Your mom is a special lady.
Not in the way that your neighbor’s drunk dad said at that 4th of July party. She’s just a great, caring, hard-working woman who deserves some recognition. And that’s where Mother’s Day comes in. Every year in May, she gets a day all to herself — to be celebrated and loved.
But how do you show her how much she means to you? Do you buy something basic like some flowers or a greeting card, or do you try to put something more than money into your gift — something personal?
The trouble is, now that you’re not a little kid anymore, a book of coupons for “one free hug,” and “I will do the dishes” doesn’t really cut it. If you need to step up your personal-touch gift-giving game, one of these 8 gift ideas might be for you.
But keep in mind that Mother’s Day is on Sunday, and that personal touch can take time. So, if your mom doesn’t appreciate late gifts… you might have to bookmark one of these for her birthday/next year.
A Paper Bouquet
Why buy a bouquet of flowers when you can make one? Paper flower kits come in lots of different styles, but this crepe paper rose kit, available for under $20, is a classic option.
Unlike a real bouquet of roses, this one won’t have to be thrown out after a week. And unlike other artificial flowers, these won’t make your mom think of a factory, but of the love and care you put into making them for her.
A Chocolate Card
Another twist on standard Mother’s Day fare, a chocolate card combines the thoughtfulness of a handmade card with the sweetness of chocolate. Just buy your mother’s favorite chocolate bar (preferably one of the wide, flat ones), and decorate it with the help of this chocolate pen, for under $30.
Sure, it’s made for kids, but you’ll always be a kid to your mother. More importantly, it’s a great way to add a personal touch, with some little decorations and a brief message — don’t expect to be writing a novel in chocolate — to an otherwise tasty but impersonal piece of chocolate. And if you really want to make your chocolate card pop, you can add some edible glitter.
Funny Embroidery
A homey message like “Bless This Mess” inside one of those embroidery hoops is pretty standard mom stuff. But your mom is anything but standard. You know what she likes, and you know her sense of humor, so you can put that knowledge to use with some needlework.
These embroidery kits come with everything a beginner needs to get started making some pretty thread art, and you are free to add whatever cute or funny message your mom would enjoy.
A Handmade Flowerpot
If your mom has a green thumb, you might want to get her a houseplant to add to her collection. But if you want to make that gift a little more personal, you could give her a houseplant in a pot you sculpted yourself.
This kit from Sculpd is under $60, and comes with everything you need to sculpt, air-dry, and waterproof a small pot or vase at home.
A Family Portrait Painting
But maybe you’re not really the art type. If you want to give your mom something pretty, personal, and handmade, but you don’t have the skills to make it yourself, there are services like Instapainting that connecct you with artists who can turn you mother’s favorite family photo into a work of art — with the option of oil painting, watercolor, charcoal, colored pencil and more.
Small pieces start at under $90.
A Personalized Song
If your mom is more musically inclined, you can order her a custom song through Songfinch. You pick a style and a mood for the song, and provide personal details or a favorite family story that can flesh out the lyrics, then a Songfinch musician takes over, crafting an original piece of music dedicated to your mother. The whole process costs around $200.
A Homemade Candle
They say that no other sense is as connected to memory as smell. So what better way to thank your mother for happy memories with her than to make her a custom-scented candle?
This candle-making kit costs less than $30, and comes with everything you need to make your mom a custom soy candle, including some basic fragrance oils. But if you want to get more personal, you can find other fragrance oils to capture some of your mom’s favorite smells, or even add stuff like dried flowers, coffee beans, star anise, or cinnamon sticks to the candle wax.
Pyrography Art
Did your mom ever tell you not to play with fire? Well the good news is, she can’t stop you now that you’re a grown-up, and with this pyrography kit for under $60, playing with fire can have some beautiful results.
You can burn a message or an image onto a piece of wood for a coaster or a wall decoration, or use it to add some flare a leather belt or bracelet. And thanks to metal stencils and patterns, you don’t need to be particularly artistic to produce something that looks professionally done. An especially great option for badass moms.
