Introduction:
I still remember Mothers’ Day when I was about 6; me and my brother (2 years older than me) took my mum breakfast in bed - me carrying a glass filled with daffodils in one hand, and our handmade cards in the other, my brother balancing the tray of toast and orange juice.
As we proudly walked into her bedroom, I tripped over my Care Bear slippers, dropped the glass on the floor, and drenched our cards (and the carpet).
Twenty five years on, how can I possibly improve on daffodils on the floor and breakfast in bed? I was delighted when Michelle asked me to write a piece for bestoftruro on Mothers‘ Day gifts, as it gave me a chance to research what‘s out there.
Here are just a few of my favourite ideas from in and around Truro…
1. The gift of pampering:
The average beauty bill over a woman’s lifetime is around £133,000. Help your mum reduce that bill by treating her to a day of rejuvenating treatments (from just £25 at Waterside Skincare) and see results that reportedly last way beyond Mothering Sunday (perhaps I need to test Waterside’s claim in person, purely in the interests of bestoftruro’s readers?)
Or maybe your mum would prefer a ‘smile makeover’ (from Pure Dental) or a new designer wardrobe, straight from the pages of Vogue (or the rails of Sisley Cornwall)?
If you‘re not sure which of these she‘d like best, how about a makeover and photo shoot (speak to Andrea Michele photography - but reassure your mum that no-one will be squeezing her boobs or making her stand in front of a mirror wearing nothing but her knickers and bra - Andrea promises not to be as invasive as Gok Wan, and she won‘t have to strip off and strut down a catwalk on Lemon Quay once she‘s had her makeover. But she will have some cracking photos to treasure forever).
2. The gift of time:
This is what I‘ll be asking for this year, but until someone works out how to bottle time, I’ll happily make do with someone:
Call Jane’s Ironing Service if your mum would appreciate someone else doing hers for a week (or give your dad a nudge and show him how to switch the iron on).
Or perhaps she would rather have the lovely people from Little Cornish Cleaning Company come into her house, give the carpets a thorough clean, and return the lounge curtains to their original shade. Afterwards she may even invite you round for dinner to show them off…
3. The personal touch:
But if your mum would rather have a box of chocolates than clean curtains, then don’t just grab a box off the shelf in your local supermarket - consider personalising a bar with your own design (try It’s a Wrap Cornwall for inspiration and some great deals). Get creative and have some fun - use some of your kids’ artwork, a personal note, or a family photo that will make her smile.
And if you’re still being drawn to those daffodils, then take a look at Celtic Flowers – although don’t expect to come away with just daffodils. If you’re anything like me, you’ll fall in love with the hand-tied bouquets and come out with a beautiful arrangement that will make your mum cry.
So what other gifts have I missed? Share your ideas in the comments below, and help me out as my search for the perfect Mothers’ Day gift continues.
PS Come back next week for part 2 – packed full of more ideas for Mothers’ Day, this time focusing on gift experiences.
Byline: Lucy Thornton is a copywriter and social media expert – in addition to writing content for websites, she also offers social media coaching, from the basics to the more advanced, to bring results for businesses large and small. She publishes her own marketing and social media tips on www.perfectbalancemarketing.com.
