Celebrating Mother’s Day

Although our mothers are as important to our own lives as, let’s say, the sun is to life on Earth, we may not get the chance to show it every day. And while it’s entirely more likely than not that we’ll all seize the opportunity to do so on more than one occasion throughout the course of an entire year, there is a special day that’s designated for this purpose just.in.case. This year, that day is Sunday, May 14th – Mother’s Day is almost here, and it’s a big deal, so best to plan accordingly! For those seeking inspiration (aka those of us who don’t have plans made and/or a gift ready yet), here are a few great suggestions to help you easily accomplish the mission at hand within the next couple weeks.

As far as gifts go, of course there are the things that she’s had her eye on or that you know she would love to receive for Mother’s Day. If you’re one who picks up on hint-dropping or has paid close attention to any mention of items she wants or needs, this is your moment to shine! Then, there’s the other route – something completely unexpected. This generally also turns out really well too; after all, she’s your mother, not random co-worker you’re picking a Secret Santa gift for on the fly. Knowing her well enough to find a meaningful gift that she’ll absolutely love without making her spell it out for you is pretty much part of the deal.

Either way, buying a gift is on the agenda at some point. While she deserves the world, a thoughtful token of your love and affection will suffice.

The heart is a symbol of love that we all recognize, so it’s particularly fitting for this occasion. Cherie Travis of Rachel’s Boutique states, “However big or small the gift, the best part is that it comes from the heart. Speaking of hearts, we have many Brighton pieces that are heart-shaped or have the signature heart on them. Through May 7th, we have a special Brighton promotion going on at Rachel’s Boutique. Purchase a Brighton necklace and bracelet and receive a free pair of earrings!

A piece of jewelry, a scarf, a fun top – these are all stylish gifts that Moms will enjoy. Every time she wears the piece, it’s a heartwarming reminder that you picked it out especially for her. As an added bonus that we can all appreciate, Rachel’s Boutique will always gift wrap your gift free of charge.

If you’re nervous about selecting the perfect gift, not to worry, a gift certificate will do the trick. Or, you could always bring Mom into the shop and let her pick out her own gift!”

If you’re looking to dazzle her with fine jewelry – a gorgeous statement piece, lovely watch, stunning bracelet, special necklace or ring, the missing piece in her collection, a matching set –the selection at Sartor Hamann Jewelers will blow you away. But don’t let that fool you, because with gifts at a wide variety of price points, what you can afford will likely get you something really nice. Jewelry is especially sentimental and one can never really have enough, making it the perfect Mother’s Day gift!

For the Mom who seems to have everything, with every passing holiday and special occasion it becomes a tougher proposition to find something special and unique. If you know full well you’re that Mom and want to make it easier on your loved ones this time around or in the future, plan to attend Habitat’s Lamplight event on May 4th.

“We’ll stay open that evening from 6-8:30, welcoming guests to shop by lamplight and create wish lists while enjoying appetizers and wine,” says Jana Clark of Habitat. “These are kept on file, and we’ll send out postcards to those whose addresses are provided to drop the hint on your behalf. Then, all those individuals would need to do is stop in and pick a gift from the list; we’ll wrap it and send them on their way in no time!”

She also provides a few gift ideas found at Habitat. “There are so many new items that have just arrived! Le Creuset just introduced two new colors, Oyster Gray and Marine Blue. Get her collection started and then you have future gifts all lined up, or add a piece to her existing collection. There are also new Beatriz Ball wooden pieces that can be engraved, new Nora Fleming pieces, special Vietri collector’s pieces, unique spring and summer entertaining pieces, beautiful whiteware and wooden pieces, and an expanded selection of baking items from brands such as King Arthur Flour, LorAnn’s emulsions and flavorings, Nordicware pans, fun aprons, and so much more.

