Along with a lifetime of stress, worry, stretch-marks and that abdominal pooch that won't go away, becoming a Mom entitles you to everlasting appreciation by each and every one of your offspring, to be celebrated in uber-thoughtful ways on Mother's Day! Or at least that's the fantastic ideal.
In reality, most mothers of underage kids spend Mother's Day doing everything that they did the day before Mother's Day, but often in larger doses: more cleaning because the whole fam-damily is coming over, more shopping because now we need to feed a crowd, more cleaning because there are more people we need to prove we aren't slobs to. I'm not proclaiming to be a Mom's Day clairvoyant here, but even though there are millions of different Canadian Moms across this vast land, I can tell you with unfaltering, 100 per cent certainty what NO MOM WANTS for Mother's Day:
- More cooking, cleaning and food shopping
- A package of frozen meat submarine sandwiches (don't ask....it's still too raw to discuss).
- It's a short list. So remember it!
On the other hand, I feel pretty confident telling you that I also know what ALL MOMS DO WANT:
- Thoughtful cards, notes or gifts (that clearly didn't involve a last minute trip to the pharmacy's gift card swivel display 20-minutes prior).
- Displays of appreciation (hugs, kisses, kind gestures and such, without having to beg for them).
- Gifts however big or small, hand-made or store-bought that clearly demonstrate that the giver has even the slightest clue as to who we are and what we love (ahem...frozen meat subs? I don't even eat beef....).
- Anything pretty
For those of you that need specific direction on what and where to buy, I've compiled a list of just some of the great Mom-worthy gifts for the four main Mom archetypes: Adventure Mom, Book Club Mom, Party Mom and Nature Mom.
Adventure Mom: Loves anything wellness and fitness and most certainly, anything from Sportinglife.ca (think a Spring jacket from Canada Goose, Fitbit, stylish gym tote, hiking shoes from Salomon, etc...)
Book Club Mom: Loves relaxing in some super luxe, temperature regulating (no more night sweats) loungewear/jammies from Canadian company Lusomé (Lusome.com). Snuggled up in the comfiest chair in the house, she's sipping on David's Tea products (see their "Day At The Spa" collection of teas!), flipping through the latest top fiction from Indigo.ca, and inhaling the scent of a bergamot candle that's flickering nearby...ahhhh...
Party Mom: Loves all things fashion, fab and food. Think great new stemwear on a gilded serving tray (HomeSense), a great new clutch from luxury label Mulberry, an everlasting floral arrangement that will never droop or die (HomeSense), a pretty floral silk scarf (Winners), Champagne...
Nature Mom: Loves anything that celebrates the glorious outdoors and gardening, growing and sowing! CanadianTire.ca is a one-stop shopping destination for great outdoor furniture so Mom can kick up her heels in a wicker rocker while you water her new hanging baskets and top up those bird feeders next to the hammock!!
Regardless of what Mother's Day brings your way in 2015, the best gifts ever are most certainly the people in your lives that call you, "Mom".
