Mothers' Day Gift Help
My Mom...what can I do for the most wonderful person in my life??? The only things I know my MIL enjoys is church and cooking. HELP! |
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| For the mothers....sigh.....that is always so tough. My mom mostly enjoys the cards and phone calls she gets from her 8 children. She is not well off, so a cheque is always in the card or deposited into her bank account.
Nothing modern. I got her a cordless phone once, and she gave it back at my next annual visit (we live far away). She couldn't figure out how to use it.  She still uses a VCR and tape casettes and so DVD's would be useless.
For the MIL I think that a magazine subscription for something they are interested is always great. A new read every month. Very thoughtful. |
| flowers? (a common answer i guess)
You could also gather up all of your pictures of family and you as a child and create a digital album with music and everthing or even an album in a paper book. Something like that anyway.... what do ya think? |
| My sister and I have decided to just do one or 2 giant presents throughout the year. Because my mom gets gifts and, unless it's jewelry, she'll keep it in the box forever. She begged for a DVD player and we got her one. It took almost 2 years (and of it course became obsolete in the meantime) to hook it up. her boyfriend is an engineer so you'd think he could plug in a couple of cables.
So, for Christmas, we bought her a top of the line Dell computer, printer and digital camera. There! Now she's done for the year. James set it up as soon as she opened it so no excuses. Her boyfriend lives on it now so it was a good gift. Her and her boyfriend's birthday are the same week and they've always loved my entertainment center. It's a huge behemoth thing with 2 seven foot towers and the heaviest bridge ever. They discontinued that model so she was bummed (I normally don't give away used stuff but this was expensive enough that even second hand it was worthwhile!) I've had it a couple of years and I'm bored with it so we packed it up, took it over to her house and set up all their equipment in it for them before they got home. They came home right as we finished and they were so happy. I think I like it better in her house than mine anyway! I've come to realize, at my mom's age, she's happy about anything you'll do for her. Technology amazes her but if you can set it up and make it go, she'll use it. Maybe not well, or often enough, but she'll use it. |
| If your MIL likes cooking, how about a good set of cookware, or a subscription to a really good cooking magazine? Or utensils. Or a variety of spices and stuff like that.
As for your Mom, does she like shows? Can you get her tickets to shows coming nearby? Mothers love anything their kids give them, but something personal is SO great.  Really makes the mom feel like the child put some personal effort and thought into it, instead of just going to a store and plunking down your plastic card. I like the idea that Mellow had about a picture album. You do scrapbooking, right? There ya go!! Tell her a story of how much she means to you!
All that being said, I still don't know what we're doing for my own MIL!!  She's 84, doesn't need anything, really doesn't want anything else to clutter up her house. When all else fails, a gift certificate to a restaurant works. |
| stacy-
for your mother in law- beautiful cookie presses, cake tins, or other fine cooking implements are always appreciated! Try William Sonoma (I start drolling over all the beatuiful tools everytime I walk in there!), or a local specialty baking store for clever ideas. As for your mom- is there anything she has been wanting for a while? Does she garden? A special rose bush or plant from her childhood, or when you were growing up might be a niced touch. Or doe shse have any hobbies, or collections... something for that might work well too! |
| Thank you all for your ideas!
I did a scrapbook for my Mom last year with pictures of her parents who died when my Mom was young. She says that it's beautiful, but she cries whenever she looks at it and she still hasn't written in the book. Her 60th birthday is in August and I plan to put together a new book with pictures of stories from, me, family and friends. The things my Mom needs are all really big and expensive, i.e. new carpet, an entire kitchen (oh, Darcy!), new windows...She's the kind of person that doesn't like if you tell her you will buy her one of those big items and then that's it for a few years. She likes to open things up. She lives in a condo and can't plant very much. Her neighbor planted some flowers in the front in memory of Pandy
I like the magazine idea, but Steve turned up his nose when I suggested that for everyone for the holidays last year. You know what? Who cares! If I don't get something, he'll end up just picking up flowers on the way out to see them. Although she likes those too. ..Uh life is so difficult!!! |
| Does she like to read, Stacy? Perhaps you could find a series of books she'd enjoy and get the set....or at least the first two or three. I love books.
