Although you should always appreciate the maternal figures in your life, we designate a special day each year to show just them how much we care. Whoever you’re honoring on Mother’s Day 2020, celebrations will certainly look different in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The virus may have temporarily paralyzed the world and put people in quarantine, but it hasn’t affected people’s creativity or capacity to show love.

Find some inspiration with these innovative ways to celebrate Mother’s Day, even when you’re apart:

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My name is Lisa Ware, and I am the Director of Business Development & Special Projects at Catering by Michaels. I have been writing each week about our journey through COVID-19!  If you have not yet read the previous episodes – be sure to start from the beginning!

To Travel or Not to Travel

The first sign for us that COVID-19 was going to have an impact on our industry was a few days before the annual Catersource Conference in Las Vegas.  Catersource is one of the best weeks of the year for caterers to come together, learn, network, teach, and share stories about this crazy world we work in.  This year, I was even more excited as I was checking off a major professional goal and bucket list item– not just attending Catersource, but also speaking – twice!  I attended Catersource for the first time in 2013 and made a promise to myself that I would someday be the one teaching on that stage!  It took me 7 years, a move to Chicago, and 3 catering companies added to my resume to accomplish my goal.  I had spent HOURS curating our presentation, developing content, and ensuring we would have a session that was not only engaging but have tangible takeaways.  As the date approached, so many speakers and companies were canceling their plans to attend due to the start of COVID-19 spreading around the country.  Catering by Michaels (CBM) is a proud member of the Leading Caterers of America (LCA) and had many conversations with fellow LCA members weighing the risks and trying to decide if we should move forward with attending or cancel our team’s plans.  For Catering by Michaels, myself, our Executive Vice President, and our Director of Operations were all slated to speak and two of our Event Coordinators had won scholarships to attend so it was a big decision.

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My name is Lisa Ware, and I am the Director of Business Development & Special Projects at Catering by Michaels. Sharing our journey through COVID-19 certainly falls under one of those “special projects.”  Let me first say these are blog posts we never wanted to write, but we feel it is necessary, helpful, and therapeutic to share our journey!

It’s our hope that what we’ve learned—and continue to learn—can help someone else. Perhaps it’s comforting to hear we are going through the same things you or your company are experiencing. At the very least–as a member of CBM’s Crisis Management Team–it is therapeutic to write these blog posts and share our journey!

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As Passover approaches, you may be planning to host a Seder. It’s a great way to share the Jewish tradition with family and friends, both old and new.

The Seder is a religious feast observed during the first two days of Passover. The name means “order”, which is appropriate because the meal consists of particular rituals that pay homage to the history of Judaism.

During the Seder, each ritual corresponds to various aspects of the story of the Israelite’s liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt. This story is read aloud from the Haggadah.

The Haggadah, which is Hebrew for “telling”, is the religious text that guides the Seder. It explains the meaning of each food on the Seder plate, recounts the story of the exodus, and contains prayers, songs, questions, and vignettes about Passover.

If you’re hosting a Seder this year, it’s important to ensure your Seder is welcoming and hospitable.

Here are a few tips for being a great host:

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Easter seems kind of late this year, huh?

While it may seem far away, it’s never too early to start planning. Some people even start right after Christmas! Now that’s probably too early, but spring is when the early bird gets the worm and it’s time to get ready.

If you’re in charge of creating festivity in the office, there are lots of fun ways to celebrate Easter.

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