What should I get my mom for Christmas? PLEASE HELP!

Danimal

Nothing says I love you more than a bottle of Jaegar.

Enkidu

I'm a mom and I would like a massage or a pedicure. If your mom's not into that, maybe take a photo of yourself (and siblings if you have them) and frame it. My kids have done that for me. Or - anything handmade I always like.

No candles. My kids have given me way too many candles. In fact, if you need some candles I can send them to you.

Who Princess

decides2dream wrote:

whoprincess wrote:

I thought from the start the spa was the best idea but I knew other folks would come through with some great suggestions! I really like the idea of doing some favors for your mom while she is at the spa. :thumbup:

My mom is 82 now and doesn't need much of anything, so unless she asks for something specific I usually give her a gc to a spa. She really likes going for a massage or a pedicure.
Funny thing though, this year my mom asked for a new alarm clock with a big digital display. Not what I would have picked for her but that's what she wants.

i wish my mom liked such stuff. she'll be 82 soon too. she is so not girly. eh well.
charity donations and new slippers it is!

Well, the other thing that my mom just goes nuts over is when I take her to lunch someplace nice, just us girls.
Not expensive, just a leisurely lunch.
A tea room at an antique mall or the cafe at a museum is just the ticket.
I usually do this for her birthday. What else do you give somebody in their 80s? :roll:

decides2dream

whoprincess wrote:

decides2dream wrote:

whoprincess wrote:

I thought from the start the spa was the best idea but I knew other folks would come through with some great suggestions! I really like the idea of doing some favors for your mom while she is at the spa. :thumbup:

My mom is 82 now and doesn't need much of anything, so unless she asks for something specific I usually give her a gc to a spa. She really likes going for a massage or a pedicure.
Funny thing though, this year my mom asked for a new alarm clock with a big digital display. Not what I would have picked for her but that's what she wants.

i wish my mom liked such stuff. she'll be 82 soon too. she is so not girly. eh well.
charity donations and new slippers it is!

Well, the other thing that my mom just goes nuts over is when I take her to lunch someplace nice, just us girls.
Not expensive, just a leisurely lunch.
A tea room at an antique mall or the cafe at a museum is just the ticket.
I usually do this for her birthday. What else do you give somebody in their 80s? :roll:

my mom just likes us to get together, anywhere, anytime. she barely eats, she just likes the together time.



your mom and i sound like we would get along well - especially for lunch at the museum!

PJFAN_seattle

K you guys have given me some sweet ideas
i have four siblings i could pool money with, an my dad too. Now im thinking the spa giftcard and am mp3 player (shes always saying she wants one for the gym)
thanks for the help guys

redrock

pandora wrote:

Being a Mama I can say Mama's want a memory and they like sentimental things from their children. Something from your heart and time spent together will be the present she will remember always. The least amount of money spent the better cause Mama's don't like their kids spending alot. A handwritten sentiment and a walk together in the woods, a treat you baked with a visit over coffee, a homemade CD of her favorite songs and a glass of wine- whatever her and your thing is to make/ share a loving memory of Christmas 2009.

That's sweet but you get those things when you have little ones. A 'mama' has a number of years like that. It's great when your kids are older and can think of a more 'grown up' present. I'd take a day at the spa over a walk in the woods any day! Naturally, a handwritten sentiment, do the housework/chores she would do for the day, etc. is a plus.

_

I love the idea of a spa gift card! But, like some others have said, don't just hand over the card and let that be the end of it. I would totally clean the house and cook her dinner for when she comes home from the spa. And if you get her an iPod or something, charge it up for her in advance and load it up with music - and include a coupon for lessons from you on how to use it (if she needs them). You could possibly put pictures on there too.

Also, here's an idea that I plan to do for my mom for Christmas, which fits with the picture theme that's come up: I was able to get my hands on a bunch of my great-grandmother's family slides, mostly of me and my siblings growing up. I plan to have them converted to digital images and then made into a book (like a real book; not a photo album). I only recently discovered that this could be done and both the image conversion to digital and the book-making can be done through Costco. You can arrange the pictures however you'd like and add catptions, etc. I'll also include a disc of the digital versions of the pictures, of course. I might also convert an old tape (that I got from my great-grandmother as well) to a CD for her. It's of me and my sister singing songs and stuff when we were about 5 years old. (This could be put on an iPod too!)

Good luck! I'm sure your mom will love whatever you do as long as it comes with love and kindness. Let us know how it turns out.

Edit to add: Write her a song with your new guitar!

pandora

redrock wrote:

pandora wrote:

Being a Mama I can say Mama's want a memory and they like sentimental things from their children. Something from your heart and time spent together will be the present she will remember always. The least amount of money spent the better cause Mama's don't like their kids spending alot. A handwritten sentiment and a walk together in the woods, a treat you baked with a visit over coffee, a homemade CD of her favorite songs and a glass of wine- whatever her and your thing is to make/ share a loving memory of Christmas 2009.

