Mother's Day Gift Guide

Each year, people everywhere scramble to remember the date of Mothers Day. Just keep in mind that it's always the second Sunday of May. Traditionally moms are showered with flowers and gifts, although there are many ways to to express our love for those special women in our lives.

For those planning a traditional Mother's Day, try ordering mom a large, extravagant corsage that she can enjoy wearing to church or brunch. If your mother isn't the type for a corsage, purchase a lovely bouquet of her favorite flowers. Flowers can also be used to create beautiful centerpieces for a dining room table. Simply inter-space vases of flowers with pictures of mom with her children and grandchildren. The final touch is to place small candles around the outside edges of your centerpiece. (These really pull the look together, and you'll love the glow of the candle light off the framed photos!)

Gifts are a huge part of Mother's Day traditions, and each family has their own of idea the Perfect Gift. This can be anything from jewelery or flowers to a new car! In my family, it's a running gag to see who can make mom the teariest on her special day. The more sentimental the better, we try to outdo one another in making mom cry over her gifts. My mother-in-law, on the other hand, prefers to try her hand at winning cash from scratch off lottery tickets or a few rounds of Keno at the local bar. She never, ever wants flowers. Make sure you tailor the gift to the woman in question, and you'll always have a hit on your hands!

Adults seeking unique gifts for Mother's Day should get creative: Try pulling together a powerpoint slide show featuring your mother, her family, and all of the special people in her life. Make sure to include music, photos, and video outlining the most humorous and heart-tugging moments of her life. For example, include the photo of her holding her first grandchild in the hospital, and the digital video of her falling off the dock into the lake last summer. If you burn the slide show to dvd, mom can take it home and enjoy it anytime she wishes. Remember that laughter and fond memories are the best gifts of all.