Stumped for Mother's Day SWH ADDED

I have started gifting my mom with experiences together. Like cooking classes, or for us, wine tastings. Things just out of the ordinary day to day that we can do together.

What if you buy a blank card, and write that sentence on it that you wrote: "I realize that I am so lucky to spend so much time with my mom"? And just tell her what you appreciate about her. Include a small bouquet if you want, or a fruit basket, or a plant, or a new bird feeder. Or don't. Just express in writing what you feel.

I'm flying my mom and stepdad here to TX for the weekend. She has tremendous guilt (not warranted) because she was not able to travel in October when my husband died suddenly to attend the services, be supportive and be with me because she was laid up with a back injury.

Actually... 6 months later the visit is welcome because most people go back to routine and forget because it wasn't their spouse, family, etc. So I welcome guests in my home and it's given me motivation to prepare and look forward to something!

On Sunday we are doing the traditional Mothers Day brunch that we've done many years at the country club. My husband never missed that brunch with our family. This year, I'll share it with my mom, stepdad and my daughter (21). I know it will be tough but I can do this!!!

Since they are staying 3 nights/4 days, I have the guest bath full of some favorites of hers and mine for bath time... Special soaps, bath salts, etc.

I'm still figuring out a little something to send home with her that won't be too much on the plane.

We will go shopping, she'll get to see daughters condo for the first time and I will take them to my husband's gravesite where his headstone was just formally placed on Easter. We will take new flowers. He was one of a kind!!!

That's my weekend! I hope you enjoy yours!

What about a digital picture frame? Not the standard kind, but one that you can send photos directly from your smart phone to the frame? I ordered one for a gift recently.

It doesn't have any initial or recurring costs. I think she just has to create a dedicated email address for the frame.

All of the kids and grandkids can send her photos right from their phones.

It's the Pix-Star 10.4 inch, wifi cloud digital frame. They also make a larger size. Don't confuse this with the ones that make you have an account with recurring charges. This is different.

I found it on Amazon, and with Prime, you can have it before Mother's Day.

Give her a gift of an activity that she would not normally do but which she would do if prompted by a gift card or ticket. You say that "doing something together" is "not really a gift" since you do things with her already, but what about something outside the dinner/vacation arena? Tickets to attend a concert (any kind, whatever music she likes), a play, a festival or interest-based "show" of whatever type she'd like (home and garden show, antique car show, whatever!). Trip to a museum for whatever interests her. Overnight trip with you to the nearest city for museums etc. Something you haven't done on vacation and that doesn't take as much time as a vacation but gives her a new thing to do, and she can share it with you.

One thing -- if she's the type who expects presents ON her birthday, well, these things might not work, but if she is fine with being given a box containing a lovely note saying "You're going to see (favorite musician) on July 5 at XyZ Arena, and I'll do all the driving!" -- then she's going to like getting an event or activity instead of a thing.

If she lives at her own home, perhaps one the better solar lights to light the walkway (or several of them). They do make one's home look lovely and there's the thoughtful safety part, too.

I was thinking earlier today how nice it would be if homemade cards were enough for bdays, Mother's Day, etc. I told my mom yesterday to not get me anything for my birthday. I'm feeling done. I've bought them iPads, kindles, a roomba. There is nothing else to give but gifts from the heart.

For Xmas, we made homemade chocolate covered caramel. My mom told me today that if I wanted to get her something, a gift certificate to a local nursery would be great. I kind of decided to just make her a card with pressed flowers, and my oldest and I will make her caramels. She loves caramels. Like I said, I'm feeling done with the big capitalist gift giving thing. I hope she doesn't mind.

The only other thing coming to my mind is hiring a cleaning service to do a good deep cleaning job, and/or going in with my brother and just buying her monthly cleanings to cover bday, Mother's Day and Xmas. But I'm actually thinking I'll just make her something and call it good enough. gifts from the heart are way better.

The only good thing about my MIL living so far away is that we can always just send her flowers telling her we love and miss her. It makes it simple. You could send your mom some lovely flowers. It might be a nice surprise.

Love the idea someone mentioned below of taking a class together. I always prefer experiences to regular gifts. Make memories...

My mom died in 2011. I would give anything to struggle with what to give her if that meant she was still here. I miss her tremendously. My father died last year.

I'm getting my mother-in-law flowers. She loves flowers to plant in her garden or have on the table. My grandmother in law (93 God bless her) loves large print word search puzzle books.

I would get your mom something she could use and think of you perhaps a piece of jewelry, silk scarf, what about a professional family photo? Time with the grand kids. Take her to see a play or to a museum she hasn't been to. There are so many places to go, things to do, and people and places to see. Try thinking outside the box and you may find something totally off the beaten track for her.

I love livingsocial. It is full of things to do, places to go and the like for a great price. Check it out for your area. It may give you a new idea for how to celebrate your mother for mother's day.

edible bouquet and attendance at a bbq that dad is cooking. (trying to talk my brother into driving home to surprise her too but he is probably going to send a bouquet of flowers and stay home (he lives a 6 hr drive away) she loves food and cake is always a great gift for her too.

Lol. I was going to say ipad or kindle.

Your mom sounds like my mom.

This year I am going in on a gift certificate to her favorite clothing store. She has plenty of clothes, but who doesn't like a nice new outfit for spring?

Not terribly exciting, but I know she will use it.

I myself like experience gifts too (day out together doing something). My mom lives away so I can't do that - otherwise I really like that idea.

Museum membership that she can use all year long? Maybe something where she can take your kids once in a while? Or just something she would really enjoy - art museum, botanical garden, anything relaxing. Spa/facial/massage? Maybe a class - art appreciation, computer skills for seniors, senior exercise (for active seniors), memoir writing. I'm not sure she has a ton of time for making new friends with all the time she spends with you, but maybe she would enjoy some new faces now and then. How lucky you are that you all want to be together so much!

Day at the spa together.

My mom sounds a lot like yours. Last winter I took her to a really cool local place that puts on musicals and plays. She loved it, so for Mother's Day I got tickets to another production they are putting on. I think that's going to be our thing. It will make it much easier to buy her gifts! Maybe you can find something like that, something you would both enjoy going to together.

Wine?
Skinny Girl margarita?
Go to a church with her?
ETA: I did not see the 'drink' line until just now... sorry

How old are your kids? Would she like a homemade meal made by the kids? We also printed a pic onto a canvas or I have seen kids art work uploaded and made onto a 5x5 wood piece for decoration. We also made travel luggage tags with some cute pics of the family on it that she has put on her luggage (shutterfly) and ipad cover with the pics. Have a great mother's day with her! So lucky to have your mom to celebrate with

Instead of more STUFF what about tickets to a show? a sporting event? live music? ballet? theater? the circus? (LOL!) but seriously, is there some fun event or activity besides eating out that she would enjoy? Those are my favorite presents to give.

Spa day. Massages, facials, pedicures and manicures.

Mother's day is suppose to be a token gift so I always give flowers. I don't know when it because a thing to pressure people to give expensive cell phones, jewelry, electronics, etc. So I'd say some nice flowers and a card with a note saying how you appreciate her.