3) and have a night out enjoying a great production. You’d also be supporting our growing number of actors, directors, writers and designers who strive to give us, Trinbagonians a representation of ourselves on stage and film. Even if you choose to go ahead with your old plans for Mother’s Day, we do hope that you consider giving our ideas a try soon. It’s time for us to wholly embrace the Creative Arts in T&T as a source of entertainment, income and national development.
Happy Mother’s Day from CreativeTT and remember to #SupportLocal