What to buy mum when the obligatory flowers and chocolate have done their time?

[FamingolosForDays]

I've done flowers, plants, chocolate and lunches out to death. Mum has serious eczema so skin stuff completely out the window. She has loads of jewellery but doesn't really wear it. Children have made her various bits and pieces over the years but they are 13 and 10 now.... looking for inspiration for mother's day/birthday please!

I’ve been a mum for 35 years. Flowers and chocolates still cut it. Mother’s Day is gentle and lovely x

Can you not ask her, esp for the birthday? What about a voucher? You know her best though,

Flowers and chocolates and wine are okay if that is your thing but on any thread on Mn about buying presents it is always those that are suggested for every occasion!

Taking mine for afternoon tea - she’s on WLI so has a small appetite so tiny sandwiches and little cakes is perfect for her right now!

Garden centre voucher then and maybe breakfast/lunch there too! I’d love that

Reflexology, hot stone massage, theatre trip, dinner, afternoon tea, Hori Hori gardening tools

I realise "sewer" is not a word (in relation to fabrics. My mother is definitely not a sewer in relation to sewage 🤣)

I just feel so useless. Im rubbish at gifts.

I got a small hand-embroidered card from Oxfam, it's a little bee on a blue flower. Coupled with a nice frame with a mount, it can go on the wall. Under a tenner ish, and is a lasting gift.

*Edited to add, the card isn't a one-off, it was on the spinny rack thing full of cards

Is there a thing she particularly needs? One of my Mum’s favourite presents from me was two metal scoops that she can use for washing powder.

I would definitely get her a pedicure again. A manicure too if she does gardening (no need for nail polish, just a good trim and buff).

Would she like a massage?

Basically, you're paying for her to have time and attention all for herself.

My adult DCs get me all of the above annually. They also get me chocolates and flowers, which I love.

A book by her favourite author of maybe because she enjoys gardening a book about that or a RHS gardens day trip out . A subscription to a gardening magazine .
A trip to the theatre ?

I went for the tea option, but not out, in a nice package of lots of luxurious things she can enjoy for a long time at home. My mum lives in a really small village, nothing is local to her, and the florists aren't great.

That is thoughtful. Garden Answers has a 6 month subscription for £19.99. I’d be happy if I received that

You say she likes gardening, could she do with some help?
You might offer a day's worth of help doing whatever needs doing in the garden?
Have a break for lunch. Depends if the garden needs work I suppose but gardens usually do!
Glass of wine at the end of the day in your wellies admiring your work😀

A magazine subscription for a publication she'd enjoy? Maybe a sewing/crafty type magazine? My M likes card making and a subscription to "Simply Cards and Papercraft" magazine was a great hit.

My kids are 13 and (almost) 10 and can finally make me nice things lol.

The last couple of years they’ve made me afternoon tea which is lovely - spend the morning baking and then serve it to me with my grandmother’s china. Is your mum near enough to do something similar?

As she has eczema, quite a few things are out. A friend has it and loads of things make it worse - massage oil (so massages), alcohol, some food, some fabrics. Could you take her to a bookshop with a cafe and buy her a load of books and coffee / cake? Or is that a bit naff?

I once gave my DM an afternoon tea at home - plenty of nice little sandwiches (crusts cut off) and a homemade sponge cake, followed by a trip to a theatre for a popular show.

If she likes gardening, my kids got me a lovely David Austen rose bush last year and helped me plant it, gave me lots of joy last summer and I’m looking forward to seeing what it does this year

The best present you can give her is your time. One of my nicest Mother's Days was when my adult dd came to visit for the day. She brought the ingredients to make a delicious meal which she cooked. She also brought me a plant which she had grown herself from a cutting.

I get mine a large wicker hamper with lots of things that she likes.

My adult son asked me today what I want for M'Day: I asked for home-made brownies. They would be lovely. x

Ask her. Draw up a list, say you want to give her something special.

A nice mug? Not necessarily a "mum" one. Wrendale do some lovely ones. Also lovely notebooks, pens, glasses cases, - loads of gifts.

www.wrendaledesigns.co.uk

A gift doesn’t have to be original to be appreciated. If she enjoyed the pedicure last year you could do that again, or maybe a manicure? Even better go together for either.

I’ve got my mum a little felted sheep wearing wire specs and knitting. It’s fuckin adorable. My mum has sheep, wears specs and likes to knit, so it makes sense, I promise! Also I’ll still do a bunch of flowers and probably a book, she loves to read when she gets a moment.