Gifts by Recipient

Gifts for Mothers

SEE ALSO Gifts for Women and relevant interest categories under Gifts by Passion

How can any gift acknowledge what our mothers mean to us? The truth is, it can't. Nevertheless, the tokens we choose for Mom should reflect a sensitivity to her needs or concerns.

Pamper her with breakfast in bed, maid-for-a-day service, or a day at the salon.

Present Mom with a collection of letters from you and your siblings telling her of the valuable influence she has had on your lives or describing a trait you admire in her.

Design and make (or have made) a quilt with blocks depicting accomplishments and events in her life.

Transfer your mother's old home movies to video (there are businesses to help you do this).

To some, an oh-so-comfortable hammock just might be the ultimate gift of total indulgence.

The following high tech items are easily personalized to convey the nostalgic, sentimental, and thoughtful messages to mothers:

• A compact-disc player with recordings of the music that was popular when she was a teen
• A cellular phone preprogrammed with the phone numbers of her family members
• A personal stereo with recorded audio greetings from her children
• An easy-to-use camera with an assortment of photo albums or keepsake photo boxes
• An electronic organizer preprogrammed with the addresses of her family and friends and entries for birthdays, anniversaries, and other important dates to remember
• An under-the-cabinet-mounted television with a family picture taped to the screen

Make a contribution in her name to an organization or charity in which she has shown an interest.

Lighten her work load by taking over one of her tasks on a regular basis.

Organize a luncheon with friends she hasn't seen for a long time. Bring together childhood friends, high school classmates, college roommates, former coworkers, and others.

Make a date for a regular outing to her favorite restaurant, park, theater, or mall.

Register her in a workshop on keeping a journal or assembling a personal history.

Plan a family dinner at which she is the guest of honor—arrange a special place for her to sit comfortably and visit while family members take turns with dinner preparations.

Record and transcribe conversations with your mother as you reminisce about her life. Present them to her in an attractive book.

SEE ALSO Gifts for Women and relevant interest categories under Gifts by Passion