Frugal Families: Give Mom a Mother's Day Gift She'll Actually Enjoy
Let's face it. Mom doesn't need another "World's Best Mom" shirt or pair of leather gloves. Here's a few tips, straight from the source - local moms!
Hey Dads and Kids! Are you having trouble coming up with Mother’s Day gift ideas?
Patch asked some local mom’s about the best Mother’s Day gifts they’ve received over the years or what they think makes a great gift and some may surprise you.
#1. Gardening Gifts
Mother’s Day is usually prime planting time in the spring, what better gift than to give mom some flowers and plants to plant, plus the time to plant them.
“My favorite gift each year is money or a gift card towards flowers and plants for gardening.” St. Michael mom of three, Becky Rogalski told Patch. “Then I get the whole day on Mother’s Day to plant.”
#2. Handmade, one of a kind gifts your kids make
Don’t we all love the little creations kids come home from school with? Dad’s, let your kids make cement handprints as a stepping stone for mom or have the kids make nice cards.
I think I speak for many moms in saying there’s something about our kids projects and the way they are so secretive in the process and excited and proud to give them, that make us moms weak in the knees
#3 Handmade, one of a kind gifts you can buy
Julie Aandal, a St. Michael mom of three says, “I love etsy. There’s pretty much always something there I love.” Etsy is a world-wide website of handmade items ranging from jewelry to clothes, paper goods and home décor.
Specifically this year Julie found a unique necklace that can be personalized with her kids names that she’d really like.
“There’s also always photo book gifts like Shutterfly, which can be really fun.” Aandal says.
#4. Let the kids pick.
Your kids know you better than you think. Michelle Berglund, St. Michael mom of two, got a real surprise from her son, Carson two Mother’s Day’s ago.
“We were at a garage sale the Friday before Mother’s Day and he secretly bought me a Statue of Liberty statue, with his own money. The woman running the garage sale even wrapped it up in a gift bag for him to give to me.” Berglund shared with Patch. “I loved his innocence and excitement at finding me something he knew I would love. And I do love it!”
#5. Give mom a break.
Jill Klym, St. Michael mom of two said she’d “love if my husband hired someone to clean our windows. I’m dreading that job this spring.”
Is there a job mom would like help with that would be a nice surprise and treat? A room needing to be painted or maybe have someone else clean the house for her?
#6. Gift Cards.
What mom doesn’t like gift cards? And you’re in luck, St. Michael-Albertville have lots of options. From coffee to getting mom’s hair done. How about a spa day? A gift certificate for a manicure or pedicure would be a sure hit!
Don’t forget, CVS, Walgreens, Coborns and Marketplace all sell gift cards for many stores. While you’re there grab mom a garden bouquet!
Vintage
4:08 pm on Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Great tips! I know I love browsing Etsy, too. Last year I had a seller custom make a recipe book of all my moms favorite recipes. She loved it!
http://www.pulloverthecar.etsy.com
JS
10:10 pm on Wednesday, May 4, 2011
I love the ideas! #3 above made me laugh and cry because it is such a sweet story. They can never go wrong with homemade or gifts they want to buy themselves. I get giddy just thinking about what they made. My house is slowly turning into shrine of homemade gifts and I LOVE IT!
Lisa Peterson
6:16 am on Thursday, May 5, 2011
The corner ledge above my sink is full of misshapen clay pots made in art class, picture frames made out of popsicle sticks, rug-latch coasters, blocks of wood with a clothespin attached (recipe card holders) and trinkets with spelling such as "Hapi Muther's Day Mom"! You can hold me to it -- these weathered, faded, now water splattered gifts will still be there when my last goes off to college in 11 years. These are the gifts I love best!