jakesmommy403 Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 You guys always have good ideas. I want to get something special for my mom (she's my best friend), but she can't think of a single thing she wants or needs this year. Let me tell you a little about her: She's 54, as sweet as can be, doesn't understand technology, still has a flip phone and loves it, doesn't watch DVD's because she "has cable and they play all kinds of movies", and isn't a fan of gift cards because she feels to pressured to use them. She loves Kohls, Walmart, and Target. She's not outdoorsy, she lives right down the street from me, and she's been having some problems with her neck since a car accident a few months ago (maybe a neck pillow would help??) so she just likes to get home from work and relax, not really a huge going-out person unless we're shopping together. Ok. So.... I don't want to do jammies or slippers this year (just did them for her b-day), I don't want to get her something ho-hum. She deserves a special Christmas. With a budget of about $75, can you give me some ideas for a lady's special gift?
shopping4my3son Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 A season pass to a museum, a makeover package, or magazine subscriptions. Does she like antiques? Maybe you could find a toy from an antique place that she had as a child.
Silverstreak24 Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 (edited) Since you and your mom have such a great relationship, why not treat her to a girl's day out after Christmas and take her to the spa? You could surprise her with something small, like the pillow and then announce your girls day out, you both would have fun together and she'd get to relax and maybe step out of her comfort zone. If she wouldn't like the spa, there is a great neck pillow and eye mask gift set that Brookstone sells. My mother has Parkinson's and is in her 50's and really likes it as it soothes her muscles in her neck. I think you can heat it or put it in the fridge. I can't find the set I gave her, but here is http://www.brookstone.com/nap-therapy-hot-cold-shoulder-wrap?bkiid=ProductDetails|Accesories|635326psomething similar that they sell... Edited November 13, 2011 by Silverstreak24
tinkrbel Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 Neck-wise I think the 4pc set at CVS (hot/cold) for $4.88 after ExtraBUCKS might be a good idea since it has a neck pillow and other stuff too which could warm her up when it's cold too. How about an ornament as part of her gift or a new purse/wallet? A book by a favorite author?
jonboy_nellie Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 If her neck likes heat I have some of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/Instant-Click-Heat-Helios-Reusable-Neck-Shoulder-Pad-/260722819749?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb44a82a5#ht_1849wt_1141 We have the big neck and little one also. We keep them in the fridge so when you pull it out to use it is cold therapy and after a few minutes you 'click it' and it is a heat pad. After some time it gets hard and you simply put it in a pot of boiling water for a bit then reuse it.
jakesmommy403 Posted November 13, 2011 Author Posted November 13, 2011 You guys are awesome, as always!!! Getting some great ideas here! Feel free to keep them coming! I'm actually on my way to Target with her right now, but I'll be back in a little bit and I'll check the thread here. Thanks so much! :)
lukesmom01 Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 I was going to suggest the same thing as Silverstreak. Plan a girls day out. Go to her favorite place for a meal to start off with, then go get a massage together. It could be just a neck and shoulders massage, or foot massage, if you don't think she would like the full body one. Or go to a nearby town that has shops that she doesn't get to shop at often. Just spending a special day doing what she wants with her sweet daughter is something most moms would love.
jakesmommy403 Posted November 13, 2011 Author Posted November 13, 2011 The Girls Day Out thing, while sweet, wouldn't be special enough for a gift in our case because we do everything together anyway, and both of us hate spas and massages. Lol. I appreciate the suggestions though! I'm looking for tangible things that can be unwrapped on Christmas. :)
jakesmommy403 Posted November 13, 2011 Author Posted November 13, 2011 What are you buying for your moms?
Kibit13 Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 I bought a necklace like this for my mom last year and she LOVES it! http://www.etsy.com/listing/63111432/hand-stamped-sterling-necklace-charm-is If she isn't wearing jewelry around her neck then maybe a bracelet would work.
jakesmommy403 Posted November 13, 2011 Author Posted November 13, 2011 Ooooh that necklace is so nice! Great idea! Love all the neck ideas too! Purses are always fun. Maybe I'll do those 3...and then something else?
tinkrbel Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 I'm getting my mom a new camera and a universal remote to go with my dad's av receiver. They're all joint gifts anyhow but will allow them to watch tv and the bluray player without having to ask me for help everytime, which they avoid doing.
Kibit13 Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 This lady on Etsy makes neck pillows with buckwheat hulls and they can be microwaved or chilled. She also makes beautiful purses! http://www.etsy.com/listing/80646493/buckwheat-buddy-neck-and-eye-pillow I hope you're getting lots of good ideas for your mom!
Kibit13 Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 For my mom this year we're going in on a netbook for her. She mostly surfs the web and gathers ancestry info. This will be her computer, my dad has agreed to leave it alone unless she asks for help. DH is going to get it updated for her and we're going to make a folder and fill it with photos. She'll be able to pull it out of the box, turn it on and be ready to go.
hack2222 Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 look at the neck messaging pillows or body messaging chair inserts. Things that move around to take away the pain. Might be a little harder to find, but thinks she'd appreciate that.
