Hello everyone,
I am seeking some advice as to the right gift to give my mom this year for her special day. Every year I have flowers sent to her a couple days in advance, and I take her out for brunch at a nice restaurant, as I'm doing this year again. My issue is that in the past, I've been able to afford to give her some really nice things, usually jewelry in the form of a necklace or earrings. This past January, I moved into my first apartment, and I don't have enough money right now to get her jewelry this year. She's 53 and travels for the work she does. She likes and wears the jewelry I've given her in the past, but what do I do now that my budget is so restricted? I thought about painting a piece of decorative pottery for her, but those take a week or more to be fired and then picked up, so I've missed the boat on that one. One friend suggested movie dollars, but that seems kind of impersonal to me. I'd like to get her concert tix, but due to her travel schedule, she may or may not be able to use them depending on if she's in town on the concert date.
Please help! I clearly am behind schedule on this and would love some suggestions. Thank you in advance.
E.
Spa gift certificate! With even a nominal amount she could get some service at a spa. There are some affordable spas in Tacoma and Lynnwood (public bath, Korean body scrubs, massage, etc) that are great. www.olypusspa.net
If you can afford $50 you can both have day use of a spa together........
Write your Mom a letter. Remember some of the things you did growing up and what impressed you the most at those times. Go through all your old pictures... you in school, at play, family occasions and outings... put together a collage for the wall or create a scrap book. Plan a day out to the mall and have a picture taken of the two of you together. There are lots of 1 hour portrait studios and you could make a day of it. Sit for the picture and the two of you look through the digital proofs and select the one you like. It's an awesome gift for her and for you. Kodak moment!!! Time spent with your Mom is the best gift she will ever get, the best gift you can give. And a piece of jewelry, a sterling silver pendant wouldn't be too expensive. I did this for my Mom and my daugther. I traveled for my work and would be out of town for a week or two at a time. While I was away they would wear their necklaces and I had one just like it. So we were always with each other, if we got to missing one another we could finger the pendant and know that we were that close, as we each had one to keep us company until we saw each other again. Sounds corny, but it helped my daughter, my Mom could relate with her as she often cared for her while my husband was at work, and it helped me because I missed them all so much when I was on the road.
Brunch and flowers is already enough. I like the suggestions below of a letter with your feelings for her...or coupons she can redeem later for "lunch with you" or "free car wash" or "running errands for you", etc. One year I wrote a list of the 101 Reasons You're the Best Mother in the World, and then I framed it. It sounds like a lot but it only took a few hours to think of that many...including all the things she did for me in childhood. It made her cry - and jewelry never did that.
I thought a lot about your situation before I decided to respond. I totally understand your position. While I am not a single mom, I am a stay at home mom and we live on one income. Making the change to having less money was a big adjustment for us, espeically when it comes to the ability to buy nice gifts, which I really enjoy.
I think that taking your mom out to brunch and getting her flowers is enough. If your mom knows your financial situation, and if she is traveling a lot, then spending time with you is probably what she enjoys most. Material things may not be as important to her as you think they are. That being said, you could get here some nice small travel accessories (like the Aveda travel size lotions) or a nice pair of silver earrings, probably for under $20.
Good luck!
Might not be the "Best" idea, but it's what I'm having my husband/kids do. Flowers are getting so expensive these days, instead of a couple of cut flowers in a vase, they went to home depot and got a couple of rose bushes and small plants to plant around the yard. They give more than just one bloom, and will come back year after year, and are so much cheaper!
besides family time in planting them.
Otherwise if she travels for business, maybe a unique pen, or a folder with stationary of some sort.
E., you are really sweet and I'm sure your mom loves you for what you are, not for what you are giving to her in material form. You don't have to buy her expensive stuff, this is not how you show love. Just go there early, make her a breakfast or take her out for breakfast, plan a little trip for you both, or just something she loves and you can do together, tell her how much you love her! If you think that she will like a painted pot, why don't you go and paint this pot together? Just think of something she likes to do and do it together - walk, park, zoo, go and see together a land mark in your area. You don't need to spend money, spend time together, because I'm sure she missed you. Do something like in the "old times". For a present look for some of those happy moments in the pass, pull out the pictures, cut them, scrap them, glue them and put them in a frame. She will appreciate the time you've spend doing it for her. Clean her house as a nice surprise, clean her garden, plant few new flowers there or a bush to remind her of your love every time they blossom. The love is not money, it is appreciation and showing it with your acts. Good luck!
I'm sure that your mom understands that you are on a limited budget and will be happy with whatever you give her. The fact that you are putting thought into it is very sweet. Perhaps you could make her a gift certificate for a day or night out with you and then the two of you can figure out something fun to do that will fit with her schedule.
Hi E. - I was like you when I was a bit younger. I worked two jobs and was single so it was a little easier to buy my mom whatever her heart desired. Now, married and two kids later, it's a bit tougher.
One year, when things were SUPER tight I wrote her a letter. I wrote down some of my favorite moments with her (funny things that we had done together when I was a kid, that will stick with me forever), her support (bad relationships, letting me move back in after a bad roommate experience), and her love (my son and I were in the hospital for 2 months after he was born, she was there every day).
Sometimes as mothers we don't feel as appreciated as we should. It's nice to know that what we have done throughout the childhood years have stuck with our kids. Your mother would probably LOVE to hear how much she means to you, especially with specific memories. It lets her know that she did a good job.
You should start now, you'll be surprised how mamny memories you have!
L.
Hi E.,
Why don't you consider making a donation to World Vision in her name? (Or somewhere else . . .) I did this for my mother this year and she told me that it was the best gift she has ever recieved (there are six of us kids, so that's saying a lot!)
There are a ton of things you can choose to donate to, for varying amounts of $. You feel great, Mom feels great, and best of all, you get to help out someone in need.
Good Luck!
S.
Your time is the most important gift a child can give their mother.
Take a walk together the beach or gardens.
Make a silly coupon book like you did when you were a child,
"good for cleaning 1 room" "good for playing a game mom's choice"
P.
How about painting a terra pot and putting a beautiful plant in it? It could last forever!
I'm sure she understands your budget situation. She's been there before too. Why don't you write her a letter explaining how much you appreciate her, and what makes her special as a Mom. It may seem hokey to you, but Mom's totally love it. Even if you regularly tell her, having it written down, in your own handwriting makes it special.