Keeping up with today’s design trends, copper pieces make lovely additions to the kitchen, living and entertaining areas, and bathrooms. Or, as a fun gift, add a pop of color with pineapples or flamingos, both of which are popular seasonal designs this year. A new item here at Habitat that’s perfect for a gardener who is also a foodie or enjoys craft cocktails is a DIY grow kit. These come beautifully packaged in wooden crates, allowing you to grow your own rosemary, mint, or basil, which can be muddled in drinks, infused in alcohol, infused with cooking oils, or simply used to add flavor and freshness to your favorite dishes. Mint Mojito or Rosemary Tequila Sunrise, anyone?

There are so many great gift items to choose from, you’re sure to find something that she will love and put to good use. Can’t decide? When in doubt, a gift certificate always brightens someone’s day.”

Or, given the fact that Moms have a tendency to LOVE displaying family portraits, it may coincidentally be time to update those and that’s a pretty great gift to give!

“This year, we’re excited to be hosting our first-ever Mother’s Day Mini-Session event!” says Gina Zabloudil of Zabloudil Photography. “On May 12th and 13th, we’ll be doing special ‘Mommy and Me’ Sessions, which would make a wonderful gift from the kids. Only 30-minute slots, times are available on Friday, between 4-8 p.m., and Saturday times are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. It’s easy to sign up for your mini session slot on our Facebook page and pre-pay $50 to reserve the session. We’re limited to booking 20 sessions, so you’ll want to sign up early, to ensure you get a time convenient for you and the kids. These are studio sessions held indoors, so weather will not be a factor – come rain or shine, we’ll be all set up and ready to go! It’s an easy, fun way to do something nice for Mom that tends to get put off or overlooked. Both group and individual portraits will be created, and there is special pricing for purchasing portraits during this promotion as well. For $250, you’ll get 12 -5×7 portraits of your choice, which is normally valued at $500!

Here’s another easy gift idea that would mean the world to a mom, treat her to a gift certificate for a prepaid Family Portrait Session. With a cute design, it’s ready to be presented to her, and you can snag one before Mother’s Day for just $59 for a session valued at $100. Just call us at (402) 464-7567 to place your order your gift card and we’ll mail it to you the same day. That’s all there is to it – Mom can then contact us later to put together all of the details.

Mother’s Day is a time to show Mom how much she means to you, and reserving time to capturing special moments is an unexpected surprise she’ll absolutely love.”

The treat of a relaxing getaway is quite a welcome and very much appreciated gift for moms too, for obvious reasons that need not be listed. While it could be a trip to a faraway destination, the type of relaxing getaway that’s a bit more feasible as a Mother’s Day gift is a trip to the spa!

“Being a mother myself, I realize how worn out one can get caring for our children and sometimes we need to take a break and take care of ourselves,” says Tiffany Olson of The Spa and Med Spa at Bryan LifePointe. “A day at the spa is the perfect way to do this. With our extensive service menu between the Spa and Med Spa, there’s plenty to choose from when it comes to putting together the perfect gift for the special mother in your life. We are offering specials in May on facials with our new product line, Eminence, and pedicures as well as laser treatment for spider veins with our new Cutera laser. Our gift certificates and gift cards are always a welcome gift for Mom; this way, she’ll get to select the services she wants to have done. Make sure you call (402) 481-6321 or order online to get yours.

She also notes, “The Spa and Med Spa are open to the public and not just Bryan LifePointe members. We are open six days a week to cater to even the busiest mother’s schedule.”

Even within the one specific area of what’s considered to be traditional spa treatments/services, such as massage, for example, there’s quite a bit of variety with all of the different options that are available. In general, massage of any type is a good call on a Mother’s Day gift.

Erin Lange of 5 Elements Massage states, “Mother’s Day, the time of year when people do something special for the one they call ‘Mom.’ Many mothers get flowers, some get breakfast in bed or homemade items. Some get a special meal at a fancy restaurant, while others might simply get a little ‘me’ time or a quiet house because someone removed all of the children. Then there are the ladies who get gift certificates to a spa or for a massage, and that’s where I come in!

