To Mom with Love

Photo by uppityrib

It's that time of year again.

Very little says, "home" and "family" like a good mother. Those of us fortunate enough to have a good mom understand that Mother's Day is an important time of year.

So it's that time. We must find a way to tell our mom how much she means to us--via something wrapped in shiny paper or hidden in a bag filled with layers of pointless tissue--and, if that isn't tricky enough, our criteria for finding this gift is more detailed than the heavily-debated healthcare bill.

The gift can't be too expensive. (She'll want you to be good with your money.)

The gift can't be too cheap. (You'll want your mom to talk to you on Mother's Day.)

The gift can't be too practical. (Remember the year you gave her a toilet bowl brush? Not happening again.)

The gift can't be too whimsical. (What would she DO with it?)

Here are three suggestions I offer you when searching for the perfect Mother's Day gift:

1. Give a gift she can enjoy WITH someone. Perhaps a DVD she can watch with her family or tickets to an event she can share with someone she chooses. You'll not only give your mom the gift itself, but you'll give her the opportunity to make some memories.

2. Give several small items in lieu of one large. If you can't find the one thing that really says, "Mom" to you, why not give a few little items that show you've noticed her interests.

3. Give a non-perishable item, (i.e., something that doesn't need to be wrapped). And by "non-perishable," I am not referring to anything that comes in a can. I am talking about projects around the home or promises to spend time doing something. The most important thing to remember--if you promise it, you better do it!

Mother's Day comes only once a year. It's best to get it right!