My mom, sis & I all enjoy regional ghost stories. So, one of the things we always do for one another when we travel is go to a local book store and find a good ghost story book from that area. |
| How about audio books? You can get almost any title ever written plus they're easy to find. |
Beaureguard's Mom wrote: Does she like to read, Stacy? Perhaps you could find a series of books she'd enjoy and get the set....or at least the first two or three. I love books.
My mom, sis & I all enjoy regional ghost stories. So, one of the things we always do for one another when we travel is go to a local book store and find a good ghost story book from that area. How fun! I love to read too. I'm hoping Mom will get back into reading once she can concentrate again. She is still so sad and lonely without Pandy...I wish I could take her pain away. That would be a nice Mother's Day present  |
| take a nice looking jar and 365 little strips of paper. On each peice of paper write a reason why you love her, enjoy her, think she is a good mam and what not (make hubby help. Put them all in the jar and write a little poem or something that tells her to take one out each day and read it. That's a gift that gives for a whole year.
How about that one? ~mellow |
| What about one of those beautiful WS cookbooks...or you could get her a pretty apron (they have pretty ones at anthropologie.com)...I like the magazine subscription idea...
You could get her a fun new kitchen gadget and then some ingredients for her to use it (not that it's new, but like a mandolin and then give her a recipe that requires a mandolin and some veggies or whatever is needed...) Or you could do a Harry and David fruit of the month-type thing For your mom...would she like a spa day? massage or facial or mani/pedi? You girls could go together and spend some time together...Would your mom like a flower of the month gift? Would she like a PUPPY!!! |
| Great ideas!
Mellow, I remember you posting this idea somewhere before and LOVE IT! I think I'll do that. Nope, no puppy  She said she is absolutely finished being a Dog Mom..she wants to just be a Dog Grandma which we can swing. |
Anonymous wrote: take a nice looking jar and 365 little strips of paper. On each peice of paper write a reason why you love her, enjoy her, think she is a good mam and what not (make hubby help. Put them all in the jar and write a little poem or something that tells her to take one out each day and read it. That's a gift that gives for a whole year.
How about that one? ~mellow That s a great idea!!!! I always love the things like that that my kids do for me so much more than just a gift they bought!!! I really miss my Mom, this is the thrid Mother's day since she has been gone and it just never get's any easier  |
| Could you get a picture of Panda & your mom and blow it up say 8 x 10 or poster size for her? I don't know if that would bring more sorrow for her or not. |
| I just got both MIL and mom croissants from williams and sonoma (google williams and sonoma croissants). They're expensive, but they're said to be better than anything you can find in Paris. They're huge. They're not the ordinary kind. And they were on Oprah's Favorite Must Have List. Followed by some tea to go with it that I got sent from Korea. |
Stacy wrote: Great ideas!
Mellow, I remember you posting this idea somewhere before and LOVE IT! I think I'll do that. Nope, no puppy She said she is absolutely finished being a Dog Mom..she wants to just be a Dog Grandma which we can swing.it is a good idea i think. Who wouldn't like that?! I would. takes some thought and effort is all. not very expensive or anything but who could ask for anything more when you have all you need |
| Great idea, mellow! I did this and gave it to Steve today for his birthday. He loved it! I went to one of the card and party stores and found the cutest decorated boxes with a ribbon on top. The one I bought for hubby was decorated for a birthday with stripes, balloons, and a pieces of birthday cake. I typed up a whole bunch of complements, cut them out, folded them, and put them in the box. After the crazy morning he had, see my "Fozzie Monster" post, it was PERFECT! He opened up one of the compliments and it gave him a huge smile.
I bought a pink box with flowers on it for Mom and will be giving it to her this weekend. We also will be giving her some flower hanging baskets. Steve reminded me how much she liked them last year and hangs them on her balcony. MIL will get some too. Thank you everyone for your wonderful ideas! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!! |
| Yaaay! I am glad he liked it.
The only problem I have is figuring out that many things to write down....lol You did that pretty fast though. let me know how your mom likes it |
| My mom's faberware electric skillet that she got for a wedding anniversary finally died...she wants another one...hers was 16'', I can only find the 12''...anyone have any ideas....it has to be stainless with the detachable plug.... |
| Darce- Check the company's web site first, to make sure they even make that size anymore. then e-mail their service dept for vendors that carry that size. |
mellow wrote: Yaaay! I am glad he liked it.
