Another birthday gift question!! My mother in law is having a milestone birthday this year. All the kids want to go in togther and get her something really cool but not sure what. We thought about a trip away for her and my father in law, but that would be for both of them... we prefer something for "just her". Her birthday is on Christmas Day so it always gets brushed aside and we want this birthday gift to be fabulous and only about her. She is not into massages (my first suggestion, lol) so a spa day wouldn't really work I don't think.
Thanks for your ideas!! We've been thinking on this for about a month now and have come up with nothing!!!!
~ t
edited to add:
She loves to cook and sew... do you know where I could find something like a class or two for her to go to? I think she would like that.
We bought my mother-in-law a mothers ring for her 50th. She has 3 kids and we had all three birthstones put on the ring. Some of the styles of rings are not that nice. I searched and searched for one that was nice. She wears it often and loves it. This way she can look down at her hand and see how much her children love her. There are also necklaces with the same idea. Good luck.
This may sound corny but since it is her birthday get the things they gave Christ but just make it fit mordern times. Would be different and special since she shares the birthday of the highest king.
At first, I was thinking an entire family photo... that is the kind of thing Mom's love, right? But I was hesitant to post that idea, and I didn't know why... then I realized it was because that is what every mother "says" she is into... and it is normally something that she gets. Something that says, FAMILY.
HOWEVER I began to think a little more. I know as far as I am concerned, I wish my family would take the time to actually know what it is that I WANT, or something I would like to LEARN. (My family is great - but I seem to most often get typical "mom" gifts. As a matter of fact, the best present I ever got from my husband is an old, used laptop. He got it for me and told me that I HAD to have it so I could pursue my passion - writing.)
Especially since this is a milestone birthday, she has probably been putting some thought into things that she has always wanted to try, but never got around to. Or, maybe she is thinking that she is old enough now - her kids are old enough now - it is finally time to try... "x".
ASK her some questions. Find out what she is thinking. Maybe she wants to get into photography, or has secretly always wanted to skydive!
Get to know your mother in law as a woman, and not a mom. (And since you are her daughter in law, she just might open up more to you than she would her own kids.) She will probably surprise you!
We are putting a photo book together for my mother for x-mas. If you keep your pictures of the family digitally, you can upload them to websites such as kodakgallery.com and shutterfly.com. You can have leatherbound books made with your own pictures. They actually look like a book and the pictures are all printed on the pages. They turn out beautiful. The one we are making for my mom has pictures of the kids/grandkids in the past year. They have places in the books where you can write little messages and blurbs. Just an idea.
What are her hobbies, her likes, etc. For my father's 60th, one of the things that we did was subscribe to a wine of the month club (he LOVES wine)! We also went with wine related items for his other gifts. Like for a scrpabooker you can do a scarpbook retreat or for my mom one year we did season tickets to the ballet. Think about the things that she likes and then make it big! Good luck!
We had my mother in law picked up in limo and taken to a special resturant. She toured the city afterwards in a limo and loved it.
L.
A gift card to Michael's...they have classes but I would let her sign up herself.You can say on the card, Take-a-Class money or something. I found a great cooking resource at america's test kitchen site and their sister magazine Cook's Illustrated. They exhaustively test recipes to find the best ingredients and methods, give tips on equipment...I really enjoy it. You can get a subscription for the magazine or just for access to the info online.
I think if you just have a little party and make a fuss over her, she will be pleased and honored.
I think the trip idea sounds wonderful, because if she and your father in law get along really well, she would enjoy taking a trip with him, and it would still be special for her. I would love for somebody to send me and my husband on a special trip for my birthday! Since you mentioned that she loves to cook and sew, you could get her something that she can use in her hobbies. For my birthday last year, my mother and father in law gave me a wonderful tote bag full of new crochet needles, a pattern book and tons of yarn. Crochet is my favorite hobby. Something like that might not be as big as you are thinking of, but you could think real hard and see or notice if she has mentioned a cool sewing machine that she would get "if only..." or some other neat tool that she would love to have but won't buy because it's too much of an indulgence. In the kitchen, there are also tons of options for new appliances, fun gadgets, cookware, etc.
Hi T.,
How about custom photo jewelry? I'm a rep with Planetjill Custom Photo Jewelry & Gifts. A bracelet with photos of each of the grandchildren, or a necklace with a special photo, is something that mothers cherish. Our jewelry is heirloom quality, and available in silver, gold and gold with diamonds. If you would like more info or a catalog, please contact me.
Best,
D. Spitler, Rep
www.planetjill.com
Enter my name when ordering online for special savings!
What about steel my heart stuff. You can personalize things just for her. You can look at my page J..yoursmh.com
If you like what you see, contact me and I can help you create something very special for her! I'm talking personalized key chains, magnets, thermos, titanium rings.......lots of different stuff. Neat company.
