Holiday-themed cocktails can sometimes run the risk of feeling a bit contrived. Sure, Christmas and Thanksgiving, being major celebratory events, earn their designated standbys. (Some holidays even exist in contemporary American culture largely because of cocktails, like Kentucky Derby, Cinco de Mayo...) But Halloween? I mean, I get it, grenadine kinda looks like blood. But enough! Do we really need to use every third-tier holiday as an excuse to manufacture a themed cocktail?

Normally, I would categorize assigning drinks to Mother’s Day as yet another case of overreaching cocktail branding. However, since I just had my first child a little over two months ago, a little girl named Willow, Mother’s Day is taking on an entirely new look for me this year. So let’s do this!

I think a great way to infuse (pun intended) classic Mother’s Day traditions with cocktails—other than accompanying breakfast in bed with a Bloody Mary (recommended)—is by utilizing the classic gift of flowers as an flavoring agent.

Flowers are a delicate raw ingredient to work with. Too little and they disappear, too heavy and they overwhelm. Sure, you could use one of the many great floral liqueurs, but this is your Mother. She deserves more than just St. Germain and Prosecco!

I’ve had great success making syrups with dried flowers. Anything with generous aromatics, violets, roses, or as in this case, lavender. I start by steeping dried flowers in boiling water, in effect making a tea.

After straining out the solids, I then add sugar to make my simple syrup.

From there, you can start plugging that syrup into tried and true classics like the French 75 and Tom Collins.

It also doesn’t hurt to name the cocktail after your Mom, or as in my case your newborn baby.

I give you the Willow's Fizz:

Willow’s Fizz

2 oz Tanqueray Malacca (London Dry works too, but Malacca or Old Tom is the best!)

.75 Grapefruit Juice

.75 Lavender Syrup**

.5 Lime Juice

Shake and strain into a collins glass over fresh ice; top with soda water.

Garnish with a long Lavender Sprig

**Steep ½ cup picked lavender in 1 cup boiling water for 15 minutes. Strain and add 1 cup superfine sugar. Dissolve.

And if you don't feel plucking lavender, The Willow's Fizz is also currently available at the Clover Club in Brooklyn, NY.

I invite you to visit my website www.tommacy.com and follow me on twitter at twitter.com/tom_macy.