Mikesgirl Posted November 14, 2011 Posted November 14, 2011 I pre-ordered my mom the new Kindle Touch.
beccas302 Posted November 14, 2011 Posted November 14, 2011 Your mom sounds a lot like mine! I'm making my mom a ribbon wreath in her favorite colors (red and black). Not sure what else I'm going to get her though. I think my sister is going to get her a membership for AAA.
littlesdcen Posted November 14, 2011 Posted November 14, 2011 I am getting my mom and electric throw this year and a keurig. That way she can snuggle in and drink some coffee, tea, or chocolate. I am sure you will find the perfect gift.
Reinholt1 Posted November 14, 2011 Posted November 14, 2011 From my 81 year old mother's mouth to your ears......"BON BONS". I made the mistake of getting her some choclate truffles from the most decedent truffle place you have ever been to for Easter this year. And my mother has made it quite clear....."I want my bon-bons for Christmas." (Dad is thrilled to oblige, mom is never that explicit about what she wants for Christmas.) www.chocolategarden.com
Princess7915 Posted November 14, 2011 Posted November 14, 2011 You can make all kinds of neat personalized things on Snapfish - or other photo online places. Last year I made a calendar for my grandmother and she loved it. It took me awhile though. You could to a coffee mug or a tote bag or something similar with family photos.
hopeky94 Posted November 14, 2011 Posted November 14, 2011 My mom is my best friend, too, so I often share the same (wonderful) "problem" about gift ideas! :) One thing I started doing in recent years is: every Christmas, I get her one really nice outfit (or sweater set) to be her "New Year's outfit." She rarely spends much on clothes for herself, and if I watch the clearance racks at Sears, Macy's, etc, I always manage to find something nice that I know she'll love! (And no, she doesn't actually go anywhere special for New Year's, but it gives me an excuse to buy something nice for her and gives her an excuse to dress up and feel beautiful for no particular reason-- so it's a win-win for both of us! ) Oh, and besides her special outfit, I also try to get her a few smaller "indulgences" that she rarely buys for herself, like a box of choc-covered cherries (she loves them), some cute fuzzy socks, a fabric calendar to match her kitchen ($2 at Family Dollar store), etc...
ISU ME Posted November 14, 2011 Posted November 14, 2011 I love giving photo gifts. This photo cutting board is really unique if she enjoys cooking at all.http://www.snapfish.com/snapfish/gifts/product=cuttingboard
Buckeye Shopper Posted November 14, 2011 Posted November 14, 2011 I had this type of relationship with my mom too, I lost her this year, and miss her terribley. Anyway, I like personal gifts to show how you really feel about her. I love the photo ideas. Another route is the electronic photo frames, loaded with favorite pics, or a photo quilt. Brighton makes some really nice jewelry that say mom and such on them. I always think about the person when I wear a jewelry item they bought me. Maybe start her a pandora bracelet? Things Remembered always have things you can personalize also. I like to give something practical and something sentimental.
tinkrbel Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 I had this type of relationship with my mom too, I lost her this year, and miss her terribley. Anyway, I like personal gifts to show how you really feel about her. I love the photo ideas. Another route is the electronic photo frames, loaded with favorite pics, or a photo quilt.Sorry for your loss and wishing you happy thoughts for this LONG holiday season. I like the photo idea. I did digital frames one year and personalized to people. They also have the frame keychains though not sure how well that would hold up with a bunch of keys.
AndreaInNC Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 I always tell my kids .. spend your money on you not me. I'd love a book of homemade coupons for stuff for us to d together or for them to do things for me. Mowing the lawn, afternoon at the movies .. stuff like that. I'm about your moms age and I love stuff like that. Money doesn't need to be spent on gifts ... time together is sometimes the best!!
SuggaD Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 I'm late to this, but I would suggest a massage or spa treatment. I got my mom a spa package a few years ago and she LOVED it. I've been giving them to her as gifts since.
jakesmommy403 Posted November 15, 2011 Author Posted November 15, 2011 Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone. :)
chimeralife Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 Does she read? The cheapest kindle is $79 and my mother who is a technophobe LOVES the one I got her for her birthday this year. I just go on the kindle book store and download stuff to it sometimes. Plus I put it on my account so she has every book I ever bought available to her. Since I regularly buy the freebies it is over 1,000 now. Plus she likes all the bible stuff and those are free. So if you are a premier member at BB and have a few rewards bucks avail it would easily be under $75. I plan to get her an amazon card to pick some titles she has been wanting for her present. She's an OTR truck driver so it makes figuring out what to get her now VERY easy. She loves not having to tote lots of books along for the enforced down time.
tokanm Posted November 16, 2011 Posted November 16, 2011 This thread makes me sad My Mom died when I just turned 18. I never go to do the grown up mother-daughter things..I am envious of you that are lucky enough to still have your Moms. I don't have a daughter either but am hoping for a couple of nice daughters in law and grandaughters someday Moms do so much without saying a word or expecting anything in return..buy them whatever is best but always remember to love and appreciate them and let them know it.
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