I hope that I hear from you! Blessings!
Would she appreciate a maid service x 2- one to clean her house floor to ceiling before the holidays, and one after her family has made a mess again?
You can look at her local community college for some non credit classes in cooking and sewing.
I have seen quilts made with all the family photos on them. It would become a family heirloom, I'm sure. But if she is not a quilt person, then a travel certificate in her name is a great idea. Most travel agents have them, and they can be used for anything their office sells. She can decide where to go and who to take. If she is like me, even if I got one for myself, I would definitely have to take my DH as that is the time that I am happiest, when I am with him. Good Luck, I will be curious to know what you all decide!
I think a trip would be a great gift, I know that it is supposed to be just for her but who really wants to go on a trip by themselves? Other than that I think that why not jewelry, something she or her husband wouldn't probably buy for her.
Hope this helps, good luck.
I am making my mom-in-law a platter with their family tree on it. I love The Work*Shop (www.theworkshopaustin.com) on W. 6th Street, where you paint pottery, as well as many other artsy & crafty things. I did this for my granparents last year for Christmas and it was very well received. It's very personal for them, from you, and is a special one of a kind gift. Another thing to do along those lines, if everyone is in the area, is to make a set of plates or wine glasses, one made by each son, daughter, in-law, and then hand prints of the little ones.
I know that's not exactly the line of thinking you were on, but something I think is super-cool and unique. Another thought is just to think of something she really loves or appreciates, but does not do for herself. Maybe she's always wanted a high-dollar purse, coat or to go to a particular musical, play, concert. Tickets would be awesome. Even though she would probably take her husband or a friend, it would be HER favorite music, or whatever.
Good luck! She's a lucky lady to have such a thoughtful daughter-in-law!
Two ideas,
What about a trip with her best girlfriend? I would love a trip with my good friend/s (you could even tell other friend/s about it so they could go if they wanted). A trip with the girls seems much more like it is just for her than if it is with her husband (sorry, that sounds mean- but we need our girl time!!)
Second, just because she isn't a massage person doesn't mean she wouldn't enjoy a day at the spa- you could specify NO massage. I do not like massages at all- but my husband got a day at the spa for my birthday a couple of years ago and I got everything but the massage... LOVED IT!! Again, this might be a nice thing for girlfriends to be involved in!
Other than that, I have no idea!!
Good luck!
You could make a hardcover book. Each of the kids can write a What I love or what I learned from you letter and you can put pictures of the family.
A.
Even though you would think she is not into a spa you have no idea what a girl's night out would be to get a pedicure unless she gets them all the time. Her hair and nails. Go shopping and to a nice dinner theater for her and her hubby. I am 59 and I know that would be the ultimate. You girls to with her to the spa. There maybe some place that serves wine or Champaine. I used to do pedi's and I know a woman that is so afraid of going to get her feet done. But if you all go then she will have an experience to remember. I would have loved for my daughter and me to go together for a relaxing time. We are to busy and too far from each other. Three Forks Restraurant is a favorite royal treatment place to go too.Have a limo ride would be fun. In all my years I have never been in a stretch limo. I have been in tons of Town cars. Dallas G. Williams
Well I am a consultant for Heritage Makers, which is an online publishing company that lets you create books from home. www.scraplessbooking.com Well my mom just turned 60 yrs old and I e-mailed out to everyone I knew, family, friends, co-workers and asked them to send me a tribute message with a picture...I put them all in a book and made a scrapbook out of it. SHE LOVED IT, and now she will have pictures of friends and family members and know just how great she is......
For the cake, I took a picture of her at about 5 and 18 and brought them to Walmart and they made a photo cake for me.
I've also done "then and now" posters, those are always fun :-)
Good luck!!
Since nobody is sure of how to approach a gift or what gift would suit her the best and would be specifically for her - how about getting her the preloaded credit card and put he amount of money on it and let her use the money how ever she chooses. That way she ha the money abd she can do whatever her heart desires - even if it means spoiling the grand kids or her friends.... if that is what makes her happy - who are others to complain. Just be glad you were able to put a smile on her face and everytime she uses the card - she will be reminded of where it comes from and the heart felt love that comes with it.
How about a photo montage of her life and family! I've seen a previous post on MamaSource of a lady who does this out of her house. You'd need to be able to borrow your mother-in-law's photo albums (without her knowledge). She puts music to a photo slide show and puts it on DVD. I know I plan on doing this for my mom because she cherishes her photos and family above everything. Good luck!
A.
What about a concert or play? Or you could do a little surprise party at her favorite restraunt. Have a special cake and all her favorite foods. Then you could have a purse or something embroidered for her from the family as a gift. I don't think she'd mind sharing her birthday trip with her husband, though.
