Show the special women in your life how much you care

One of the most common pieces of feedback we get here at Short Courses by CIT Solutions is that Mother's Day, by its very nature, can exclude people who aren't lucky enough to have a mother (or a strong relationship with one). That's why we thought it'd be nice to expand the holiday to include all of the beautiful women who have nurtured us through our lives and careers with their warmth, loyalty and good advice. So let's hear it for the grandmas, aunts, best friends, mentors and partners who make our worlds a little warmer and brighter.

Give her something to reinforce the importance of 'me' time.

Time is the thing that most modern women place the biggest premium on these days. Between full-on jobs, parenting and somehow attempting to have a life that goes beyond keeping up with Game of Thrones, it's safe to say that having a little time to ourselves is definitely considered precious.

It's this spirit that you should keep in mind when giving home-made bath salts, massage vouchers or organising a home spa day – and when you're writing the card, because otherwise they're just bath salts.

Make something delicious that won't make her feel like total garbage after she eats it.

Yeah, if you search Pinterest you're going to find truckloads of recipes for things like red velvet French toast with cheesecake filling, but do you really want to make her throw up on a Sunday morning?

Stick to something simple like a batch of muffins or some scrambled eggs and remember that you want her to be blown away with the gesture, not the calories.

Tell her you love her!

Whether it's your mum, step-mum, partner or bestie, chances are you don't often stop them in the middle of the street just to tell them how much you care. Sure, you might sign off with a quick “Love you!” when you get off the phone, but maybe it's time to make a cup of tea and tell her that not only do you love her to bits, but that you value all the lessons she's taught you and that she's an inspiration to you.

Having trouble pinning down what to say? It's cool, the internet has you covered.

Still struggling with a gift angle? We just happen to know a community-focused small business that specialises in giving people things they actually want (and they do gift vouchers).