The Secret to a Great Mother’s Day Present
by Kay Lynn
There’s been a lot of articles published recently on ideas and advice for the perfect Mother’s Day gift. Some are frugal, others are extravagant while others leave me shaking my head (what mother wants kitchen utensils?).
Let me share a not-so-secret about moms. We just want to be loved and appreciated by our kids.
So you don’t have to spend the average $140 to make Mom happy. The best gifts are thoughtful — no matter what the price.
Homemade Gifts
Some of my treasured possessions are handmade by the giver. I still treasure the misshapen, ceramic bowl given to me 18 years ago by my youngest son. It’s probably the ugliest one you’ve ever seen but it sits on my nightstand so I can see it every night before turning out the lights. Here are just five ideas you can still do before or on Sunday:
- Food. Make Mom her favorite food or meal.
- Cards. I have a box full of cards given to me by my loved ones over the years.
- Photos. Put together a photo album or make a homemade frame for a picture of you.
- Artwork. Use your artistic skills to make Mom a decoration or piece of art.
- Chores. My youngest son is keeping our dog the night before he leaves town so my husband and I can have a weekend getaway.
The Gift of Time
Once your kids are grown it’s hard to fit into their
busy schedules. Just spending several hours with your mom (and dad) is greatly appreciated whether it’s at the movies, a restaurant or just sitting and talking.
Of course if the mom in question is with her kids all the time, the best gift in this category may be time away. Take over the duties to give mom a break from her normal responsibilities.
Inexpensive Gifts
Two of my favorite pleasures are baths and lattes (but not together). My immediate family knows that and keeps me stocked up on my favorite
bubble baths and Starbucks cards. Neither of these gifts will break the budget, but they are things I enjoy and will use with pleasure and gratitude.
Take the time to think about what interests or likes your favorite mom has and gear your gifts to those. Music lovers might want an gift card to iTunes and a movie fan would enjoy a gift card to the theatre or movie rental business.
Whatever you give your mom, it will be just what she wants.
Tagged as:
Gift,
Holiday
Kay Lynn is the founder of Bucksome Boomer and is passionate about helping readers through the materials on this site. Read her other site, Two Savvy Sisters, for help stretching the budget with deals and steals.
Kay Lynn has written 592 awesome articles.
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{ 8 comments }
Great post! And so True…. all we want (as mothers) is to spend time with our kids. 🙂
Lisa, I know you cherish that as much as I. I hear the joy you have from being with your kids and grandson which I share.
Great post. You bring to light some really great points and ideas. In today’s world it seems everyone feels the need to go buy some big expensive gift for mom, but it is the smaller things from the heart that mean the most.
This post is so true! My brother made my mom this really ugly clay necklace when he was about 6. It looked like something from the Flinstones; all these big clay balls the size of meatballs strung together, but he was so proud. My mom wore it proudly all day long even though she got some mighty strange looks. 🙂
For this Mother’s Day, I am taking about 2 hours AWAY from the family. I am so excited! I know in just a few short years, though, I will be wanting nothing more than to spend time with my kids.
It’s good to have one day designated as Mother’s Day. But why not make everyday of the year Mother’s Day. She is not just a mother one day of the year.
I love anything homemade!! I made my mom a photo album and surpised her with a post in her honor.
@ Jackie, it is especially true with moms!
@ Melissa, I hope you enjoyed your time to yourself today. It is ironic about how that changes when the kids grow up!
@ Doable Finance, I could go for that! Mothers should always be respected and appreciated, but I do like having one day a year to be formally recognized.
@ Barb, I bet your mom loved both those gifts. I made my husband a photo album of our grandson last year and he loved it. Better get busy on this year’s gift with some new pictures.
I personally love the gift of time. Either getting time or if the giver took a lot of time to make something. I feel like it’s the most precious thing anyone can give.
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