Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Mother’s Day always seems to pose a few challenges for me. My mom lives in Alberta so the usual dilemma of where to go for dinner, who’s bringing what, etc don’t bubble up to the surface for me. The challenge is always ‘what do I get my mom for Mother’s Day?’. She is and always has been the kind of woman who when she needs or wants anything tends to simply go out and buy it for herself.

I have four sisters, so weeks (sometimes months) before the actual date, the emails and phone calls commence. “Hey Dena, got any ideas what to get mom?” “No, perhaps Debbie does.” “Hey Deb, what are you getting mom?” “Oh, we’re taking her for brunch.”. Darn…that is not an option for me. Time to call Yvonne. And so it goes, every year.

 Now I am sure a lot of people can make the statement I am about to make, but when I say it I mean it all the way from the tips of my toes. My mom ROCKS! I could make a big long list in all of the ways that she rocks. But for brevity, I will keep it short so as to not bore you.

• When my sister and I took a year off to travel to SE Asia, she met us 3 separate times. She climbed mountains, rode elephants, sat on the back of a scooter, went snorkelling, slept overnight on the deck of a boat, walked amongst komodo dragons and basically tried everything we were willing to try

• She always has time to listen to your problems. She might not always have the solution but she always has the time

• She makes the most amazing quilts, she crochets, she knits, she bakes, she cooks. What can’t she do?

• She is my friend…not just my mom

 I try to show her every day that I love her and I certainly tell her each time we speak. So I don’t feel intense pressure on Mother’s Day to prove this to her. In fact, I am certain she knows it. But still, Mother’s Day can not pass without some form of recognition of her amazingness.

 I remember being a kid and thinking that the best gift I could give her was something I had made myself. Whether it was a drawing, something I had made out of popsicle sticks or pieces of macaroni. Each time, my mom would gasp and tell me how much she loved it. On several occasions, years later, I would stumble upon my work of art saved and stored in a cupboard or drawer in the house.

 This year, my mom will be visiting me just after Mother’s Day so I plan on having a bunch of homemade wonders for her to enjoy. If you want to return to the idea of local home made gifts for Mother’s Day, there is no need to rush out and buy a box of macaroni and crazy glue ;). Manning Canning has gift baskets that you can custom order to include the mixture of products you most want.