Ten Heartwarming Gift Ideas for Mom or Grandma

Gift-giving is one of the hardest things to do for that special someone, and mothers or grandmothers are no different. What can you possibly get someone who means so much to you? How can you let her know just how much you care and that you appreciate all she’s done for you? Often, it seems like moms and grandmas have everything they need, leaving you feeling stumped for that new, unique gift that will bring tears of joy to her eyes. But with this guide, you’ll get ten different ideas that you can use. Or it might just spark some ideas of your own.
The important thing to remember as you search for that perfect gift, is that it should be a reflection of Mom or Grandma. Don’t be the man who surprises his mother with a bowling ball when she’s never visited an alley in her life, in the misguided hopes of encouraging her to take up a new sport. Whether it’s something practical or something frivolous, make sure it fits in with her hobbies and her interests. Make it all about her.

That doesn’t mean that your gift has to be expensive. You don’t need to break your budget or empty out your wallet to get something heart-warming for your mom or grandma. On the contrary, some of the most heartfelt gifts are those that are handmade, so if you have the time and the talent, consider making a gift for your mother. Even if you’re an adult, mothers and grandmothers never get tired of receiving presents that their children and grandchildren took the time and care to actually make for them.

Flowers are always a pleasant gift to receive, and many companies are offering edible, artistic arrangements of fruit, but they can be a cliché. At all costs, avoid getting her a present that says you only see her as a maker of sandwiches or as a house cleaner. Stay away from all kitchen appliances, vacuum cleaners and other household goods, unless she specifically asks for these things. Some moms and grandmas do like a practical gift, after all, but if you’re not sure, play it safe and get her something that she normally wouldn’t splurge on for herself.

Mother’s Day

Gift ideas for Mom and Grandma on this special day can be the trickiest of all. It’s a day where, as children, we all made macaroni necklaces and lopsided clay sculptures for our mothers. Glitter and dried beans on homemade cards abounded. And they all brought smiles to her face.

As an adult, you’ve likely left behind the macaroni, beans and clay for your mother. Now you need something else that has that same heartfelt touch. Something that says you love her just as much as you did while you were very carefully arranging every bean or pinching the clay into shape.

At the very least, you can offer to take her out for a meal at her favorite restaurant. Just remember to get reservations, if at all possible. Mother’s Day is one of the two busiest days of the year for all restaurants (the other is Valentine’s Day). Everyone and his brother wants to take her out for a special meal, and you don’t want to spend your time standing around in the lobby, waiting for a table to open up.

Rocking Chairs

When you were small, your mom or your grandma likely rocked you to sleep in a rocking chair. It’s an American classic, an icon of motherhood and a vital necessity in the homes of many families. You can bring back those nostalgic feelings while providing your mom or grandma with a finely-crafted rocking chair from a reputable company.

Not only is this a heartfelt gift that will bring a smile to her face, but it can also easily become a treasured family heirloom that she can pass down. Rocking chairs aren’t good just for rocking babies to sleep, after all. Whether you put them indoors by the fireplace or out on the front porch, they make a beautiful accent to the décor, especially when embellished with custom-made cushions. Rocking chairs have also been proven to be beneficial to one’s health, as scientific studies have shown, documented on the Rocking Chair Therapy website. So if your mother and/or grandmother suffer from arthritis or other health problems, consider getting a rocking chair to help them with their recovery.

Books with an Upgrade

If your mom or grandma is the sort to enjoy reading books, whether for a hobby or for reference, why not get her an updated version? Electronic book readers are available at a variety of websites and in a variety of models, ranging from reasonable to expensive in price. This is especially useful for a lady who’s getting on in years, who might have trouble seeing the fine print of traditional paper books. Not every title is available in large print, after all, but just about every electronic book reader allows you to adjust the font size on the downloaded books, instantly transforming anything into large print.

Furthermore, electronic book readers save space and travel easily. She can download several of her favorite books onto the reader to take with her wherever she goes. If you happen to know some of her favorite authors, you can even present her reader with some new books already bought and downloaded onto the reader, ready for her to enjoy instantly.

Birthday

Every family has its own traditions for celebrating birthdays. Perhaps your mother was served breakfast in bed, or you and your family went to visit Grandma at her house for dinner. These special days are far more personal and private than any national holiday, and the stress of trying to find just the right gift can be more intense than for Mother’s Day or any other holiday.

Birthstone Jewelry

Every month of the year is distinguished with a gem of its own, and many women enjoy wearing their birthstones in jewelry. If you decide to buy some jewelry for your mom or grandma, be sure to pay attention to what kinds of jewelry she enjoys wearing. Earrings, rings and bracelets are all wonderful choices. If you buy a ring, make sure you know the size of her finger. To do that, you might have to enlist a little help to keep it a surprise.

You should also pay attention to the style of the jewelry she typically wears. If your mom or grandma favors small, subtle pieces, don’t go with an oversized, ostentatious brooch. If you just aren’t sure what to get her, take a photograph of your mom or grandma with you to a jewelry store. Let an associate give you some advice on what would look great for her.

New Furniture for the Home

Whether she collects antiques, has just moved to a new home, or is looking to replace an old piece, she might just enjoy having a new table or chair for her home. Like a rocking chair, a new and high-quality piece of furniture can easily become an heirloom that is passed down to future generations, serving as a constant reminder of the love and care you have for your mother or grandmother.

For the days when the weather is warm, pleasant and sunny, you could also provide her with some patio furniture or a porch swing. Some sites also offer full sets, like a couple of chairs and a table, so that you can sit together and enjoy some conversation and a glass of sweet iced tea.

