MAN DAY: Make Your Mom Proud

Guess who has a guest spot on one of my most fave sites, Be Better Guys….moi! Yesterday, I gave you a great gift idea for Mother’s Day and today I will give you some guidance on how to purchase any Mother’s Day gift. Enjoy:

Mothers’ Day Gift Buying Advice
Written by Celena Gill

BBG realizes that Mothers’ Day has guys scrambling to pick out something for the woman who took them from diapers to prom. We called on Celena Gill, fashion consultant and style diva, to help guys figure out what it takes to make Moms beam brightly over how they raised their Sonny Boys right.As the April showers end and May flowers begin, one of the biggest, if not the biggest, of holidays encroaches upon us, and me in particular — Mothers’ Day. I may be a bit biased because I have the original Thing 1 and Thing 2 in my home (the destructive duo from Cat in the Hat) and am expecting my third bundle of joy in July (yes, it’s gonna to be a long hot summer). Over the years, I have received a motley mix of Mommy’s Day gifts — from homemade handprints to bodacious bouquets to some very interesting-tasting breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Regardless of the gift, they all came from love and occasionally from some very carefully executed plans that required some advance thought and effort.

To help guide you through the Mommy Day mayhem, here are a few tips to buying a gift to make dear old Mother proud of you:

1. Create a budget: Unless you can break the bank, or you own the bank, try not to go broke over a Mothers’ Day gift. Believe me, Mom will appreciate just the effort, so long as you actually put forth the effort.
2. Research, research, and more research: First things first: We want a gift that we desire, we really, really want, or that we crave, not one that you think we need or would come in “handy.” In plain words, no vacuum cleaners, no frying pan sets, nothing we have to plug in that makes something else spotless or that cooks something so the rest of y’all can eat. Find out what Mommy Dearest really wants – you don’t have to be a detective – and if you’re really running dry on ideas, just ask her for a few options and pick one.
3. Personalize the gift: Is your mom a glam goddess or a happy housewife? Is she a bohemian babe or an excellent executive? Whatever the mom may be, her gift needs to reflect her interests and personality. Please, for the love of all things sacred, don’t get her something that something that all Moms are supposed to like, like a diamond tennis bracelet, if she’s not into sparkly jewelry. Remember, this gift will be forever logged into “Mommy’s List of Memories,” and may be reflected in what you get in the will (smile), so pick your gift very carefully and keep it personal to her individual taste.

If you are a complete flop at preparing a strategic gift and acquisition plan, yes, you can get away by sticking with the traditional gifts – flowers, perfume, candy, day at the spa, jewelry — and remember that when you opt for any of the items from this list, cater to her personal likes. Of course, you could also clean her house (for an extended period of time, not just for one day). Any of the above should, at the very least, get a hearty thank you, a warm hug, and/or a sloppy kiss. Yes, it is the thought that counts, not what you get her. But whatever you do, give her something. Make your mother proud!

Celena Gill is a fashion consultant, stylist, and blogger extraordinaire. Her blog, Strictly Fabulous Style has been nominated for the Glam Network award for Best Fashion Publisher.

Here’s the link to the original article. Have a strictly fab day!