Dear dads and children: your mom works really hard every day of her life, put some thought into her Mother’s Day gift and skip the stinky packaged self care bundle from Walmart. Seriously, moms don’t need much, but this one day a year, they need to know how much you love and appreciate them. Consider that when you are selecting a gift. Back to why you are here, moms are great at neglecting their needs, albeit making sure everyone around them is cared for. If you don’t have a lot of money to spend, don’t worry. Moms don’t need much, they just need a little love and attention on their special day to know that you care and she is appreciated.
Self care can hold many meanings to different people. Consider this when selecting a gift. Does mom like bubble bath? No? Then don’t get her bubble bath just because it equals self care for you. Think about her wants and needs and go from there. Here, I’ve compiled a list of self care products she may love or hate, you decide what is the right choice for your unique mom. Also, opt out of getting extremely cheap or ultra smelly products (unless that’s her jam.)
Favorite Hobby
Think about what your mom loves to do. How does she spend her time when she is not taking care of kids, cleaning, or cooking? Maybe she loves to read or she loves to cook. Look for something that could be useful in whatever category you are searching in. If reading is what she enjoys, pick up a copy of a book she will love, a gift card to her favorite bookstore, or plan a picnic with her and read under a shaded tree. If she loves to cook, consider if she is missing anything in the kitchen. Note that some moms cook every single day due to necessity, this does not mean that she loves to cook. Another cooking related gift could be an apron, cookbook, or recipe card holder.
If you are unsure of your mom’s favorite hobby, talk to her and find out. If she knows that you are probing for a future gift, no problem. She will understand that you want to select something that she loves. If she says she has no hobbies, ask if she would like to start any or if she had any previous hobbies she’d like to get back to someday. Consider picking up the items to begin these hobbies.
Guilty Pleasure
What is your mom’s guilty pleasure? Does she love sweets, shopping, or food? What does she absolutely love to indulge in? Consider some chocolates from The Chocolate Season, they have some delectable choices that can be ordered online. If her guilty pleasure is shopping consider a gift card. If she is a foodie, think about her favorite restaurant and consider taking her for lunch.
Bath Products
What are your mom’s favorite bath products? Does she love a good bubble bath or a certain scent? There are many affordable options, especially around Mother’s Day. Dr. Teal’s Foaming Bath would be a great choice due to its variety of scents. It is also rather inexpensive and isn’t cheap quality. If you want a more luxury product, Lollia Bubble Bath would be a great selection. Whichever way you choose, find a product that has good reviews and is a scent your mom enjoys.
If your mom isn’t really that into baths, the relaxing scent of a shower steamer could suffice. Remember to select a product with good reviews (such as the one above) or a product you already know she loves in a scent that she likes.
Lotion
As long as I can remember, my mom’s signature scent was always warm vanilla. Whenever I smell it, I think of her. For my own motherhood journey, my children won’t have this luxury. I don’t really stick to one scent. However, there are scents I enjoy over others. Mint and lavender can be relaxing scents, vanilla can be a neutral scent, and coconut has moisturizing properties. Think about what scent your mom loves the most.
Some lotions can contain a lot of scent and some women enjoy this. Bath and Body Works lotions are usually highly scented and have good sales around this time of year. If that is something she has used in the past, consider purchasing there. However, some women enjoy more of a softer scent. If that is the case, look for lotions such as Aveeno or Jergens. Alternatively, Ouai Body Cream is more of a luxury brand at a high price point.
Spa Day
Whether you choose a DIY spa day or book a day at a local spa, this can be a great way to spend the day with your mom while she is pampered. Search your area for options including a nail salon, messages, or a general spa experience. Consider what she has done in the past and her opinion.
If you opt for a DIY spa experience, you could find her favorite nail polish, lotion, and bath products. Wrap them together in a gift basket with a homemade ticket for your spa. She will likely love spending the day with you getting pampered. Throw in a face mask to add to the luxury feel of your spa or make your own using a banana or avocado. Don’t forget snacks and cucumbers for her eyes.
Tickets to a Show/Concert
Give your mom the gift of an experience. Does she have a favorite band or type of music? Look in your area to find local events she might enjoy. Purchase tickets and print and wrap them up for her. She also may love a certain show at a local theater, or a movie. Make sure to buy yourself a ticket too, and spend the day with her.
Use Facebook or Eventbrite to find events nearby. Consider her schedule when buying tickets as well as travel accommodations. When gifting, make sure she knows you plan to come along and enjoy the experience with her. She will be excited to spend the day with you and enjoy a show, too.
Candle
Again, skip the Walmart isle with the cheap candles. Instead, search the isles of TJ Maxx for an inexpensive alternative. Sand and Fog candles can be found at TJ Maxx for under $20 and they have various scent options as well as a good throw. The throw of a candle is how far the scent reaches. These candles also have a long burn time; the time it takes the candle to be completely burned. DW Home also has a plethora of scents to choose from and many sales throughout the year. They are probably my number one pick when it comes to candles due to their long throw and long burn time.
Consider what your mom has purchased in the past as well as what scents she enjoys. If she isn’t the candle burning type, think about a diffuser, essential oils or a wax warmer. The nice thing about essential oil is that a variety pack can be purchased so deciding on a scent is simpler.
Flowers
What woman doesn’t love receiving a nice bouquet of flowers. Visit your local floral shop or grocery store for a variety of price points. Have the bouquet delivered or deliver it yourself. Purchase an inexpensive vase at the Dollar Store or Goodwill. Select flowers she loves or just hand pick a bouquet for her.
Alternatively, purchasing a plant or a basket of flowers for outdoors would be a nice gesture. Perhaps she isn’t the flower bouquet type or you want to purchase something that’s long lasting. Consider a succulent that is easy to keep thriving for years or an outdoor hanging basket to enjoy all summer. Visit your local Walmart or Home Depot or local nursery for a huge selection this time of year.
Slipper or Sandals
Mom probably needs some updated footwear, so why not use this as an excuse to buy her some trendy shoes? Check out Target or Amazon for deals this time of year.
Opt for a cozy pair of slippers or a more summer like option of house slippers. Again, think about what your mom likes and what she has worn and used in the past. If all else fails, just ask her which she would prefer.
Sandals are another great option due to the impending warm weather of summer. The brand Reef has some affordable but also long lasting choices online. Target and Old Navy also have sales on shoes this time of year.
Journal or Planner
It’s inevitable that mom must plan her and sometimes everyone else’s lives. Gift her a planner or a journal to keep track of her days or thoughts and feelings. There are many beautiful and thoughtful options online. The Happy Planner comes in a plethora of designs and even comes with stickers to help decorate and organize. Searching “planner for moms” will also show a variety of planners that were curated specifically for moms.
A journal could be a blank notebook with a pretty cover or a guided journal. The Tell Me Your Story, Mom guided journal prompts moms to write about their life you may have otherwise not known about. A beautiful lined notebook would be nice as well because she can choose what to write whether it be thoughts or to do lists.
Final Thoughts
On Mother’s Day, your mom deserves a special gift that you have carefully considered. Spending a boatload of money is not a requirement, just make a selection that shows her you’ve thought about her and you love her. Most importantly, spend some time with her on her special day.
Are you a mom? What special gift have you received and loved? What have you gotten your mom for Mother’s Day in the past?
This post includes affiliate links.
Discover more from Tired Mama Confessions
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.