ALT-4 Extravagant Gifts for Mothers Day
Everyone appreciates a day when they are made to feel absolutely special, and don't our mothers deserve it?
It may come as a surprise to know that Mother's Day extravagance need not be uber-expensive. It is easy enough to throw money at flowers and chocolates and spa massages, the specifics limited only by the budget: but when these same types of generic gifts happen year after year, they won't become the shining moments that linger in our memory. What is most important is not how much money we spend, but how intensely personal we can make the gift.
Once you have taken the time to discover what she really likes - and let's be honest, for most children, that can be the most difficult part of all - the next step is planning. Gift possibilities can be divided into four general types: things, escapes, tasks, and family. The most magical days combine all four of these elements.
Things, of course, come in all shapes and sizes and costs. One way to increase extravagance is to choose more expensive things, but this has the drawback of quickly depersonalising the gift. This is particularly likely where the gift is something like a television, which might end up in more use by every other member of the family. Jewelry should generally be left to Valentine's Day or Christmas, but some mothers may value a family bracelet or necklace, which incorporates a charm or birthstone for every member of the family. Much more effective, in my experience, is to identify a specific dreamed-about item or type of item: and then incorporate it as one part of the Special Day. If the item is a small thing, get several and shower her with them. If you have the skills to make something you know she would like, do so - learn those skills, if you have time; or plan to learn them for next year. (The best gifts don't happen the night before.) An unusual choice is to schedule a shopping spree with friends or family at her favourite store, especially if it is not an everyday thing. Be sure to let the store know ahead of time. Most stores will be cooperative in helping you plan something special for her there as well, in conjunction with her spree.
Escapes include everything from the traditional Mother's Day brunch or supper at a restaurant, through spa packages and theatre tickets, to day-cruises and outings, to full vacations. If the escape is intended to be extravagant, then extravagance should flow through every part of the escape: something better than the standard hotel room, welcome packages, forewarning the dining room of the special event. Other types of escapes can be created right at home. For example, if she loves dinner-mysteries, a complete dinner and murder-mystery can be catered in the backyard. Again, it is the special touches that personalise the gift. To include or not include children in a particular escape is an individual family decision. While some mothers may relish every moment they can spend with their children, others may be looking forward to some "me" time.
Tasks include anything you can do for your mother. It should be a given that no household task on this day should be left for her to do: but what about the lead-up? For children, it could be as simple a thing as cleaning up their own room well before the Big Day and promising to keep it clean, and then sticking by that promise - and if every other member of the family temporarily adopts a room or two, this can easily be expanded to cover all housekeeping tasks, even for a week or more. One often overlooked option is to finally do something she had been asking you to do for some time before. Here, too, small touches can give an extravagant lift to the day. Consider the simple task of having mowed the lawn and done the basic yardwork the evening before. It takes only a little extra effort to set out planters of a favourite flower or maybe a large ficus or palm around the newly cleaned lounge chair to create a small tropical escape. Whether she likes lemonade or pina coladas, you can have it ready and waiting in the refrigerator.
The fourth type of gift is anything that brings the family together. The traditional classic here is the big family dinner (cooked and cleaned after by someone not her!), but family can also be brought together, all at once or singly, within most of the types of gifts mentioned earlier. It should go without saying that for this one day, family squabbles should take a back seat.
For a day that only comes around once a year, why not make an extra effort this year, find out what she truly enjoys, and plan out a single perfect day?
