Q: My mom is turning 80 and I feel like I have already exhausted all the usual gift ideas. What are some meaningful gifts that I can get her that she will appreciate?
A: It can be challenging to think of gifts when we put a lot of pressure on their meaning. No doubt your mother turning 80 is a special milestone and you want to be sure she feels celebrated and honored by the gift you chose. The things we might have given in the past like jewelry, clothing, or a nice vase, may no longer feel special enough. It might seem like she has all those items already and does not need any more.
Take this as an opportunity to think about what you want to celebrate about your mom. Perhaps this is a time to create a more personalized memento for her. If family is most important to her consider hiring a professional photographer to take family photos and include her in them. Or make a collage of photos and have them printed on a blanket or pillow for her home.
You could create a memory book where each page has a photo with a different family member along with a quote from that person about their favorite memory with your mom. There are also digital photo frames you can buy that automatically create a slideshow of all the photos you send to it. Family members can send photos directly to the frame all year long to add to the slide show.
You can also consider a more practical gift, such as an Alexa or Google Home device that she can use at home to play music or tell her weather. You can even connect these to smart devices and purchase things such as special lightbulbs so that she can tell the device to turn on or off the lights.
You may also want to consider providing an experience rather than an item. Ask everyone who is special to her to send you a brief video of themselves sharing a birthday message. You can edit these together into one video to show her on her special day. A friend of mine recently did this and used a website called www.vidday.com to compile birthday messages and photos. This one has a small fee. You can create a free one using Canva or your iPhone video editor. There are many websites and apps available that can help make the process simpler.
Perhaps tickets to see a favorite play or concert would make a good gift. It would be a day you can spend together.
My father’s favorite dessert is a cake recipe his mom used to make him. When I am with him for his birthday, I like to bake him that recipe. Maybe there is a favorite recipe from your mom’s past you can make for her, or even with her.
Think about any hobbies she may have enjoyed that perhaps she is not doing as much now. For example, if she enjoys gardening you could get her a raised garden bed so that she can enjoy gardening in a more accessible way. If she enjoys painting, purchase a nice easel with art supplies and create a place in her home where she can enjoy this hobby.
With a little bit of thought you can find a way to help your mom feel special and celebrated. Think about what brings her joy and happiness and find a creative way to tap into that. It truly is the thought that counts so make sure to include a card with a nice message. One thing is for sure, your mother is fortunate to have you put so much caring into her gift.
