Shopping for the Person Who Has Everything: Mom
How do you do it? What do you get? Does it ever feel like enough?
Every single year, my mom is the hardest to shop for and I’m stumped yet again. She doesn’t like me to buy things for the house. “Gifts are supposed to be for ME, the house is for everyone!” She doesn’t like me to buy clothes and shoes. “SM you want me to dress like an old lady and THAT I’m not!” She’s not into perfume, makeup, jewelry, or other girlie stuff. The collection inside her armoire proves it. Money is tricky because it never feels like the right amount, no matter how much I give. And she doesn’t NEED anything. So what is a daughter to do?
I was thinking of resorting to a gift idea that *I* absolutely abhor: GIFT CARDS. In my opinion, that is the most impersonal thing to buy. A gift card says “I didn’t have time to put any thought into your gift, so oh well, here ya go.” *shaking my head profusely* No, no, and no!! Any of my friends/family reading this, do NOT buy me a gift card! If you don’t know me well enough to know what I would like, don’t get me anything. When it comes to gift giving, it really is the thought that counts. If there is no thought, I’d rather have nothing. Seriously.
Anyhoo, back to mom. I was thinking about buying an assortment of $20-$25 gift cards to create a full day of activity when she has a day off work. Something from each of her favorite places – book store, coffee shop, nail salon, restaurant, and department store. I’m trying to think of a creative way to display the gift cards with a personalized message. You know, put some thought into it. LOL
Hmm…
~*~*~*~*~*~
Work to achieve, not to acquire.
And as always, BE FABULOUS!
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that actually sounds like a great idea! i am quite the opposite. most of the time i would rather have a gift card than a half- thought gift that is really not “me”, especially if the gift card is to some place i really enjoy and not something random.
you could get a little scrap book together and on the cover have the title “mom’s day” or something along those lines. Then on each page have a gift card and some neat decorations and letters like “first, off to your favorite coffee place…”
SM good idea. See if the local florist will give/sell u those sticks they put in with plants and flowers to hold the card that says who its from. In fact, get a plant, some extra of those things and put her cards in there. They will stick out from the plant and then u can be like “mommy, look what I made”
SM..that’s a really good idea about the gift cards…What I’m giving my dad this year(he’s the EXACT SAME as your mom) is I’m taking pictures from my brother and I’s childhood to present(pics of my kids included) and giving him a 12 mth calendar. Each month will have a different picture and I’m goin to personalize it as well(i.e. putting family birthdays, etc. on it)
Oops..my blogger name came up..SM, this is Samantha..(MzInspiredMind81)
I got mom a gift certificate (and booking) to the most expensive hair dresser in town. She’ll be impressed, and she would never buy it herself.
I know lots of women are very attached to their hair stylist, so that wouldn’t work, but you could do something similar like a mani/pedi or a facial or a massage.
maybe a swedish massage at a spa? those things are the best!
Great ideas. Other than a manicure, she’s so not girlie girl and would never step foot in a spa.
If she likes to read, how about some books in whatever genre she prefers — or something to go along with whatever her hobbies are (sports, knitting/sewing, etc.)
Hey SM,
I have a bought some vouchers for my family (e.g for an all expenses paid dinner and cruise, two cards for magazine subscriptions, gift cardds to a photo store to get photos printed to go in frames I have bought) and I have also got a buch of lingerie boxes and I am going to put the persons fav sweets in the box and lay the gift card/voucher on the sweets (oh and the lingerie boxes are decorated in xmas theme). Its just another thought, although I like the flower type one too. Good luck!!
@ athena – she loves to read but if I tried to buy a book, I’d run the risk of buying something she already has or already read. my assorted gift card idea includes the book store.
@ anon – I like the box w/ sweets idea. My mom is a choco feign. I also like J’s flower idea as well, but I’d have a hard time pulling it off because I’m not going home for Christmas. Whatever I decide will have to be mailed. I may explore the gift box idea a lil more.
Hey Single Ma,
There’s an awesome idea for a whole book of gift cards in the Nov/Dec edition of Simple Scrapbooks. You make the book and just put the cards in.
I second the idea of a calendar of family photos – you can make them at Kinkos or Office Max and its a fun idea for someone who has everything. My sister used to work at a copy shop and did this every year.
Do you have any old family films or video tapes that you could have converted to DVDs so she could watch them? My sis is doing that this year for my aunt, so we can watch all these old 8mm films from when we were babies after Christmas dinner – should be a hoot!
Like your mom, I am not a girlie girl AT ALL, but if someone gave me a gift certificate for a massage, I’d be all over that. So take that under advisement.
Still, I think that’s a very clever idea. Maybe you could put a little card inside the box that says “On [blank line for date], you are entitled to a FULL DAY of fun at the following locations. Follow your bliss!”
Single Ma, I’ve had the same predicament. Have you ever considered donating to your mom’s favorite charity in her name? You’d still get her a nice, small gift (how about a gift certificate for a lunch out at her fave restaurant, or a basket of yummy candles). My mom and I now both donate every year to eachother’s fave charities, it’s a tradition that makes us both feel good.
That’s a GREAT idea!! It’s like you gifted her an ENTIRE DAY!! Of course, I am a huge fan of gift cards, cause my family does NOT know me, nor do they take the time to THINK before buying me anything!