5 Mother's Day Gifts For Under $50

“The future destiny of the child is always the work of the mother,”  Napoleon Bonaparte.

Even Napoleon recognized how much influence his mom had on him. 2011 actually marks the 100th official Mother’s Day celebration. This will be the first Mother’s day of my life without my own mom but this time of year makes me turn to Mother’s Day Gifts nonetheless. I’ve got some great ideas to make your mom smile for under $50 bucks.

Flowers

 New twist—old gift. Flowers are old school for sure and moms do welcome a bouquet or green plant.  However, why not pop for a big outside hanging plant or two that she can enjoy all spring and summer? Check out your local supermarket for fab planters under $10 each.  Stick a bow inside and your mom will think of you all summer. If you offer to come over and water them—BONUS! (Cost $10 – $50)

Family Pics

I gave my mom a family pic with myself, my daughters and my mom’s two sisters. She loved this and it was a gift that kept on giving. My gift was a little expensive because I engaged a professional photographer. However, cameras today take amazing pictures. You can get some great pics, upload them and print them for $10 or less. Make copies and provide inexpensive frames all for under $50. My pics were of family, but if your mom loves her cat, dog, grandchildren etc. a framed picture to remind her you love her every day – get snapping! (Cost $10 – $50 do it yourself.)

The Pampered Mom

Anyone who knows me recognizes me by my red nails—OK, my eyelashes too. I love a gift of a mani/pedi and local salons usually offer discounts and coupons for Mother’s Day. The best gift however, is when my daughters not only give me a mani/pedi as a gift but they join me for the experience.  Spending the time is equally as generous as the gift. (Cost $35 – $50 + your time) You might even get your mom pampered for free if you win one of our Spa prizes in the contest dedicated to my mom’s memory.  Check out Pamper My Mom and enter.

Love Letter

Well, maybe not really defined as a “love letter” but more a letter of appreciation.  This gift is free, or under $5 bucks if you use special stationery. More than one Mother’s Day found me sitting pen in hand or staring at the computer screen composing a letter to my mom to let her know how special she was to me; what a great mom she was and acknowledging some special memories that we shared (like the time when I was 16 and helped her out by washing her favorite wig and putting it in the dryer on HIGH to dry—it turned into an Afro but she forgave me). This is guaranteed to create tears of joy and a gift she will save forever. If you need help to get started, make a list of ten things/memories you are grateful for that involve your mom and the words will flow. (Cost $0 – $10 + time) Use your own color printer for stationery (cost of the ink) or snag some nice stationery at area stores. 

Photo Book

My daughter Jade gave me this for Xmas but what a FABULOUS Mother’s Day Gift.  In memory of my mom who loved to cook, Jade gathered about 25 of my mom’s favorite recipes, some handwritten, some photocopies from yellowed newspapers with my mom’s notes in the margin. She put them together with pics of my mom sprinkled throughout. This gift allows for a ton of creativity and you can do it professionally online ($50 +) or by hand with your originals and a color copier ($10 +).  I look at this book in some capacity every day and I show it to everyone I encounter.

Happy 100th Mother’s Day!

Have any other Mother's Day gift ideas?