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Think Outside the Box (Of Chocolates)
When it comes to Mother’s Day gifts, there are certainly staples: flower arrangements, chocolates and jewelry. And truth be told, you really can’t go wrong with any of these (especially the jewelry).But not every mom will be getting the same old gifts. The National Retail Federation estimates that more than 13% of people are planning to buying some kind of electronic device for the mother in their lives, up from just 9% last year. And the organization expects Americans to spend more than a billion dollars on giving mom a trip to the spa or other personal services.
>>Click here for video testimonials of people's favorite Mother's Day gifts!
Of course, every mother is different, so if you want to get her something other than flowers and earrings, you’ll have to think about what she actually likes. Is she a runner? Does she like to bake? What’s her favorite restaurant? Whether she’s sporty, well-read or simply likes to cook, we’ve tracked down the best Mother’s Day gift for many kinds of moms – with an eye toward gifts that won’t break the bank.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
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For Bookworms: A Kindle
According to the NRF, the average American will spend $140 on Mother’s Day gifts. That makes the Wi-Fi-only Kindle, priced at $139 with free shipping, the perfectly-priced e-reader for the mom who can’t get enough books.But if $139 is a bit too rich for your blood, there’s an even cheaper option: Last month Amazon launched a new version of the same Kindle that features advertisements and special offers, and is accordingly priced at a more affordable $114. Sure, your mom might figure out that you cheaped out to the tune of $25, thereby forcing her to sit through ads, but chances are she’ll be so delighted with the device that she won’t mind.
Photo Credit: Amazon.com
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For Bakers: A Breville Pie Maker
This delightful machine takes much of the guesswork and manual labor out of pie-making by making perfectly-crimped pies every time. Capable of making up to four personal pies at a time in about eight minutes, this device retails for $100 from Williams-Sonoma online.
Photo Credit: Williams-sonoma.com
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For Hungry Moms: Restaurant.com Gift Certificates
Your best bet here is probably to take your mother out for dinner on Mother’s Day – there’s nothing like some fine dining with her favorite son or daughter. But if you’d also like to set her up to visit a few of her favorite restaurants on her own time, we’d recommend checking out Restaurant.com, which regularly offers $25 gift certificates to a variety of restaurants for just $10. In addition, third-party deal sites regularly carry coupon codes that knock the price down even further. Through May 8 when you use the coupon code MOM you can take an additional 80% off the cost, meaning that you can get her a $25 gift certificate for just $2. Set her up with a few of these and she’ll dine like a queen for weeks.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
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For Charitable Moms: A Donation in Her Name
This gift’s a tricky one – if your mom was really looking forward to getting a gift, she might be a little put off when you tell her that you gave someone else a gift instead (then gave her a card telling her about it). But if she’s the selfless type and you know what her favorite cause is, consider giving a donation to a charity in her name. You can, for instance, give a donation to the Make-A-Wish foundation in your mother’s honor, then print out a card informing her of the donation.Photo Credit: Getty Images
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For Sporty Moms: Vibram Shoes
Vibram FiveFingers shoes are meant to mimic the supposedly superior biomechanics of barefoot running without the risk of stepping in broken glass. The shoes were introduced a few years ago and a lot of people swear by them, so if your mom is into running, yoga or other fitness activities you might buy her a pair and change the way she works out. Of course, there’s always the chance that they won’t fit her or that she’ll just hate the way they feel, so this may be one situation where it’s best to ruin the surprise and take her to the store to try them on. Vibram shoes retail for $75 to $110 and can be found at most sporting goods stores.Photo Credit: vibramfivefingers.com
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For Sentimental Moms: A Personalized Necklace
While we’ve tried to find some non-traditional gifts here, the truth is many mothers want nothing more than some new jewelry for Mother’s Day. Put some thought into it and add a personal touch by getting that necklace or bracelet engraved before you give it to her. A great destination for personally engraved merchandise is Things Remembered, and it’s not too late to have it delivered by Mother’s Day if you don’t mind paying extra.Photo Credit: thingsremembered.com
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For Cheese Lovers: A Cheese Club Membership
Sure, you could send her a single gift basket replete with fruit, cheese or chocolate. But you could also get her the gift that literally keeps on giving: a membership in a food-of-the-month club. Sign mom up for a Bacon of the Month package at BaconFreak.com and she’ll get a package with a different variety of bacon in it each month, including such flavors as Cajun, vanilla bourbon and sun dried tomato. Is she more of a cheese person? Get her a Cheese of the Month membership at artisanalcheese.com and every month she’ll get a package full of various cheeses, from sharp cheddar to goat cheese. Be warned, though, that these can get pricey, with most food clubs running you about $50 a month.Photo Credit: ArtisanalCheese.com
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