Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Don’t be like most people this Mother’s Day, giving your mom the traditional card, box of chocolates, and dinner. I doubt you were that boring at three years old. How about a great eco-friendly present which is no more expensive than flowers and dinner, because nothing says “Thanks for not killing me when I caught the living room on fire” like a unique, well thought out gift.

May is an excellent time for the gift of flowers. Instead of cut flowers this year, plant some daffodils, irises, or other spring bulbs in a nice pot. Another excellent gift for your mother that gives all year is a small kitchen window herb garden. Germinate some of her favorite herbs, such as basil, mint, thyme, chives, or edible flowers. All you need are seeds, potting soil, some pots, a nice tray, and a few minutes for an inexpensive eco-friendly gift.

If your mother’s not the gardening type, a nice homemade herbal bath mix may be more to her liking. You can make your own bath salts with some dead sea salt or baking soda and some herbs such as lavender, chamomile, frankincense, or roses. Instead of salt, you can use just the herbs for a bath tea, be sure to include a small mesh bag for a cleaner bath.

Thrift stores have many nice items, so go green and reuse something this year. You can easily refurbish the picture frames, lamps, or furniture you unearth. You can find books, dishes, and planters at almost all garage sales. Antique stores have just about everything out there from pieces for your mother’s china set, to vintage jewelry and clothes, to old vinyl records.

Instead of more stuff, give mom the gift of services. Something nice and relaxing like a massage would probably be enjoyed by most mothers. For the athletically oriented, yoga classes, time with a personal trainer, or a gym membership might be nice. A maid service, a dog walker, or babysitting services would be a great gift and time saver for the mom-on-the-go.

Still don’t know what to get mom? How about a gift certificate for music downloads or books read aloud for the mp3 player. Movies and books are available for download as well. Other online options include subscriptions to podcasts, journals, or magazine’s online services.

Is your mother, the hard to shop for kind, the person who has everything already? Instead of a gift, she may like a donation to a charity or to have trees planted in her name. You can even purchase carbon credits for her.

Now, if you don’t have any money at all, here are a few suggestions for gifts which won’t cost you a cent. If you have a digital camera or access to a scanner, you can prepare a picture slide show for a computer or digital photo frame. There are free music downloads and even free book downloads available online. You can schedule a weekend and do mom’s spring cleaning or plant her garden. You can trim trees, mow the lawn, bathe the dog, or just spend time with her.

With so many great options, you shouldn’t ever have to take the boring way out again.

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