Wednesday, April 22, 2020

You Need to Order a Mother’s Day Gift Now

Quarantine time seems to operate differently than regular time. I am on Day 36, and I can’t remember the last time I drove a car or put on pants with a button. Is it Friday? Who knows. It doesn’t matter. I was reminded recently, though, that Mother’s Day is fast approaching (May 10!). Since it’s likely we’ll be celebrating Mother’s Day via FaceTime, and online shipping is taking longer than usual, I suddenly realized: We need to buy gifts now, my friends.
Personally, my favorite gifts are those that I can revel in every day, things that make my life easier or help me enjoy it. My kids are little—5 and almost 2—and I work full time as a teacher, which doesn’t give me much time to soak in bath salts or give myself a spa treatment, though admittedly that was never really my thing anyway. I appreciate gifts that bring unexpected joy, let me escape into nature, or, put simply, are useful. With that in mind, here are a few of this mama’s favorite things.

For the Outdoorsy Mom

Duluth Trading NoGa Pants
I can’t sing these pants’ praises enough—they are my favorite pants! I have both the long and capri versions. I wear them taking my daily walks with the kids and dog (the side pocket comes in handy), pulling weeds in the garden, and watching a movie at the end of the day. They are comfortable, practical, and flattering. (I say that as a curvy gal who is fussy about pants.) They’re also durable: After several years of regular wear, mine are still in excellent condition. I love not doing yoga in these pants.
Keen Sandals
Is your family also taking five walks a day? Mom needs these shoes. They let in the breeze but protect your toes. They’re cute but you can hose off the mud in the backyard. I wear mine all day, everyday. And while most of us are sticking close to home right now, eventually when we’re able to hike through state parks and splash around at the beach, Keens are the shoes to wear.

For the Sentimental Mom

Photo Book
My love language is Acts of Service: I want printed photos of my kids, but the thought of sifting through hundreds of digital pictures taken over the course of a year is overwhelming. So I ask my husband to do it for me: Every Mother’s Day gifts online , I ask him for a photo book of our children. If you store your pictures in Google Photos, you can order from its print store. Shutterfly offers similar-quality options. They are simple to make but the finished products are elegant. I promise the mothers day gifts for grandmother in your life will love one of these books.

For the Gadget Lover

Like so many others, I have unwillingly become a work-at-home mom during this pandemic. The daily ruckus of young children makes it practically impossible to lead Zoom meetings or record video lessons for my high school students. My husband’s wireless headset with a microphone is a lifesaver! The earphones and microphone block out background noise perfectly. I am jealous and want my own (hint hint).
If mom doesn’t need headphones for work, she might still appreciate a set of noise-canceling headphones. One of the hardest parts of this quarantine is that we are never, ever alone. Put these on your head and pretend like you are! Listen to your favorite music or podcast in peace. If pricy headphones aren’t in the budget, this set is more affordable and highly rated.
Kindle Paperwhite
Library buildings are currently closed, but most libraries have e-book collections that are still available to patrons. I prefer to read e-books on my Kindle rather than on my phone or computer. The screen is easier on my eyes, and I’m not distracted by notifications. Amazon’s new Paperwhite is a significant improvement—it’s even waterproof! If your mom is still Kindleless and stuck on paper books, or sporting an older model (like me), now is a particularly great time to get her on the e-book train or give her an upgrade.

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