Mother’s Day is on 13 May 2018. It’s a Sunday and it’s after most pay days. You have more than enough time between now and then to sort out a gift as a token of your appreciation to your mother. Whether you get along all the time or not, your mom is irreplaceable and went through the effort of bringing you into this world. So, every time something amazing happens in your life, you can thank her because you wouldn’t be there to experience it otherwise.
It doesn’t need to be a sentimental or overly expensive gift. It’s usually the thought that counts. And the words you write in a Mother’s Day card are usually her favourite part anyway. But you need to do something and now is as good a time as any to start thinking about what that something will be.
If you live in Cape Town, you probably have the most options across the whole of South Africa with the combination of beach, wilderness, mountain, vineyard and city life. Normally, mothers start dropping hints about things they either want or need, well in advance of birthdays and Mother’s Days. But if there haven’t been any hints (or you simply weren’t taking note) here are some gift ideas to spoil your mother on Mother’s Day.
Flowers are easy and if you can’t afford more, that’s perfectly fine. But if you have the means and want to be a little bit different, you can buy your mom a plant for her house. They last longer than flowers, are slightly more beautiful and you can buy a low-maintenance type of plant if you’re scared she’ll kill it easily.
Indoor plants are also great for fresh air and even function as mood boosters. Definitely a step up from flowers which only last a week.
In fact, you can’t really go wrong with buying things for the house in general. You can choose the more personal items, such as photo frames (with photos of you, not of the random strangers that are in there by default), personalised cushions or personalised anything, for that matter. There are also the less personal items such as those you know they’ve always wanted. Be it a tablecloth, bedding set, trinket tray, vinyl quote for the wall or a tea set. Literally, anything.
The best thing about giving gifts for the home is you can be assured they will be put to use and your mother definitely will appreciate it. And you can go to almost any shopping centre in Cape Town to find beautiful home stores with a variety of items to choose from.
If your mother enjoys being pampered, there’s always the gift option of a spa day. Send her to a beauty clinic where she can sit back or lie down and enjoy having her nails done or getting a massage. If you were hard work as a child, you definitely owe your mother a day at the spa.
You don’t want to accidentally book your mom for a treatment she may be uncomfortable with, so the safe option would be to give her a voucher and let her decide how she wants to relax. And if you can’t afford a spa day, at least buy her some self-pampering products so she can try to relax at home. Creams, nail polish, scrubs, facial products – the works. Anything that smells amazing and that she’s not allergic to will be more than fine.
There’s always the possibility that your mother is one of the most difficult people to buy gifts for. And if that’s your current situation, the easiest option would be to buy her a mall voucher or take her on a shopping spree.
Canal Walk Shopping Centre in Cape Town has all the stores she could possibly be interested in. From home stores to clothing, shoes, handbags, jewellery, skincare, health and hobbies. Prepare yourself for a long day and be sure to be explicit about the budget you're allowing for the spree. Luckily there are many cafés and restaurants around Canal Walk where you can stop for an energising cup of coffee and snack to refuel before the walking and shopping continues.
In fact, everything that has been mentioned so far can be found and bought in Canal Walk. Even the spa pampering. Make your life easier by using what this mall has to offer, you mom will love it.
The sad reality is that some people’s mothers are no longer around. And Mother’s Days tend to be a painful reminder of that fact. There are still ways in which you can appreciate your mother even though she’s not around.
Buy a beautiful and thick candle to place in your home. Every birthday, Mother’s Day and days with other sentimental value, light the candle in remembrance of your mom. It will bring warmth, light and a sweet scent that any mother would appreciate. More than that, those are properties which many people associate their mothers with as well.
Mother’s Day is a celebration of your mother’s life. And these are only small tokens of gratitude that we take the time to organise as a way of expressing our love for them.
