I’m sure he wont mind me saying, that when it comes to buying birthday presents and gifts, Mike is pretty hopeless. Every Christmas we have a Secret Santa with Mike’s immediate family, and every year without fail he secretly tells his Sister in Law who he has, and she tells him what to get. He also gets very excited when he has found in his eyes the “perfect gift”, and then drops not very subtle hints in order to reinforce that he has indeed made the right choice. On other occasions, he buys a gift that he personally would love and presents it as a gift for me, when in reality he is simply treating himself lol 🙂 As a result, for every birthday, Christmas or special occasion, I usually know what he’s got me before I unwrap it.
The reality is however, the one thing I would love the most for my birthday is a gift that comes with a bit of thought. I don’t care how much it cost, whether it was £1 or £100, I want something that shows that the person really knows me, that they’ve taken time to think about the things that would make me smile and has gone out of their way to make it special. Some of my favourite ever gifts, both as a recipient and sender are the little things, the thoughtful gifts, the personalised gifts for her, the gift experiences, and the homemade items that I will remember long after the wrapping paper has gone in the recycling bin.
Here’s what Mum’s really want for their birthday…
- A lie in – This one doesn’t cost a penny, but an extra hours undisturbed SLEEP time in bed ALONE – without having to ask – is the ultimate treat. Take the kids downstairs, leave the curtains drawn and keep the noise down. Do not, under any circumstances come in 10 minutes later because you can’t find your socks. Especially if they’re in the same place they always are and Mum is likely to be able to find them in approximately 23 seconds flat.
- A handmade card – There’s nothing sweeter than the kids creating you a special birthday card, one that they’ve drawn by hand and one that you will cherish when they’re all grown up. Don’t just pop to the shop and get one off the shelf, ask the children to design one themselves and hand deliver it to Mum as soon as she wakes up. Seeing there smiling proud faces as they hand over their art work is a present in itself.
- Breakfast in bed- and I don’t mean a bowl of cornflakes or a slice of toast, breakfast on a tray – with something a bit special – a warm croissant, a pain de chocolat, a selection of mini pastries or a toasted bacon sandwich. Maybe a fresh fruit salad that the children have helped prepare! Present it with a little flower or card from the kids and it will put a big smile on her face for the rest of the day. Extra brownie points if the kids are wearing aprons and/or a chef’s hat. Cuteness overload.
- The personal touch – I love personalised gifts, something that shows the sender really knows you – whether it’s your birthstone, your initials, your favourite colour or a memory – personalised gifts are a great way of really showing some thought has gone into the purchase.
- Photo Gifts –Â as a Mum, I love nothing more than looking at photographs of my girls, and they hold such precious memories. Having a gift that allows me to have those moments on display and shown off in my home will always be well received.
- Experiences – A day out with the family or doing something she wouldn’t normally do is a great alternative gift idea. Rather than a product, experiences can create fun filled memories that she can look back on forever!
- Get Mum IN the photo – If you really want to treat her, take a photo, unprompted – a natural moment between her and her children, as in most cases Mums are the ones behind the camera and not in front of it. Even better get a photo of her and the family printed and get her a beautiful frame so she can give it pride of place in your home.
- Run the bath.. . bring out the bath bombs and try and avoid little fingers under the door or someone going for a poo midway through her mindfullness moment!
- Stationery – I might be a little biased here as the world’s biggest stationery addict – but I don’t think you can go wrong with a nice pen, planner, notebook or diary. These are the kind of gifts that people wouldn’t necessarily treat themselves to (although I regularly do) but are always grateful to receive.
Remember, if you want to really impress her with your gift ideas, just take a moment to give it a little thought. I promise you, her reaction will be worth it!
