I was coming to the end of my creative rope, facing yet another Mother’s Day without any hints for a gift for the woman who nurtured and loved me into adulthood.
My Mom has everything and surely nothing I could purchase at a department store would seem unique or heartfelt. After much prayer and girlfriend brainstorming, these ideas emerged.
Plant an herb garden in a clay pot.
Grocery and department stores sell potted herbs. You could purchase an inexpensive clay pot (or use one you have) and repot the herbs in it. Rectangular clay pots will hold several plants. Having your children decorate the pots add to the rustic charm.
Bake cookies or special breads.
Find out what your Mom’s favorite bread or cookie is and make a batch. Line a basket with a new kitchen hand towel and fill it with your baked creations, or fill a fun paper plate. Adding a packet of instant hot chocolate or a tea bag will set the scene for a serene moment of “Me Time” for your Mother.
Make a fresh batch of strawberry jam or apple-peach conserve.
These make beautiful gifts. Buy pretty drinking glasses at a thrift store and wash them very well. (Make sure they’re sturdy enough to handle hot liquid.) Put this wonderful jelly into them, seal with melted paraffin* and add a ribbon around the glass.
Apple-Peach Conserve
2 cups pared, chopped tart apples
2 cups peeled, chopped peaches
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 cups sugar
1 bar paraffin
Combine everything except paraffin and cook slowly on stovetop for 20 minutes.
Pour into hot sterilized jars or glasses.
Seal with melted paraffin at once. Makes about 4 one-half pints.
*Be careful when melting paraffin as it can ignite. Follow directions on box.
Give a booklet of coupons for favors.
This one is a favorite! Simply write out what acts of service you will perform for your Mom. They don’t have to be ordinary or mundane. For example, one coupon could say, “I will walk your dog” or “I will pull the weeds in your flower garden.” Another could say, “I will massage your back” or “I will clean your house.” Be creative!
Make a promise box.
Use a counselor’s Bible, concordance, or your favorite Bible website to find the many promises of God. Type, write, or print them out, one line for each promise. You will have several pages of promises. Cut them each into individual strips and fold each strip two or three times. Buy inexpensive tins or decorative jars at your local thrift or junk store and fill them with your promise papers. Put a little label on each jar, which reads “God’s Promises.” It will be brimming with good news for the blessed recipient! Add a ribbon for decoration.
Buy an inexpensive window box and plant perennials in it.
What is your Mother’s favorite flower? Whether it is an annual or a perennial, she will love this gesture of love! Add a little decorative “pick” with a bird or dragonfly on it. Your child can make one out of a Popsicle stick and a laminated photo or playing card.
Purchase small bottles of toiletries and soaps and place in a pretty bag or basket with a pumice stone or fingernail brush.
This is such a fun thing to do. The kids will love choosing the cute little bottles of shampoos, etc. Top it off with a small hand mirror and you have a gift fit for a queen!
Make a picture calendar using family photos and correspond family member’s birthdays with the correct months.
Your local office supply store can help you with this or you can use one of the many online companies. Having a fresh family face each month will keep your Mother feeling warm and loved all through the year. For an added touch, you could have each family member’s birthday and wedding anniversary printed onto the correct day each month.
Write a tribute letter to share with your Mom on Mother’s Day.
Never underestimate the power of your words. With life beating us down, we all need positive words of affirmation. Telling your Mom why you think she is so special and pointing out how God uses her, will be a daily inspiration that will keep her spirits up all year long. We all need to be reminded why we are loved!
Homemade candy made with love.
How about this simple candy recipe: Melt two bags of dark chocolate chips (or any two of your favorite flavored chips) in a double boiler, which can be made by putting a smaller pot inside a larger pot with a few inches of boiling water. (Be careful of hot water splashing!) Stir constantly and when the chips are melted, remove from the heat. (You can also melt in the microwave 30 seconds at a time.) Add three cups of Spanish peanuts, or other nuts. Mix well and drop by tablespoon onto a cookie sheet covered with waxed paper. Refrigerate and viola’! You have quick, yummy, not-too-bad-for-you candies!
About Kelly Stigliano
Kelly J. Stigliano has been writing and speaking for over 3 decades. She and Jerry have celebrated more than 30 wedding anniversaries together—all proof of God’s redemptive power! Kelly made bad choices for years and shares the lessons she’s learned along the way, hoping to keep others from making the same mistakes. Because no one benefits when we wear masks, she tries to stay transparent. “Everyone has skeletons in their closets, but my closets don’t have doors on them!”
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