UNITED STATES—I had to take a moment and think because I totally forgot that Mother’s Day was literally right around the corner. Yeah, it is about a week away on Sunday, May 9. So I’m in a bit of a panic: what do I get mom for the big day? I don’t know, I truly and honestly do NOT know. One thing I know I’m not getting is flowers. My mother has never been a fan of flowers and I just don’t believe in wasting money because guess what: flowers die people. So I am so glad that is the last thing my mother asks for when it comes to gifts.

However, I know I’m not the only American who is stressed to the limit about finding the perfect gift for mom on the day where she is to have the spotlight on her. Of course, mom is going to tell you she doesn’t want anything, but you know if you don’t get a card or at least give her a card, she is not going to be a happy camper people, not at all.

Yeah, we hear it time and time again, it is the thought that counts, but you can tell if mom is happy with the gift based on that expression on her face and how she reacts when you give it to her. They can fake it, but you can still see it all over the face and that is a devastating blow to say the least if you’re on the receiving end.

So what do you get mom if it’s not flowers and chocolates? There is jewelry, there is clothing, there is purses, there are shows, it could be a nifty gadget, but I would NEVER recommend something for the home or kitchen, unless MOM DIRECTLY TELLS ME THAT IS AN ITEM SHE WANTS!

I would argue the same applies to those bath slats, soaps and lotions. If mom doesn’t tell you she wants it, you should NOT be buying it. You don’t want to waste money where you purchase an item that just sits in a closet or somewhere in storage that never ever gets to see the light of day people. I would angle for a purse, but my mother has every single one you can think of. Shoes, that is dicey because you never want to purchase something without fully knowing if the person can actually fight the shoe and if they’re going to like the style or design.

Jewelry is always a good one, but I’m a firm believer that you can only purchase jewelry so often before it becomes stale. You cannot buy a watch every year for mom. Rings (I think that is something for the husband to purchase for mom), chains, charms and necklaces I think are the best bet if you are honestly looking to indulge mom with something shiny and glittery.

If gift buying is not the choice, then you can do what most Americans tend to do: take mom out to eat. Here’s the problem: we’re in a pandemic. So restaurants are not at full capacity yet, which means you’re going to be on a waitlist and who wants to wait to eat. Everyone is going to be thinking the same thing about breakfast, lunch or dinner so you might want to take a different approach to not fall into that trap. Hell, you might do a combination of eating and a gift. Whatever you choose to do, just don’t forget to remember mom on her big day.

Moms do a lot and sometimes were fail to acknowledge or let them know we appreciate them. They should get more days in a calendar year, but they get one, so there is no excuse why we can’t show our love and gratitude to them.

Written By Jason Jones