Traditional gifts for moms

Here are some suggestions for traditional gifts for moms day or any day.

1. Flowers, of course, are the age-old favorite. No matter what people say about it being a cliché, they are always appreciated, even if you picked them from the neighbor’s garden on your way to mom’s house. We recently got flowers from www.PassionGrowers.com, which isn’t an online retailer, but rather a supplier to major supermarket chains. Versus the grocery store flowers we usually see, these really made my wife take notice. They were big and fresh and what they lacked in fragrance, they made up for in staying power. They looked fresh for two weeks.

They are sold in about 5000 stores nationwide, so likely available in your area. They are worth looking for versus the generic brand.

2. Candles. Instead of a regular candle, how about a massage oil candle? We recently saw the Scandle candle, which is made from natural ingredients, including soy butter, shea butter, and jojoba.s. Scandle Body Candles burn at 2 degrees above body temperature to produce a warm and healthy body oil that can be used to enhance the health of the skin, while simultaneously providing fragrance and ambiance to any setting. If the mom in your life loves massages at home, this is a fun gift.

$12.95 at www.scandlecandle.com.

3. Books – Books are always a good bet because they are easy to buy and show you gave some thought to what your mom wanted. We’d recommend buying a book at a very local store with a generous return or exchange policy for this one though, rather than going to favorites like Amazon.com or BN.com. This way, your mom can easily swap it out without it becoming another to-do item that has to be returned via post.

4. Spa certificate – A few years ago, this would have been considered a “new” idea for moms, but with spas popping up on every street corner and no lack of appetite for pampering, a spa treatment is always a nice thing that mom might not necessarily spring for herself.

4. Photos – We always recommend printed photos as an easy “handmade” and physical gift you can give that now takes even less planning with drugstore printers that will print right off your memory stick or card. Here’s a better idea though. Get photos of mom and kids together and have them write captions for their favorite memories over the last year and why they love their mom. You can paste the photos in a book and have the kids write directly on the pages, or use services like iPhoto or Shutterfly to print books filled with the pictures. This process is easier than ever and makes a very good family tradition, and takes the pressure off for the “perfect” gift next year. We do this every holiday as a wrap-up to the year, and it’s always the favorite gift for moms and grandmas.

GreatDad.com Review Policy: The featured product for this review was provided to us, at no cost, by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. We do not accept monetary compensation for reviewing or writing about products. We only review products that we have personally tested and used in our own homes, and all opinions expressed are our own.