Give the Best Gifts for Moms

Every year Mother's Day rolls around and every year we are faced with the same gift buying options. Roses, chocolates, chocolate-dipped strawberries, fresh-cut flowers, flowers in a pot, Russell Stover boxes of chocolates, all are the major gifts that taunt us in the grocery store aisles and on TV. Then there are the rows of Mother's Day greeting cards spilling onto the aisles. But are they really the best Mother's Day gifts that can be given? Think fast. Mother's Day is May 8, 2011.

Maybe we should think outside the box and see if there's something else we could give that is, if not better, more thoughtful? Is there a more personal, more caring way to demonstrate our feelings to this special person? .

A perfect expression of love often involves a degree of self-sacrifice. Our mothers, or those who figure in our lives in that role, have already made many sacrificial gestures to help us, guide us, and show us how much they care. Mother's Day is a special day when we can repay that generosity with a gift that carries meaning s well as remembrance.

Giving up a part of yourself in some small sacrificial act of love or kindness can speak volumes to a loved one. Yes, it does mean you have to pause, to stop and to reflect on the person you want to honor but that shouldn't be too difficult. Just quietly shift the focus from yourself and to your loved one.

Ask what can I do for my mother to show her that I truly care? What matters to her?"

Do you prefer to take time to get the right gift for Mother's Day even if it takes extra time and thought or do you just opt for the more commercial offerings?

Why not take a few minutes to do a bit of brainstorming to find a more personal way of showing your mom how much you care? Sometimes even five minutes of brainstorming can bring about a great revelation. Call it a pre-gift giving warm-up. Grab a pen and some paper. Think about your mother. Maybe even try to visualize her Now ask yourself the following questions and write down your answers as you go along.

1. What is the first thing you think of when you think of your mom?
2. What does she do that makes you happy or smile?
3. What do you do that makes her happy and makes her smile?
4. What does she want most in life?
5. What matters most to her?
6. Name some specific things she has said to you that she would like you to do for her. Write down two or three of them..
7. What would you like to do for your mom that you know would make her happy? Be specific. Write down two or three things.
8. Think of one specific action you could take to do something for your mother that know would make her happy.
9. Think of one specific thing you could say to your mom that would make her smile and be happy.

You now have the raw data that can be turned into the perfect Mother's Day gift. Give a little more thought now to what you've come up with and try to think of actionable things you can do that will show your mother how much you care. Go the extra mile, do a little more, give a bit more of yourself. You'll be the recipient in the end. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Love ya Jar - Here's a twist on the traditional Honey-Do jar. What jobs around the house or errands can you run that you know would make life easier for mom? Think in terms of the upcoming days, months and year? Write them on a paper or cardstock. Dress them up with a stickers found in any drugstore in the kid's section, put a creative label on the front, and tie a big ribboned bow around the neck.
2. Really, Really Love You, Mom Jar - Now this is for the truly brave. Same concept as above only this time you supply blank cards or strips of paper so that your mother can come up with the list of to-dos and errands. As I said, this requires a certain level of commitment and willingness to do whatever she may come up with. It's also important that you remember that this was your idea and your gift so that when she asks you to do something, you do it readily and willingly so that the idea is not lost and the gift becomes a reality.
3. Only For You - This is a gift that is not only involving doing something your mother loves but also maybe doing something you either dislike or really don't want to do. Maybe it's going to the symphony, taking your mom window shopping, or out for the day at the mall. Set the date, buy tickets, if needed, and dress up the presentation a bit but make it plain that you WANT To do this because it will make your mom happy. (Then be sure you're on ;your best behavior when you actually do this or it's all for nothing.)
4. A Gift of Time One of the best gifts you can give your mom is the gift of your time and presence. Sometimes moms just want to see their kids. Nothing special. No holiday. No birthday. Just an everyday that is made special by having you sharing the day with her. What you do is up to the two of you. It can be planned or spontaneous. The real gift is YOU.