Mother's Day is One Week Away... Are You Prepared?

Ahhh... Mother's Day... it's just around the corner and time for a bit of planning. I've been a bit lax lately on putting a lot of thought into gifts. Call it frustration on my financial situation or
attempting to put as much towards my debt repayment as possible. Either way, I have been feeling really guilty about it.

There are certain holidays that I have mixed emotions about... Valentine's Day, Father's Day, and Mother's Day. This is primarily because I believe that we should be celebrating the people we love throughout the year. So with concerted effort, I am looking for a compromise to the greeting card and candy holidays and am looking for meaningful ways to let mom know how much she means to me without spending more than $5-$10, staying environmentally friendly, and ensuring my efforts are memorable rather than put into the next Goodwill donation bag.

I made a pledge some years ago that I will only give gifts that are usable. (No singing trout, Chia pets, or other last minute panic gifts.) Gift wrap must also be reusable or recycled. I work in an office that receives lots of gift baskets during the holidays and I'm known for grabbing seltzer and unwanted baskets for reuse.

So how do I meet my self imposed guidelines and feel good about the gift I give? Here are some ideas:

• While reading through some blogs I stumbled upon this idea, (as soon as I find it again, I promise to give the well deserved credit) take a number of slips of paper and write down things you are grateful to mom for, special memories, or favorite mom sayings. Fold them up and put them in an attractive container. She will enjoy reading them over and over and the cost is next to nothing.
• Go to the local farmers' market to pick up seasonal flowers. Put them in a mason jar or vase picked up at Goodwill for a $1 and tie a ribbon on it. The money paid helps support the local economy and is much more reasonable than the traditional $50 bouquet from a florist.
• Create a coupon book for mom with gifts of your time. Mow the lawn, weed the garden, a home cooked meal that she doesn't have to cook, hugs, etc. anything goes and you are giving her time spent together as well.
• Create a CD of her favorite songs from her collection, yours, or even the library's.
• Scan the newspaper or web for free events in your area and take her. Bump it up a notch and pack a picnic lunch.