We see it every year about this time: TV commercials pushing the latest jewellery trends, grocery stores full of boxed chocolates and local flower shops advertising special deals for Mother’s Day.

Want to do something different this year? Not sure what your mum really wants on her special day?

What mums really want

For the best advice on this topic, we went straight to the source – real mums. Here, a group of mums share what the most meaningful gifts are to them:

  • A day off from housework, dish washing and cooking – even if it means eggs and toast for dinner!
  • A thorough cleaning of Mum’s car, both inside and out.
  • Breakfast in bed.
  • A good book . . . and time to read it!
  • A long, quiet, uninterrupted nap.
  • A homemade card or picture telling Mum how much she’s appreciated.
  • A hand-picked bouquet of dandelions or tree blossoms placed on her bedside table.
  • A day with the kids, window-shopping, having lunch and just being together.
  • A picnic and walk through a garden or parkland.
  • Seeing her kids or husband take on a household chore they wouldn’t normally do.
  • A quiet night alone to relax and put her feet up.
  • A massage, manicure or pedicure.
  • Being told that she’s the best mum in the world!

As simple as it may sound, remember that the best gift you can give your mother (or wife) is the gift of your love – no matter how you demonstrate it on Mother’s Day. As one mother shared, "We adopted our first son just a few weeks before Mother’s Day, and he was the best Mother’s Day gift ever."

Ultimately, mums are pretty easy to please. Take the time to tell her you love her and give her a break from her "Mum duties." A little pampering never hurts, either.

© 2007 Focus on the Family (Canada) Association. All rights reserved.Used with permission.

Julie Vaughan

Julie Vaughan was the editorial director at Focus on the Family Canada at the time of publication.

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