Christmas

Whether your celebrations are secular or religious, Christmas is a special time of the year. Make the season bright and merry for your mom or grandma with a gift that says you didn’t rush out to the mall at the last minute to grab the first thing on the shelves that looked suitable. Finding the just right, heartfelt gift may take some time, so keep your eyes open throughout the year and take advantage of bargains.

Spa Day

Every woman dreams of getting pampered, no matter her age. So for her birthday, why not get your mom or grandma a pass to a day spa? There, she can go to spend a few hours, relaxing, enjoying massage therapy as well as foot, hand and body treatments.

Of course, not everyone can afford these sorts of luxuries. If you fall into that group, don’t despair. You can surprise your mother with a basket full of goodies to provide her with a spa day at home. You can order a complete basket online or buy one at a shop, or with a little time, you can put one together yourself and fully customize it to her liking. All you need to do is buy a basket, then fill it with bath bombs, bath salts and melts, scrubs, lotions oils and scented candles.

Hand-Made Ornaments

When Christmastime comes around, people want to decorate. In days past, you likely filled your home with school projects, and chances are, your mom and grandma kept all of them. Or at the very least, they wanted to keep all of them (accidents do happen, sadly). All of the popsicle-stick snowflakes, plastic bells and paper tree ornaments were all treasured and hung on the tree, and in some families, these are considered to be as precious as any valuable antique or family heirloom.

You can bring back that joy with hand-crafted ornaments of your own, given a grown-up touch to them. Incorporate old and new family photographs into them. There are many online sites and books featuring instructions on how to make just the right ornaments that show your love of your family.

On a Budget

For many people, times can get tough. Though the economy has been improving, there are still a lot of people who just can’t afford to splash out on an expensive gift. Take heart, if you’re one of these folks. Expensive doesn’t equate to heartfelt. On the contrary, many mothers and grandmothers will often feel more gratitude and more joy to receive a gift that had more thought and care put into it rather than a gift that put a dent in your wallet.

Arts and Crafts

If you’re talented with arts and crafts, then by all means, shower your mother or grandmother with photo collages, decorated vases or other projects that will complement her home’s décor and bring a smile to her face. There are all sorts of ideas floating around on sites like Pinterest to get the creative juices flowing.

And even if you’re not a skilled artisan, there are still projects that can be done which don’t require much talent. For example, embellishing clothing with colorful, iron-on patches doesn’t take much skill but can liven up a shirt or a pair of pants.

Boxes of Treats

Sometimes, it’s the little things that count the most. If your mother or grandmother enjoys fine foods, why not put together a basket of treats? Find a good-looking basket that they can reuse for other purposes – like holding fruit or dried flowers – and fill it with all of their favorite delicacies. If you’re going to be building the basket over time, look for items that don’t perish easily like jams, jellies, gourmet mustards and oils.

If you need to put the basket together in a shorter amount of time, you can put in foods with a shorter shelf life, like cheeses, chocolates, coffee or tea. Ethnic treats, some of which may need to be imported from online sites, are also a wonderful thing to give to your mother or grandmother, especially if she has emigrated from another country or values the heritage of her foremothers and forefathers. Often, these little tastes of home can ease homesickness and bring back happy memories of her childhood.

DIY

For those who do have a lot of time and skill, there are a lot of projects you can give that special lady in your life. These ideas are for the people who like to work with their hands and who like to invest a lot of time (and not necessarily a lot of money) into their gifts.

Knitting and Sewing

If it can be worn, then it can be knitted or sewn. Not only are knitting and crocheting wonderfully relaxing activities, they can both produce some truly wonderful looks that will keep your mom or grandma warm through chilly weather. Obviously, larger projects will require more yarn, so if you’re new to the craft, be sure to pick up everything you will need in one trip. If you’re not entirely sure, err on the side of getting more than you might need, and pay attention to the dye lot numbers on the yarn itself. The dye lot number is important for keeping the color consistent from skein to skein. Even colors that are labelled as being the same hue can have slightly different tints and shades, depending on the dye lot, that can become very obviously mismatched if dye lots are not identical.

Sewing is another great activity allowing you to make a dress, shirt or pants that will custom-fit your mom or grandmother. Every woman knows that trying to find something that fits just right is all but impossible. It’s a universal problem because all of the clothes in the store seem to be made for a body-shape that most women just don’t have. If you have the time, the talent and her measurements, surprise her with an outfit that she’ll enjoy wearing!

Wood-working

For those who can work with wood or other materials, there are a wealth of projects that you can craft for your mother or grandmother, including sculptures, furniture or pictures to hang on the wall. Craftsmen know there is a lot that they can offer, but even those who aren’t as skilled as the pros can try their hand in this highly-rewarding field.

Wood-burning is a popular hobby for beginners and only takes a little time, care and equipment. Start out with simple projects, like wooden bowls or spoons, and pencil in a drawing or a pattern from a stencil that you can then burn into the wood. Such pieces can then be lacquered to preserve them and put them on display, or they can be left untreated so they can actually be used in cooking.

You can also assemble ready-to-make projects, such as birdhouses, and customize them yourself with paint.

Conclusion

Whatever you choose to do, as long as you do it with a little care and with your loved one in the forefront of your mind, you’ll be bringing joy and happiness. As you can see, great gifts for Mom or Grandma don’t need to be expensive or fancy to be heartfelt. They only need to show that you’ve thought about her needs, about her favorite things and that you’ve remembered her.