Mother's Day: the best eCards and Google's doodle tribute to mom

Surprise! Although many of you are probably thinking it's time for a day of rest after the exhausting business of watching Saturday's (May 7) Kentucky Derby, we've got news for you: It's Mother's Day.

Once you get over the shock at the realization that the day has crept up on you again without so much as a warning (that you didn't block out), rest assured that it is not too late to honor your mom with a minimum of time and expense, but a maximum of love.

Google, of course, didn't forget. On Sunday (May 8), the site displayed a doodle that looks like a letterpress greeting card and, when clicked, lists Mother's Day-related search returns. After you get your mom squared away, it's wroth a look for interesting and obscure mom-related facts, like this National Geographic article about why the mother of Mother's Day was ultimately horrified by the holiday's commercialization.

Speaking of commercialization, now for those eCards. And, hey, don't think of it as cheap, but eco-friendly.

-- If mom is a big "American Idol" fan, it may be worth the $2.99 price to send a customized message from one of the "Idol" top 11 contestants to your mom. We're not sure why what moms would welcome that above a message directly from mom's offspring, but who are we to judge?

-- American Greetings offers a free trial. Certainly it'll last long enough to send mom your warm wishes. We like this one, also suggested by Mashable.

-- If your relationship with mom is more ironic, someecards may have just the right sentiment for you. For instance, "I hope a mediocre Mother's Day brunch can help negate 364 days of smug ingratitude." Oh, and they're free. Like!