Meaningful Gifts for Mother's Day or Any Day

by Lois Breneman, © 2009, Heart to Heart

As pretty as fresh flowers can be, they only last a few days.  Eating out is nice as well, but when it's over, you have nothing to show for it.  Why not think of a more meaningful gift that will last much longer? 

Make a special photo album of you and your siblings over the years.  Make color copy pages to save the original photos.

Write a personal poem for your mother, mother-in-law or grandmother. 

Write a list of your growing up memories.  

Write down all the interesting family stories you can remember. 

Spend the whole day with your Mother or Grandma.  

Give her a back and foot massage.  

For a handmade exfoliating foot scrub, mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp. olive oil and about 5 squirts of your favorite lotion.  Put it into a jelly jar.  It keeps for weeks in the refrigerator.  Rub the foot scrub into the feet for a minute or two.  Rinse in a basin of water and Grandma's feet will feel softer! 

Recently I made a special calling card for my mother-in-law, using our own calling card number and pin number for Onesuite (2.9 cents per minute) and gave it to her with a poem.  

Keep grandmas and great-grandmas well supplied with pictures of their grandchildren and visit them as often as possible.  Earlier this month all of our married children drove with their families from three different states to Pennsylvania to see their ninety-two year old grandma.  They made it possible for her to see the two great-grandchildren she had not yet seen in person.  Of course, that gave all of our family a wonderful opportunity to be together.  My husband and I both grew up in that area, and relatives on both sides of our families were so kind to provide accommodations and get our families together for two mini reunions that weekend.  We all got to attend church together and I had arranged earlier for my children to also meet a special man, recently widowed, who was my youth leader at one time.  Duke Shelley and his wife, Doris, had a great impact on my young life, and were wonderful friends of our family as I grew up.  Duke told me that calling him before our trip meant so much to him.  He shared with me how he was so touched, which is a good reason for our expressing our appreciation to those the Lord has used in our lives. 

Play a game with her or put together a puzzle.  Do the things she enjoys. 

Watch a Hallmark movie with her.  Or she would no doubt enjoy Anne of Green Gables.

 

If your mother enjoys a hobby such as scrapbooking, sewing, painting, gardening, or music, give her a gift to use in that area.

Make special arrangements for your mother's sister, brother or special friend to come for a special visit with her.

Any of these ideas will be much appreciated, no doubt, even more than the usual flowers or meal out at a restaurant.  The memories from these more creative and meaningful gifts will linger on much longer.