Josh Elledge - Chief Executive Angel
6 Mom-worthy Mother's Day gift ideasMother's Day is May 8th this year, just 2 weeks away. Time to plan and even prepare early. If you find yourself stuck in a yearly rut of just getting flowers, or candles, or fancy lotions – you need fresh ideas. Unless of course the mom you're honoring really wants those things, then, by all means. But, honestly, she probably doesn't.
Mom wants something that shows thought, appreciation, and is in tune with her. Not something that feels like you just grabbed it because you're supposed to give her a gift. In this vein, try to make your gift fit the mom you're honoring. Women in different stages of life want different things. For example, a young mom might just want some quiet time to herself, while a grandmother might just want to see you and the grandbabies.
To help, I've gathered 6 ideas for Mom-worthy Mother's Day gifts:
1. Let her get away. Many a mom will revel in the idea of just having time to herself. But it needs to be truly uninterrupted, lengthy time. Just one hour, where she was phoned or texted three times to answer questions, isn't going to cut it. The main key is having enough time to fully unwind and relax, which can take a few hours before any rejuvenation actually begins. The secondary key is to handle things at home, so she's not being interrupted with crisis after question.
If you can afford to, consider sending her to a hotel for a night or even the whole weekend, so she can get away from the noise and chaos of her everyday life. I recommend sites like Priceline.com, Hotwire.com, Groupon.com, and Livingsocial.com for deals on getaways.
If you cannot afford a getaway, try to recreate one at home. Make and execute a plan to take care of everything so Mom is completely undisturbed for hours.
2. Give her an experience. Maybe there is something she's always wanted to do or see or experience. Whether it is something that you'd do as a family, or just an adventure on her own, look into securing a deal on it. Groupon and Livingsocial are good places to start, and they offer a variety of experiences at numerous price points. Whether it's trying a special restaurant, learning to scuba dive, or taking in a concert, remember to make it all about her.
3. Handle it all. This one could actually take you a whole week to pull off, but if you can, it could be her best Mother's Day ever. Moms often feel overwhelmed by the enormity of all they need to attend to, wash, accomplish, cook, schedule, and more – day-in, day-out, with no break. If asked, I'm sure an overwhelming number of women would say they would love to have someone do all these things for a while. So plan it out. Figure out meals, cleaning, kids' schedules, homework help, everything – and alleviate her from “mom duty” for a few days. You can combine this with any other gift idea, such as going on an experience, getting away, or just having quiet time. The key is to cover everything, so Mom doesn't just have a huge mess she has to clean up and a bunch of undone chores come Monday.
4. Complete a project. Whether it's painting that room, fixing that leaky faucet, or sprucing up the yard, there is probably a project that if it finally got done, it would really make her day. But, do not make it a project she has to do. That would be a terrible gift.
5. Buy that completely selfish item. Most women are reluctant to buy things for themselves, especially when the family has other needs. If you can find a way, buy her that thing she's always wanted. One caution: Don't go into debt to do it. That will only make her feel guilty about having the item and insecure about the family's finances – ruining the enjoyment of the gift.
6. Plan a special day. Sometimes all Mom wants is just a quality day together. Coordinate a plan to minimize cooking and cleaning – and squabbling – and plan specific activities as a family. To help make the day even more special, ban all electronics. When devices are forbidden, family members interact with one another, rather than just being lost in their devices.
