It’s almost Christmas, and maybe you have all of your Christmas shopping left to do. Or maybe you have most of your gifts done, but still haven’t found one for that very special woman on your list: your mother?!
Well, today is your lucky day because I have created this list of great gifts any mother would love. And the best part is that these gifts are gifts from the heart and won’t cost you much money. This is a money saving blog after all!
Because some of these gifts are a gift of service, you won’t actually be buying anything to wrap. But if you want some ideas to add to these gifts that your mom can unwrap, I have a list at the bottom of this post.
Here’s your list of gifts your mother will love, not in any particular order:
1)Give Your Mother a Day Off: If your mother has a job, you can’t actually go into her workplace and do her work for her. BUT, you can take over her home responsibilities for a day on her day off. Does she have younger children at home or grandchildren that she takes care of? That day you will be the one taking care of the little ones. Does she have errands she only has time to do on Saturdays like grocery shopping, going to the post office or volunteering to clean the church? On her day off, you get to do her errands for her. And that will give her a day to do something fun like maybe go to lunch with a friend.
2) Give Your Mother a Maid for a Day: This one comes at no cost to you because YOU are the maid. Tell your mother you are going to clean her house for the day. She will need to make a list of all the chores she would normally do on her cleaning day. And then you show up with cleaning supplies in hand and clean her house. This works best if she isn’t home, otherwise she may feel bad and want to start cleaning with you, but that ruins the gift.
3)Make your Mother Her Favorite Meal: Is your mom the person who does most of the cooking in her house? Whether you live at home or not, you can make her favorite meal either at your house or hers. If there are a lot of family members, you need to feed the whole crew, so your mom doesn’t have to cook that day. If she and your dad are empty nesters, you can make the meal for the two of them. And if she lives alone, you can suggest she invite a friend over to eat dinner with her, and you cook, serve and clean up. Make sure you create enough food so there will be leftovers for her to eat another day. That’s a bonus gift for your mother that will bring back sweet memories of something you did for her.
Even if you’re not that great a cook, something simple like spaghetti and meatballs, a salad and bread will make a great meal for mom!
4) Create Something for Your Mom: Are you a crafter? Do you make jewelry or sew, knit or quilt? Your mom would probably love to have something you made with your own two hands. In high school, my daughter knitted me a scarf to match the ski jacket I had. Six years later it is still one of my favorite gifts. Each time I wear it, it makes me feel loved because she made it for me.
5) Take Your Mother on a Day Trip: Is there a place within two hours of where your mother lives that she has wanted to go to? Shopping at an outlet mall? A special exhibit at the local museum? A walk on the beach to look for special shells or sea glass? If so, you can make her dreams come true by whisking her away for a day trip. If the venue has an admission price, check out Groupon for discounts before you go.
6) Treat Your Mother to a Makeover: Does your mother live near a department store with a makeup counter? Take her there and ask for a makeover, but be prepared to purchase at least one of the products used because the salespeople at cosmetic counters work on commission and that would only be fair to purchase at least one item from them in exchange for the time they took with your mother. If you know someone who sells Mary Kay products, they may be willing to come over and give her a makeover. Again though you should plan to purchase at least one of the products used. Or maybe you are great at applying makeup and could give your mom a makeover yourself.
7) Give Your Mother a Massage: Unless you are a trained massage therapist, it’s probably not a good idea to actually give your mother a massage yourself. But if she enjoys a massage check Groupon for discounted massage coupons. Or check for salons that offer back and shoulder massages for $1.00 per minute. Malls also have these services which are sometimes called, ‘Chair Massages” and the customer sits face down in a slanted chair and gets their backs, shoulders and sometimes their hands and arms included in the massage. This type of massage is often the choice of people who don’t like full body massages anyway. And you can get a nice massage for your mother for $10 to $15. If she is getting a massage at a mall, take her for a nice cup of tea when she’s done, and that experience will make a nice gift.
8) Create a Scrapbook for Your Mother: Most moms are sentimental and love remembering things that they shared with their children. Do you have access to pictures of when you/your siblings were growing up? Or pictures of she and your father? Or pictures of a special event that happened? Creating a scrapbook is fairly easy, and places like Michael’s, AC Moore and Joann’s have coupons in the weekly Sunday papers that you can use to purchase scrapbook supplies. And a book of memories is a perfect gift for mothers. Hobby Lobby has a weekly coupon you can download on your phone for 40% off any one item that’s not on sale. If you don’t have the time or money to create a whole scrapbook, do one page that is 8 inches by 10 inches, add some pictures and a few sentimental thoughts and put it in a wooden frame. She will love it, and appreciate the time you put into creating it.
A sentimental scrapbook is a perfect gift for mom!
If you are short on time, there are pre-made scrapbooking pages available on Amazon which will allow you to just add photos. Order them here:
9) Take Your Mother to a Concert: Often there are free concerts for the public offered within a community. Check local publications for free concerts. Do you live near a college? College music departments often offer free concerts. Are there any churches near where your mother lives that offer free concerts? If you have the money to spend at a local venue, check out Groupon for discounted ticket prices.
10) Give your Mother a Coupon Book Filled with Things you Know She Would Love: This could include one free walk for the dog, one free computer lesson, one night of doing the dishes, etc. If you are feeling really ambitious, you can make up a coupon book for a combination of the above other nine ideas! This gift for mom is also fun because it includes a series of events, not just a one-time thing.
In my family, it was always fun to have something to unwrap at Christmas, even if it was a gift card. We used boxes, so the recipient actually had a gift box to unwrap. If you want to do that for your mother’s gift, you can create a certificate on the computer stating what her gift is, and fold it to fit in a small gift bag or box. Dollar Tree has a package of 3 boxes for $1.00, so a folded piece of paper would fit nicely in one.
Dollar Tree stores sell packages of 3 small boxes for $1.00!
Or, you could also add something inexpensive to go with the certificate which would be larger to wrap like:
- A key ring with a musical note on it would pair nicely with a gift of a concert.
- A can of lemon-scented Pledge would be a cute gag gift to go with a day of housecleaning for her.
- A small jar of shells with a ribbon around it to go with a certificate for a day at the beach together.
- A small candle with a box of her favorite tea will pair nicely in a box with the gift of a massage.
Okay, I think you get the idea. Gifts like these that come from the heart not only are more creative than just a gift certificate or a pair of slippers, but they will provide a memorable experience that will stay with your mother for a long time and provide her with a gift she will love!