The only problem I have is figuring out that many things to write down....lol You did that pretty fast though. let me know how your mom likes it I kind of cheated and found some websites that had lists of compliments. Of course I made sure they applied and I also created a few of my own. I then copies and pasted them into a Word document, printed, cut them up, and folded them like little fortunes. I wasn't able to come up with 365 nor did I have time to! I managed about 40-50 |
| oh now I see.
I wondered how you did that so fast.... I thought you must have a lot of stuff to say to him. lol Good enough! |
| I can't find anymore compliments for moms....
where are they? I have wrote as many as I can think of at the moment with two kids screaming in my ears...lol at least the oldest one made me something at preschool and already gave it to me of course. |
| I will be getting my Mom a flat of flowers.
It's the only present I know I can't go wrong with. She has never liked anything that I have bought her besides flowers. My MIL gets a Mother's Day breakfast. That's what Billy has always done for her. Just takes her out to breakfast.... though never on Mother's Day because she spends it with her daughter. |
| Okay. Now I have 50.
I am never gonna get 365 |
| Start with one a week, then work your way up to 2 a week.... |
mellow wrote: Okay. Now I have 50.
I am never gonna get 365 50 is plenty! Or you can get out the thesaurus to say the same thing 20 different ways. I also included things like "you are a great cook", "you make great spaghetti", "you have beautiful skin"... I wish someone would do one of these for me. My brithday is next month, June 18th, anyone want to send me a box of compliments???  |
| STACY... HERE YOU GO
YOU ARE VERY PATIENT YOU RAISE PUPPIES WELL YOU ARE GOOD AT CLEANING UP ACCIDENTS YOU ARE GOOD AT NOT KILLING FOZZIE WHEN YOU'VE HAD IT WITH HIM! |
Iriskmj wrote: STACY... HERE YOU GO
YOU ARE VERY PATIENT YOU RAISE PUPPIES WELL YOU ARE GOOD AT CLEANING UP ACCIDENTS YOU ARE GOOD AT NOT KILLING FOZZIE WHEN YOU'VE HAD IT WITH HIM! Thanks! Not sure if you were with me in person if you'd still say #1 and #2! |
| I've got an important one....
"You're very forgiving of cheesy presents." Just kidding! LOL |
| I posted a few weeks ago about doing a memory jar - (Ron, your
memory is better than mine, could that be one of the missing threads? I think you were in on that one...maybe I suggested it for Joan?) If you just write on slips of paper memories of years past and put them in a pretty jar with a ribbon, you have a gift you can add to any time. Like I said last time, my mom didn't get to read them all, but she really loved it. Any mom would really love that, especially personal memories. It takes some thought, yes. But it is very personal and special and it's something that she will appreciate for years, plus it isn't something you can just go grab off a shelf at the store! She will know you thought about it, it's original. Shellie |
| Yup it was one of the posts lost... I will repost it. |
| I just ran across it today... strange how things like this work out.
Here ya go. http://forum.oes.org/viewtopic.php?t=7951 |
| Oh Ron! You know I love ya!
Thanks Shellie |
| now I have 106....
hmmmmm??????????? I can't think of anymore. |
| Thats a lot |
| Up to 136
200 more things to go. I am running out of ideas any ideas????????? |
| She's so understanding that I may not be able to come up with 365 unique reasons all at once... |
| My Mom really liked her gift despite her recovery from the flu. Thanks, Mellow! How did your Mom like hers? She ended up opening all of the compliments and was wondering where the one was for "You are punctual"? That kind of annoyed me, but whatever . I told her I can add it if she'd really like it in there.
See my post http://forum.oes.org/viewtopic.php?p=94268#94268 at your own risk if you'd really like to read about the rest of my weekend. |
| Stacy,
Your Mother sounds like my Grandmother.... Always finds something wrong...even in the nicest and sweetest things
What you did for her was wonderful, she should have just said that. Can we blame it on the flu? |
Pepsi's Mommy wrote: Stacy,
Your Mother sounds like my Grandmother.... Always finds something wrong...even in the nicest and sweetest things What you did for her was wonderful, she should have just said that. Can we blame it on the flu? Thanks, Elissa. She did say it was a wonderful gift. I'll blame her comment on the flu  |
| I came up with about 150. She really liked it. She didn't read any as we only saw each other for a few minutes. But I am sure she has read some by now. She was probably just glad I didn't buy her anything...lol
She told me not to |
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