By: Rachel Brown
Mother’s Day is just hours away and if you haven’t scored the perfect gift for your mama yet, don’t panic! We’ve rounded up some great, quick options that are both beautiful and thoughtful. Check out our list below and enjoy this weekend with the special women in your lives!
A Homemade Bouquet
There is no better way to spruce up a space than with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, but have no fear if you’ve missed the deadline to order a pretty arrangement from a florist—there are plenty of great tips and ideas floating around the Internet that can guide you toward building your own floral creation. Cost-effective grocery stores like Trader Joe’s have amazing fresh selections of flowers that won’t break the bank, and mixing and matching a variety of flowers will make your gift completely unique and special. Take a peek at this helpful tutorial to get some inspiration for creating your own bouquet. Pick out a pretty vase to go along with your arrangement and you’re set!
Baked Goods (Made in Your Kitchen!) + A Fun Cookbook
Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a newbie in the kitchen, your mom will love the thought and effort you put into creating a sweet treat to gift to her. From cookies and cupcakes to pies and muffins, the recipe options (and levels of difficulty for each) are endless. You’ll save a few dollars, too, by making your own treats instead of buying them from a local bakery. If you’d like, pick out a super fun cookbook to go along with your homemade goodies as a thoughtful addition to your gift. The book can coordinate with the baked goods theme—we love Homemade Decadence and Honey & Jam—or it can appeal more to her savory side (we’re dying to snag copies of It’s All Easy, The Love & Lemons Cookbook, Hartwood, and Dinner: The Playbook). The combination of the baked goods + the cookbook eye candy will be a crowd-pleaser.
A Handwritten Letter + An IOU
Okay, okay, this sounds like a cop-out, we know, but hear us out. First, start by putting pen to paper and writing a heartfelt letter to your sweet mama—not a card or a brief note but a thorough letter with some length to it. Choose some lovely stationery and write about a favorite memory you share with your mom, something specific that you love about her, the reasons why you want to be like her—anything you want as long as it’s meaningful and specific. So often we assume the people we love know exactly what it is that we love about them, and that assumption does not always prove true. Take the time during this celebratory weekend to write something straight from your heart to show your mom just how much she means to you.
At the end of the letter, include a card or a postscript with an IOU for an adventure you can share with your mom so you can make more memories together. This activity can range from a lovely dinner in a restaurant you’ve wanted to try or a matinee theater performance to a day at the spa or a special weekend trip. Whatever you choose, let your mom know that you are ready to take her out on the town for a special adventure that the two of you will be sure to cherish for years to come.
Something Super Pretty
In our day-to- day lives, we get bogged down by purchases we have to make, things that aren’t necessarily fun, like paper towels and dog food and prescriptions and household appliances. It’s always so special to receive a gift that’s just pretty, something that we normally wouldn’t allow ourselves to splurge on. So treat your mom to something fancy and darling that you know she’ll love—a gorgeous bottle of perfume, a heavenly-smelling candle, some high-end hand soaps, a show-stopping coffee table book, a
luxurious robe, anything that you know will bring a smile to her face.
Photo Cred: Josh Felise
Rachel is the Director of Project Development for Touch A Life, an organization committed to the rescue and rehabilitation of children who have been exploited and trafficked in West Africa and Southeast Asia. Though she loves working in the non-profit world, Rachel has always been passionate about writing, pursuing opportunities to put pen to paper outside of her day job. Aside from writing for Darling Magazine, she maintains a personal blog, Coffee & Tacos, where she connects with others through food, travel, faith & community. Rachel lives in Dallas, TX, with her husband and their adorably large English mastiffs.