Mother's Day Is Next Month: Give Mom Gifts She Can Use
Moms work hard every day for their children and often times feel guilty not giving enough. No matter if you are buying a gift for a stay-at-home-mom, mom working part-time or a mom that works everyday in an office, she deserves something special and will appreciate gifts she can actually use.
While the homemade gifts are great from kids, they are often times added to a savings box or displayed temporarily. Here are 10 categories of gifts for mothers they are sure to love and use:
Sleep: Every time I am out with my friends, the topic always turns to sleep: "Who woke up in your house last night?" "Did you have a date night last weekend and pray the kids slept in?" "Will I ever nap again?" Every mom values sleep so no need to spend money on this gift. Give a mom an opportunity to either sleep in in the morning or have her an hour to nap alone. Trust me, sleep is more valuable than money.
Spa Gift Certificate: Moms always lead hectic lives. Usually they are juggling multiple balls at one time: work, kids and family to name a few of the major ones. This leaves little time for relaxing. If there is a spa nearby, a gift certificate for a massage is great. Look to see if there is a massage school near you. If so, often times they will give massages for a discount since they are still training. You'd be surprised, sometimes these massages or beauty treatments are better than at a high-end spa.
Homemade Gift Certificate For Bath/Shower ALONE: Moms are rarely given a moment of privacy or a chance to relax and unwind. Usually showers consist of someone standing outside making a request. And taking a bath is an open invitation to a toddler to join in. Giving a mom a homemade gift card for a bath or shower alone, is worth its weight in gold.
Athletic Wear/Yoga Pants: I'm not implying you get a mom a treadmill or a gym membership, but athletic wear, every mom can use whether highly active or not. Working moms and stay-at-home moms both have times while running errands or lounging around the house when they like to be comfortable. Athletic wear or yoga pants (even though they get a bad rap) are practical, useful and appreciated.
Coffee/Wine: If there are two staples in the mom world, it would be these two. A gift certificate for Starbucks or a bottle of her favorite wine will be well received. Another option is simply picking up her favorite coffee or tea in the morning on Mother's Day and bring it home.
No Cooking: Whether the mom in your life is the cook in the house or not, chances are she still makes some food or snacks for the kids. Either give her a dinner out on Mother's Day or make dinner for her. Every Mother's Day, my husband grills so I don't need to worry about cooking. Oh and don't forget to clean dishes afterwards so there is no mess left in the kitchen for the mom. Better yet, use paper plates.
Alone Time: Mom seems to be the one everyone goes to for questions, advice or to complain who is being mean at the moment. It's a present in itself to give her a few hours to do what she wants to do on Mother's Day by herself. If she has been meaning to catch up on that t.v. show or finish her book or work on a hobby, a few hours to decompress is a great way to show your appreciation.
Usable Arts And Crafts: Taking the kids to a pottery place and having them make a gift that a mom can use on a day-to-day basis is great. Items like travel mugs, plates or serving platters are all appreciated ideas.
One-Day 0 Clean-up: Another thing all moms do is constantly clean-up around the house. Even though kids have their chores, there is always something to be picked up or put back in its place. Give a mom a homemade gift card for one day off picking up anything.
Shop With the Kids (Our Tradition): A few years back we started our own tradition. My husband takes our girls to Target and has them pick out one gift each for me. This process makes our girls feel like they helped in the decision process and my husband is there to supervise the selection process and price point. Surprisingly, last year I ended up with a: Starbucks card, pair of pajamas and a popcorn bowl. All gifts I could use and did appreciate.
Do you have Mother's Day gifts you give the mom in your life? Or maybe you are a mom yourself and have received a great Mother's Day gift in the past? Please comment below and let me know what gifts were both special and useful.
