Cheers to Moms...

Mothers Day is the hardest holiday for me to buy for and not just because I now have three moms to purchase gifts for. My MIL and step-mom are pretty easy, but my mother - oh dear. I struggle every single holiday trying to rack my brain on things she would love. The things I KNOW she'd like (a day at the spa, a vacation in Maui) are just a teeny bit out of my price range at the moment (one day, Mama, one day), so I usually end up with mediocre gifts that she says she likes but are not up to my own personal gift giving standards. It doesn't help that money is tight while Chad's going to school and we're not using credit cards anymore (5 months and counting - can I get a what what). HOWEVER...I have found some ways to make mama happy while making ME happy with what I've purchased and making my budget happy, too. Hope this helps any struggling daughter or daughter-in-law out there (or son, even though if you're married you know that your wife buys it for you, so don't even go there)...

1. Pajamas - I don't know one person who does not adore soft, comfortable, MATCHING pajamas. Go to TJ Maxx or Marshall's for name brand pajamas at a fraction (and I do mean FRACTION) of the retail price. They even have Karen Neuberger (Oprah's favorite things, look it up) sometimes if you look.

2. Chocolates - Get a small box of Godiva and she will feel indulged but not guilty for indulging!

3. Bottle of Wine or 4-pack of Sophia - If you don't know what Sophia is, I wish my friend Amanda was here to tell you because she does it best! But I will try to fill her shoes...Sophia is champagne in a (pink) can with a straw. It's delicious and cute and most of all, fun. I have not met anyone who was not delighted and charmed by those yummy pink cans of bubbly. I don't think grocery stores sell them, but wine stores do (Total Wine at Greenridge, ya'll).

4. A hardback book - There is something about a hardback book that just makes you feel ritzy and special. Maybe it's just me and my bookwormy self, but I just love a hardbacked book. A friend of mine from the C of C days was also an avid reader and loved to showcase her books throughout our apartment in creative ways - and they were all hardbacks. (She was also the one that got me into loving bird cages - she displayed hardback books in this gorgeous birdcage and yeah, I have done the same in my own home). At first I thought she was a trust fund baby, but then she let me in on her secret: the clearance shelves at Books-A-Million and Barnes & Noble. You can get overstocks and much more for like 75% off on these shelves. You do have to look and be open to possibly reading some obscure authors that didn't make the NYT Bestseller List, but you can get a nice hard backed book for as low as $4.98. I know. I did it today.

5. A plant/flowers - Feed her indulgences with the chocolate, her comfort with the PJ's, her tastebuds with the wine, her mind with the book, and finally, her spirit with a pretty potted plant or flower. Get them cheap at BiLo, Lowe's, or Home Depot and then repot it in a pretty pot from Hobby Lobby or Old Time Pottery. Cheap and pretty. And it will last!

I guess maybe I am a pretty good gift giver after all, if I do say so myself. The thing is, with these gifts, you can tailor it all to fit the person. And there is not one woman out there who doesn't love these things - even for the mom who doesn't read, she may cook and that is something that is a GREAT gift - a pretty cook book. You can even get a display stand for it (if you look hard) for $9.99 or less at places like Ross. And a P.S. - write an inscription on the inside of the book you give. It personalizes it and makes it truly one of a kind!