What and what not to send this Mother's Day
Flowers and chocolates, while nice, are so cliché. Not only does your poor mother receives these uninspiring gifts every Mother's Day, she's also saddled with them on her birthday, Valentine's Day, wedding anniversary and Christmas.
If you find yourself heading to the same shops to buy the same gifts every Mother's Day, it's probably time to mix it up a little. After all, every mum is different! Here's what to send - and what to avoid sending - your mum this Mothering Sunday.
Gifts she'll love
Experience vouchers
Experience vouchers are a great gift to give a busy and stressed out mum. Maybe she's been talking about taking up a particular hobby recently, or perhaps you've noticed she could do with a chill-out spa weekend. There are a wide range of experiences you can buy vouchers for, but make they are for something she really wants to do. There's no point buying horse-riding lessons for a mum who isn't too fond of animals!
Cocktail set
A bottle of wine is a pretty standard Mother's Day gift, so a cocktail set will offer a quirky alternative. Some sets come with just a shaker, while others have mini bottles of booze to boot. You will, of course, need to be very careful how you package and send such a gift, but we'll bet your mum will be pleased she can finally make her own mojitos (especially if she can convince dad to mix them for her!).
Photo frames
A personalised photo frame with a special photo of the both of you is a great way to show your mum you care and you've really put some thought into your gift. The photo could be from your childhood, from your wedding day, or from any special moment in her life. It should be a memory you both share, to make it extra special and well thought out.
Gifts she'll loathe
Perfume
You may think perfume is a thoughtful gift, but unless she's told you the exact one she wants, it will probably go down like a lead balloon. Smell is a very personal thing, so the chances are you'll pick something she ends up hating and never wears. Conversely, buying her old favourite may seem like a safe bet, but with this being the fall back for year-round gifts, she might end up with a stockpile that could rival the local chemist.
Beauty products
Again, unless you're buying her one of her favourite products (and let's be honest, she can buy it herself), beauty products are a big no-no. Make-up is very dependent on skin tone, as well as personal taste, and it should go without saying that you must avoid anti-ageing products. No mum wants to feel old on Mother's Day, so keep the waterworks and strong words at bay by steering away from this sort of gift altogether.
'Number one mum'
Gifts don't get any more cliché than those with '#1 mum' printed all over them. She likely enjoyed receiving these when you were younger, but no self-respecting woman above the age of 50 wants to wear a garish pink t-shirt which tells the world how great they are. If you want it to seem as if you spend more than just five minutes in a card shop looking for her present, avoid!
Kitchen and cleaning products
Your mum has probably spent a good deal of her life cooking and cleaning for you. Both are boring, day to day tasks, and no, a pair of feathery washing up gloves isn't going to make the experience any more enjoyable for her. A gift is supposed to be fun, not practical, so spoil her, don't insult her!
Want to make sure you send the right gift to your mum this Mother's Day? Take a day to casually go out shopping with her the week before and pay attention to what she likes and doesn't like. If you're unable to see her in person, take a look at her Facebook or Pinterest page if she has one. Just remember to pack her present carefully before you send it!
Find out more information about sending parcels here