Everyone's life has changed in the last few months, and your Mother's Day gift should be something to help them through it. Whether they're attempting to work from home, are still getting the hang of video-chatting with the friends they'd usually meet for brunch. Or they're just trying to not drown in the chaos of dealing with all of your siblings' distance learning and keeping a household together.
Here are some practical gifts for mom that could show your appreciation for months to come.
Caring and calming
There are no spas or salons open in most places right now, and while that might not mean much to you, it's something that your mother is almost certainly aware of. I know mine is, and while I'm not sure when I'll be able to go get pedicures with her again, I know that a gift card for a spa day is a promise that we'll get to enjoy that pampering together at some point in the future.
If you prefer to get Mom something she can use right now — after all, we're not sure when things will be up and running again — you can help them have that spa day feeling at home. Bath bombs are great and all, but baths take a while to draw and a while to soak in, and not everyone has that kind of time.
A bit of brightness
Most of us are not used to staying inside for so much of the day while self-isolating, and if your mother doesn't live in a house with a home garden, one way you might bring a little outdoor cheer inside is by skipping the cut flowers and buying a live, low-maintenance plant instead.
Succulents are cute little plants that require very little upkeep, but if you want something a little more colorful, there's also Kaffir Lilies, Oxalis, Bromeliads, and Holiday Cactus. Aloe Vera is another low-maintenance plant that can be useful in treating sunburns.
If your mother isn't much of a green thumb, another way to help brighten up their day is with what brightens up most of our mornings: coffee!
Tech support
You can't give your mom peace and quiet in most households, but you can give her the next best thing: noise-canceling headphones that she can wear for a short break while the kids are working on their homework or being herded by her partner. Active Noise Canceling headphones used to run hundreds and hundreds of dollars, but now we can get a reliable, comfortable set for a much more reasonable price. TaoTronics have upgraded this model with USB-C charging and Bluetooth 5.0 for a more stable connection.
Since we're mostly seeing our parents on video calls — and really, above all else, call your mother on Mother's Day — why not make it easier for your mom to enjoy these calls without dropping the phone every five minutes or having it slip down from the mug she propped it up against?
We might not be able to come home and surprise Mom with flowers and lunch out at her favorite restaurant, but we can still show we care in small ways that can add up to a big impact. So ditch the flashy flowers and the boxes of chocolates — seriously, they'll just go on sale next week — and buy her something that'll last and something that she'll actually be able to use in this new abnormal.
As a final note, while I would love to recommend buying your mom a cute face mask, keep in mind the ship times for most good masks are weeks and weeks away — and your mom should already have one. Also, keep in mind the material, the health rating, and the fit of a mask when buying for someone, because good, reusable cloth masks are not one size fits all.
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