Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Looking for unique gift ideas your mom will really appreciate? Mother’s Day food gifts are always great, but the best gifts are the ones that could only have come from you.

Remember when you were a kid looking for gift ideas for Mom? You’d ask her if there was anything she wanted, and she’d always tell you the same thing: The gift itself is not important. The best Mother’s Day gifts—the ones that mean something—are the ones you put some thought into. Chances are, no matter what Dad got her on that special day, her favorite gift was the crude card you made with paper, crayons, glue, and love. It was from the heart, and it was one of a kind…just like you are.

Perfect Gift Ideas for Mom

So maybe you’re a little old for crayons…or maybe not. (More on that later.) But the reason that homemade card was special was that it was personalized. Maybe not personalized in the traditional sense, but it came from you and was just for her.

What are the best Mother’s Day gifts an adult can give that are truly heartfelt and unique? Let’s start with a few general concepts that can add meaning to any gift:

Time. When you were a child, she had all the time in the world with you…sometimes it probably seemed like too much! And since you moved out of the house, it’s the one thing she misses the most. If you’re looking for a truly unique Mother’s Day gift, time spent with you is about as unique as it gets. How you spend that time is up to you; you know your mom and what she likes. Make it about her.

Food. She spent every day of your childhood feeding you; why not return the favor? Food brings people together more than anything else; it’s either the reason for getting together in the first place, or it’s what fuels the celebration. Food is closely tied to emotion and nurturing…mainly because we get it from Mom from the very beginning of life.

Personalized Gifts. Mother’s Day is about mothers. Make her Mother’s Day all about her with a gift that’s just for her. Something you know is her favorite. Something with her name on it. You know that warm feeling you get when someone makes the extra effort to greet you by name? It’s a simple gesture that shows they care…and a personalized gift has the same effect.

Unique Mother’s Day Gifts

The best Mother’s Day gifts will have some element of precious time, delicious food, and thoughtful personalization. So let’s put those concepts to use and come up with some unique gift ideas for Mom.

A personal day.

When you give her your time, make it count. Don’t just take her out for brunch; take the whole day and do some fun things.

Some Mother’s Day activity ideas:

• Go to a spa together for a manicure and pedicure
• Take her shopping
• Take her to a winery for a tour & tasting

You know what she likes. Sit down and make a list, then plan a day trip…and take the back roads when possible. Play her favorite music on the CD player. Just the drive together is quality time, punctuated by visits to little shops along the way. Even if she’s not the type who likes to — or is able to — travel, just spending time together at her house or yours can go a long way toward strengthening your bond. Oh, and about those crayons? Turns out coloring isn’t just for kids anymore. So go ahead and make her a special card like you did when you were a kid, and bring over some adult coloring books and a box of crayons to share. You can both feel like kids again!

Breakfast or brunch.

As we said, don’t just take her out for brunch. But food can still be a big part of her special day. In fact, it’s even more special if you cook for her as she did for you all those years. Breakfast in bed always makes someone feel pampered; you could do that just before heading out on your day trip…or if you want to include others, invite the rest of the family over for a traditional brunch with breakfast meats and desserts. Make it happen with a breakfast gift basket or a festive array of Mother’s Day food gifts.

Name that gift.

There are lots of gifts you can personalize with her name. On this special day, make it a gift from the heart. A cozy plush robe embroidered with her name would be perfect for that spa day. Or have her name engraved on a unique piece of jewelry and give it to her at brunch or lunch. Often, the same online source where you would buy her Christmas gifts will be the perfect place to find special gifts for her all year long.

The Best Mother’s Day Gifts

Again, the best gift ideas for Mom are the ones that are uniquely hers, uniquely from you. There are endless Mother’s Day gift ideas — just use your imagination!