Well, the calendar has flipped and it is finally May! Time to start thinking about Mother’s day gift ideas. For Ontarians, this is usually where we can finally breathe a sigh of relief as we *officially* put the snow gear away. And also cross our fingers we won’t need it one last time! The prominent colours of the world around us start to make that glorious shift. They turn from browns and greys to greens and whites and pastel florals. Raise your hand if you can’t stop staring at all the blossoming trees right now?
And as I said, May also means it is time to start thinking about mother’s day gift ideas! If your children are under 10, I can guarantee they have been crafting something for you over the past few weeks. Come Sunday you will be inundated with hand made cards. And maybe a well intended but possibly messy breakfast in bed and some adorable gifts. Now, it isn’t actually possible for me to see exactly who reads my blog. My assumption is based on most of my content is it’s primarily women and a great deal of Moms!
Mother’s Day gift idea guides are a thing of the past!
So instead of writing a mother’s day gift ideas guide that your children or partners will never read, I figured I would just tell you about some of my all time favourite mother’s day gifts. Do what you wish with it! If your kids or partner have been asking you for ideas, here are some of my fave mother’s day gifts from over the years!
After over a decade of marriage and almost as many Mother’s days, I have learned a few things. Namely that my husband in particular appreciates a timely reminder of when a holiday is looming as well as some specific hints of gift ideas! BUT that is my husband and may not be the same for yours! Barreling forward nonetheless!
My top five favourite mother’s day gift ideas in the past decade!
Please note: I am not including all of the beautiful craftiwork I have received from my kiddos. It is currently displayed throughout my office!
- Updated family portraits
Ok yes, I am a photographer, so this one is kind of obvious. However, it is a lot harder than you think to get MYSELF in front of the camera! I have about 184715379302475 photos of my kids and almost as many of my kids with their Daddy. The number that include me? Dramatically lower! In the past few years my husband has gotten us a family session on our farm. And also a studio session with just my girls and I! Both are incredibly special to me and will be forever! Most photographers will offer gift certificates so you don’t have to choose a time right now for the session too.
Around the house – prints and more!
- Prints for the walls
Ok again, I know I am a photographer. The truth is I know I am just as guilty as the rest of us! Soooo many of my favourite images continue to live their lives as jpegs on a hard drive! So when we moved to the farmhouse, Chris had me choose a number of my favourite photos to be printed. We enlarged them and had some made into canvases as well. Only about half of the prints are family portraits, the other half are from our travels and adventures! We have a classic black and white cow print in our living room… Of a cow on Culloden Moor in Scotland… That I stood 6 feet in front of to get that shot! It’s such a special piece of art and so fun to talk about with guests. We also have a gorgeous canvas of a stormy Lake Huron, more amazing Scottish monuments and of course a bunch of milestone images of our family. The art on our walls tells a beautiful story of our lives and it was such a special mother’s day gift.
- A Palm Sander
Anddddd, we took a major left turn!! At the height of the pandemic when I was unable to photograph due to restrictions I was in serious need of a creative outlet. My kids were sick of the photoshoots, and I’d exhausted everyone’s need for baked goods. So I took up refinishing under loved antique furniture. After the first few projects where I borrowed the tools I needed, Chris and the kids got me my own palm sander and a few other needed tools for mother’s day that year!
Now I am not telling you to take up furniture refinishing! But I am saying that if you have a hobby or interest that needs a particular tool of some kind, mother’s day is the perfect opportunity to ask for it!
Aiden Laurette Photography | A mother poses with her husband and children
- A night away!! This one was a number of years ago, when our kids were wee babies (I distinctly remember needing to pump on this trip). Chris and the kids (ok, they were babies, so mostly just Chris) got us one night away at a hotel and had our parents watch the kids! Although this wouldn’t be as high on my list anymore. We are able to travel with and without our kids much more often now. At the time it was the first time I got to sleep in without a baby monitor in many many many many moons. It truly was the most thoughtful thing he could have done at the time. If you are in a season where a hot minute away from your children to breathe (and not be touched) would do wonders for your mental health then this would be a great idea for a mother’s day gift hint.
Family oriented gifts are always a good idea.
5. A family Adventure. This year we are spending mother’s day doing some family adventuring. Technically none of what we are doing was a gift to me. I did get to pick the restaurant we are heading to on Saturday night, so I will take it.
On Friday night we are taking our kids to see a movie at the theatre (you know the ones with the recliner seats?). Then we are spending Saturday and Sunday being tourists in Toronto and going to the Aquarium (Fact most of the internet doesn’t know: Swimming, sailing, exploring an aquarium, existing near the lake all of it- it awakens my soul like nothing else can!) Don’t worry, I can see the irony between 4 & 5. Yes there are seasons of motherhood when getting away and being alone as an adult can feel rejuvenating and soul filling, while in other seasons time with your kids can feel equally so! I wanted to include both on purpose!
As always, I hope this helps if your partner or children are still nagging you about what to get you this mother’s day.
If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy:
A Winter Family Session on the Farm
