Finding the perfect gift for mother’s day and not going for the standard roses and breakfast in bed (a classic and still a favorite) is stressful. I either nail it and find what I think is the perfect show of appreciation or it fizzles out and I get the ‘Oh, it’s the thought that counts’ thank you. All southern mothers have perfected that thank you. The harder part is that it comes right after Easter and my own mother’s birthday. Three days of family get togethers and gifts. For those stressing over the gift buying process here’s a list of a few things including what I’ll be doing with my mom this year.
Tata Harper – Daily Essentials ($75)
Want to give your mom that spa experience but don’t have the money for a full spa day? You might try Tata Harper’s Daily Essential. Everything your mom needs for an at home skin care day using luxury products that costs less than $100. Want to up the game. Give her a facial yourself.
Have a mom who loves gift bags and treats?
Olive and Cocoa have a gorgeous set of gift baskets for everyone and start at less than $50. I like the Tastes for Everyone, which has jams and some sweet and savory snacks, but there’s also spa day crates that offers every mom a treat.
Does your mom prefer spending time with you?
Try looking at new board games. We recently played Sequence with my mother-in-law and she loved it. In a team of two sitting across from one other you put together a sequence of squares in a row like tic-tac-toe across a board. The trick is that you can’t talk to your partner to strategize, you have to go on blind faith and trust that they see what you’re hoping to do. You do need at least 4 people to play. I’ve also played Catan, Watch Ya’ Mouth (extremely funny after 2 glasses of wine), and for those who have medically inclined parents or just like the idea of ‘kill all humans’ there’s Pandemic. If you’re in a large group of more than 4 Catan is a good choice or Catch Phrase. There are several versions of Catch Phrase floating around but if you’re drinking or have a very large group I recommend this version. It’s easier to keep points and less buttons to push.
What about Coffee fanatics?
Looking for something more unique but your mom is a coffee nut (PUN!)? Try looking at unique pour over like this one from UnCommonGoods. It has an opening in the back to slip your coffee mug through and serves as an artistic piece to display on your kitchen counters.
Or perhaps tea is more her speed?
Adagio Teas has beautiful tea pots, super yummy teas, and biscuits. I highly recommend Gyukuro. Such a light green tea flavor that’s crisp and fresh. I drink tea if I’m not drinking coffee. I’ve been drinking Adagio Teas for years and have never had a problem. If you link your twitter account to it they even send you an automated DM when it ships.
What about a mom who enjoy photography?
If she takes photography get a new attachment or photo editing software and go on a hike and bring the camera along or take the scenic route and get some good spring photographs. You could also offer to pay for a photography or photo editing class. A good and inexpensive gift is a pole to steady the camera when taking a shot. It also helps keep the arms from getting tired.
Is your mom a jewelry lover?
Look towards the gift that keeps giving. Pandora Jewelry has beautiful bracelets and each year you can get a new charm for future mother’s day gifts. Sadly my mom doesn’t wear much jewelry but I personally love these bracelets.
What about a garden lover?
Try making or you can purchase a moss wall art piece. Moss is particularly easy to manage. You don’t need to water it in the conventional sense. Just give it a good spray down with some water out of a cheap spray bottle, nothing fancy. The moss will absorb the moisture. If you buy one follow their care instructions. You can also get moss bath mats. Mosses increase the oxygen in the room and raise the humidity during those colder months and create an interesting focal point for any room. Parents leave for a vacation for a week at a time? Not a big deal. Give it a good spritz before they leave and it’ll be good to go. Not a lot of light? Not a big deal, mosses grow in those areas other plants can’t because of low light and low nutrients.
What about a Game of Thrones mom?
My mom personally doesn’t care for the show but my mother-in-law is a different story. You could buy a 3 months subscription to HBO (especially useful if she doesn’t already have HBO). But one cannot just watch GOT and not have something to drink right? In the famous words of Tyrion Lannister (my personal favorite character) “That’s what I do, I drink and I know things” is an amazing phrase for a wine glass. I have several of these but the stemless version is my favorite.
Does your mom like the theater? or Live theater?
My mom and I watch Waitress this weekend and I could recommend it more. It was such a good show and the music and lyrics were written by Sara Bareilles. A story all too common in small town America. Besides Waitress, Chicago, Mean Girls, Phantom of the Opera, Come from Away, Fiddler on the Roof, Beetlejuice, Pretty Woman, are all on sale right now and many are touring. We have Frozen, Fiddler on the Roof, Come from Away, Ms. Saigon, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and 3 others I’ve forgotten coming to the Tulsa Performing Arts Center in the next year. It’s a good time for live theater.
For my mom this year she just wants to go out to brunch at a golf course near here. My mom is past the point where she has to have a gift. The gifts are typically something she’s going to buy herself pretty much immediately (like her iPad, new phone, robot vacuum, etc. She really loves technology gifts) but she also has simple tastes now when it comes to gifts from her children. The power of simply spending time with your mom on mother’s day goes a long way.