Massage is relaxing and gives Mom the opportunity to get away from it all as a special treat, along with the many health benefits. Particularly for moms with young children and even teens, daily routines can leave little time and energy for keeping up one’s appearance beyond basic personal hygiene. There’s also little downtime to recover, so being tired and worn down often becomes a normal part of everyday life. Many women don’t take time for themselves because they are focused on caring for their child(ren) or family instead. Motherhood is absolutely amazing, and sometimes that just comes with the territory, but there should still be times when Mom comes first. This is definitely one of those! I love helping spouses and kids with gift certificates around this time of year, because I know how much it means to the ladies who are on the receiving end, and how much they will benefit from the gift of massage. So often I hear from my clients that it’s the one gift they look forward to receiving on a holiday. And just a 15-minute massage will do wonders!

If you’re going to give the fabulous gift of massage, here are a few of my suggestions for package deals. All the way up until Mother’s Day weekend, you can get in on the Buy 3, Get 1 Free special. If she’s the adventurous type or you think she might like to try something new and different, the ‘Playing With Fire’ package offers a 45-minute massage with a fire-cupping technique for $60. Alternatively, the ‘Walk In The Woods’ package offers a full hour with a body scrub (sugar or salt) and heated bamboo massage. Any of these can easily be redeemed, all she has to do is schedule the appointment and show up. Aside from the Mother’s Day specials I’ve detailed, there are many other services that can be combined are great on their own too. I’m happy to help you put together your own special gift that will make her feel like a queen.”

Are you one of the many who has been told by your mother or grandmother, “The only gift I need is the gift of your presence,” or some variation of that? Well, challenge accepted, because spending time together while doing something fun or relaxing, your treat, qualifies as such. Incorporating some sort of activity or entertainment into the day or as a gift for a future date is a way to achieve the perfect balance of making memories and making her feel special. There are plenty of ways to go about this, so it’s up to you to pick the one that’s most fitting.

With the spring weather upon us, if it cooperates for the weekend, why not consider taking advantage? Head out to James Arthur Vineyards for the day and bask in the sunshine together while enjoying award-winning wines and taking in the beauty of the estate. (Side note: Wine from James Arthur Vineyards makes an excellent gift too! You can bring it home with you or stop by From Nebraska Gift Shop in the Haymarket and pick up her favorites – and there’s also a fantastic selection of gift baskets and novelty gifts to be found there as well!)

If she enjoys being artistic, drinking wine, or a combination of the two, why not treat her to a session at Pinot’s Palette’s Lincoln studio? You’ll create works of art together that you can take home, commemorating Mother’s Day 2017 for years to come.

If you’ll be foregoing the wine, there are of course many other things you could do together. We’ve already covered massage, but how about a couples massage? Everyone benefits, really. “Due to the popularity of these last year, we’ll be running a special on couples massages again this year for $5 off per person,” says Dennis Varley of The Body Shoppe. “Couples or individual sessions can be booked to celebrate the holiday or at a later date – as many have mentioned, a gift certificate is great because of the flexibility to book your massage whenever it’s most convenient. Appointments for couples massages must be booked by phone, but for individual massages and gift certificates, you can also make those arrangements online. Massage is a way to give the gift of relaxation, something Moms can definitely appreciate, and it’s a healthier alternative that’s still quite enjoyable.”

There you have it, plenty of suggestions that you can still incorporate into the plans to shower all of your favorite ladies who also hold the title of “mother” with affection, gratitude, gifts, time together – all of the really good stuff worthy of their contributions to your life.

For the mothers who have passed, we pay tribute – you are always in our hearts. For the mothers who are still with us, we celebrate and share the day together – every minute spent together and hug exchanged is a great blessing and privilege. For all of the mothers, everywhere – you are loved and appreciated, on Mother’s Day and every day.