How to Buy a Mother's Day Gift

On this day set aside to acknowledge the hard work and loving care that goes into motherhood, honor all the special mothers in your life-- your sister, grandmother, spouse, friend, mother-in-law--in these unique and creative ways.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Offer Mom a chance to explore a new passion. If she's spoken of an unexplored interest--such as art, music, gourmet cooking, singing or golf--sign her up for lessons. Contact local community centers, teachers or clubs for references. If she's always wanted to play the drums, rent a set and locate a teacher.

2. Buy a flat of plants or flowers for her garden and plant them where she chooses; or put in a vegetable garden. (See "How to Start a Vegetable Garden")

3. Make her sigh with a fabulous spa day or a massage certificate, or book her a professional beauty treatment.

4. Get her computer hooked up to the Internet, or buy her a cell phone with a family plan if she says, "You never call! You never write!"

5. Plant a container with a lush mini herb garden that she can snip at will while cooking.

6. Have some favorite family photographs matted and framed for her to enjoy.

7. Take her to a local gym for a sample session of yoga, tai chi or personal training sessions. Better yet, you go too.

8. Take her sewing machine in to get serviced.

9. Gather your clan and book a professional photographer to take a portrait of the whole family. Costs range widely, but expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $500 depending on the studio, and the number and size of prints you end up ordering. (See "How to Hire a Photographer")

10. Buy a gift certificate from a favorite store where she usually wouldn't indulge herself.

Tips & Warnings

• Create a Mother's Day gift with the kids. Ask them to draw and sign portraits of Mom or Grandma, then buy simple frames and help them prepare and wrap their gifts.

[thesharer]

on 4/13/2009 I always prefer to buy some sort of living gift for mothers day - like a plant or tree. There is something spring-like and revitalizing about it. Perhaps a bonsai tree would be a good choice if you have done the normal house plant gift in the past. Something like this... http://www.bonsaiboygifts.com/TheSharer

[eljefe]

on 3/19/2008 It's the little things that matter most - reminding them year-round of your love is the best gift of all. It can be a simple post-it note or an unexpected gift. There are sites like www.remindyourlove.com and www.redenvelope.com that make this pretty easy...and they carry some of the items mentioned above...good luck.

[julie_c_228]

on 5/4/2007 Thanks for the tips! I sweat this one every year...plus my mom's birthday is that same month. Making something yourself is always good (i do beading for example). Not always time for it, but even paiting a white mug with some funky drawings (you have special paint for porcelaine)is a good option.