That's sweet but you get those things when you have little ones. A 'mama' has a number of years like that. It's great when your kids are older and can think of a more 'grown up' present. I'd take a day at the spa over a walk in the woods any day! Naturally, a handwritten sentiment, do the housework/chores she would do for the day, etc. is a plus.

Oh I would take a thoughtful gift or some time spent making memories with my grown children(almost 24 and 26 now wow!) over some strangers hands all over my body anytime! I like gifts from the heart the best and we never get too old for that. Like you said a handwritten sentiment and help with a chore are good ideas for me too.

Who Princess

PJ_kidd_9-21-22 wrote:

K you guys have given me some sweet ideas
i have four siblings i could pool money with, an my dad too. Now im thinking the spa giftcard and am mp3 player (shes always saying she wants one for the gym)
thanks for the help guys

Sounds like you are right on track, especially if you get together with your sibs! Bet your mom is going to have a nice Christmas! :thumbup:

haffajappa

Flagg wrote:

Spa is a great idea.

Can she listen to music at work? Get her an iPod. I got my parents one last year and they love it. They are in their mid-60s and never would have bought one on their own. They still have all of their old records.

my friend got her dad an mp3 player and filled it up with a bunch of good music he likes.

haffajappa

I think spa is a really good idea.
I know that my mom loves when my brother and I do things unasked like cleaning and such, so I also think its a good idea that you clean the house or something like that while shes at the spa...

You could always make coupons for her, I did that when i was a kid lol. Maybe a little lame but hey, redeeming a free dish washing coupon after a long day at work might become useful

samjam

Maybe our moms are around the same age as we are basically the same age

But last Hanukkah, I actually gave my mom a gift certificate to her favorite spa, which she loved! I think that's a great idea as well!

redrock

pandora wrote:

Oh I would take a thoughtful gift or some time spent making memories with my grown children(almost 24 and 26 now wow!) over some strangers hands all over my body anytime! I like gifts from the heart the best and we never get too old for that. Like you said a handwritten sentiment and help with a chore are good ideas for me too.

Memories with children are made every day... I don't wait for Christmas to 'have a walk in the woods' or a treat my daughter baked... it's throughout the year. When you older child gives you a 'bought' gift but puts a lot of thought in it, it's just as much from the heart as a 'memories' gift.

songforholly

some art .... a cool painting or picture... do you have any local galleries ... usually they arnt to exy!!!
I got an AWESOME gift for my husbaroonie off ETSY he loves collecting skate boards ( old school and exy ones) but anyway I put it into the search and found a really really deck this guy had painted, got it shipped out from the States ... hubby LOVES it & it is something a bit different .

they have really cool stuff search for hours ... more arty farty ebay if you will ...minus the bidding war & stoopid new feedback rules :roll:

pandora

redrock wrote:

pandora wrote:

Oh I would take a thoughtful gift or some time spent making memories with my grown children(almost 24 and 26 now wow!) over some strangers hands all over my body anytime! I like gifts from the heart the best and we never get too old for that. Like you said a handwritten sentiment and help with a chore are good ideas for me too.

Memories with children are made every day... I don't wait for Christmas to 'have a walk in the woods' or a treat my daughter baked... it's throughout the year. When you older child gives you a 'bought' gift but puts a lot of thought in it, it's just as much from the heart as a 'memories' gift.

Totally agree memories are made each day. I am blessed to have a life full of wonderful memories. I've always believed it is these memories and love shared is all we take from this world when its our time to go. So that is why I like getting "the gift of memories". And yes my kids get me bought gifts along with remembering me in more special ways. All is good

decides2dream

redrock wrote:

pandora wrote:

Oh I would take a thoughtful gift or some time spent making memories with my grown children(almost 24 and 26 now wow!) over some strangers hands all over my body anytime! I like gifts from the heart the best and we never get too old for that. Like you said a handwritten sentiment and help with a chore are good ideas for me too.

Memories with children are made every day... I don't wait for Christmas to 'have a walk in the woods' or a treat my daughter baked... it's throughout the year. When you older child gives you a 'bought' gift but puts a lot of thought in it, it's just as much from the heart as a 'memories' gift.

so true, no matter who it's from!
and let's face it, mothers are as varied in their likes/desires/wants as anyone else. so while one may only want memories, someone else absolutely would appreciate a well thought, personal, bought gift. no wrong there. seems the OP wanted to BUY something extra special for his mom, knowing how hard she works and all she does for him. so it does indeed sound like she would enjoy something that would INDULGE her, as well as perhaps something made/given at home, like cleaning, cooking, what have you.

i am still of the firm belief that a really beautiful card with an appropriate, personally written message ALONG with that GC for the spa, coupons for cleaning or cooking, etc....PERFECT gift. hell, i wish my husband would give me that. well, actually he has, minus the cleaning coupon book....but when he vaccuums :shock: ....hahahaha...but i digress....;)