ALT-2 Mothers Day Gift Ideas for the Mom who has everything
The approach of Mother’s Day should not be cause for panic. Of course you must find an extraordinary way to show appreciation to the woman who, in no uncertain terms, gave you life. And of course your mom has masterfully created her comfortable existence, and claims that she has everything she could ever possibly need, leaving you with zilch in the way of gift ideas.
No pressure whatsoever.
Fortunately at times like these, we clever offspring rise to the occasion with personalized ideas and handmade goodies tailored to mom’s favorite things. Following are seven unique gift ideas for the mom who has everything.
Homemade Infused Oils
Does mom love to cook? Wow her with some homemade flavored oils. Give her an infusion of fresh herbs in the finest extra virgin olive oil for dabbing on crusty bread. Or tease her taste buds with a zingy citrus oil perfect for drizzling over fish. Think a cinnamon infused oil sounds interesting? Mom will love your ingenuity!
To ensure you follow proper food handling techniques and keep mom safe from botulism, read theserecipes.
A Personalized CD
This fun and economical option requires a little advance research. Ask mom about her favorite artists and create those stations in your free account at www.Pandora.com. Music from artists similar to mom’s top picks will play in endless supply, allowing you to find some new sounds that she’s sure to love. Simply note the names of the best songs and find them for purchase through iTunes. Burn the completed playlist to a blank CD and add a custom label for a gift that will have her thinking of you every time she listens.
Homemade Tea Bags
Mom deserves to kick back and relax, and in what better way than with a soothing assortment of teas? Make tiny sachets with loose tea and several layers of fine mesh cheesecloth. Tie off with thread and a label identifying the flavor of each bag. For step-by-step instructions,click here
Memoir Kit
Does mom have amazing stories or a penchant for writing? Gather some pretty journals, notebooks, or loose leaf stationary and a beautiful writing pen and tie it together with satin ribbon. Handwrite prompts such as “Describe everything you know about Jell-O,” or “Describe a time you slept outside,” onto decorative cardstock. For more writing prompts,click here.
Homemade Body Scrub
Recipes abound on the Internet for homemade bath treats, lotions, and tonics. Seek out your favorite or try the following recipe for an invigorating wake-up call. The caffeine in the coffee exfoliates mom’s skin, boosts her circulation, and helps combat varicose veins, while the oil and the honey help to moisturize.
Coffee Sugar Scrub
1½ cups sugar or brown sugar
1/2 cup coffee grounds
¼ cup dried shredded coconut
¾ cup olive or nut oil (like walnut, almond or macadamia)
1 tsp. honey
Zest of 1 orange
Makes 3 cups. (Recipe courtesy of Hipcooks, www.Hipcooks.com)
Home-Cooked Meal
Though it may be impossible to measure the many delicious dishes mom has prepared in your lifetime, a simple way to show your appreciation is to let her take the night off and prepare a home-cooked meal yourself. Build a menu around mom’s favorite foods, or her dietary preferences. If she tries to eat healthy, cooking a meal with crisp textures, bright colors, and fresh flavorful salsas shows that you care about her palate and her health. www.CookingLight.com has many healthy recipes to choose from.
Life Lessons
What life experience is still on mom’s bucket list? Maybe she has always wanted to learn how to cook Indian food, or speak Portuguese, or salsa dance. Perhaps a cake decorating course or a sailing lesson is more her thing. Buy her a class or a series of lessons and watch the happiness it brings her to enrich her life with a new experience.
Now breathe a well-deserved sigh of relief. This year, your gift selection shows careful attention was given to making it just what mom will love most. Feel free to bask in the glow of mom's awe at what a thoughtful child she has raised. And try not to worry about how to top yourself next year.
