MOTHER’S DAY GIFT IDEAS 2015

I’ve found some wonderful new items this year that are perfect for Mother’s Day Gifts! (Several are excellent for Father’s Day, as well! Two birds with one stone.)

And they’re actually just right for every mom, no matter if she just had her first child or her twelfth! They’re every-age appropriate, and I’m sure any one of them will be a much-appreciated present.

I personally know how well-received they’ll be, because…I received them all this past year! That’s correct—I’m recommending only gifts I received in the mail, that made me squeal with delight when I opened the packages! So, I can honestly tell you—recipients will love each and every one of these gifts!!! There’s truly something on this list for everyone!

So, let’s get to them already!!!

My Candy Basket—As I’m sure you already know, we just did a give-away of these fabulous gift baskets this week, so we know that at least sixteen of you will be receiving these gorgeous candy gift baskets for Mother’s Day! (The winners are being notified today.) If you didn’t win one from INAM, you can still be a winner by ordering one yourself. These gorgeous, affordable baskets are full of delicious, creative, beautifully-packaged, and even kosher, candies! (Several of our contest entrants mentioned how they appreciated that last fact.) Headquartered in New York, (and in my beloved hometown of really-happening Brooklyn, in specific,) they deliver anywhere in the US. And in a very timely manner, which is great for the candies. www.mycandybasket.com

Gerard Cosmetics Lipsticks and Glosses–I love all of them! The colors are just perf, especially for spring! (And this is from the same people who brought us the teeth whitener, Whitening Lightening, so you know that they know how to make the whole mouth area look good!) The gold, tapered lipstick cases are beautiful, while the gloss wands light-up, and the exterior features a perfect-sized mirror! My friends and I wear these all time, and most find it hard to choose just one favorite. The ideal combo for me is the almost-natural-lip-color Rodeo Drive lipstick, (which is the perfect name for a gift!,) topped with Pink Frosting gloss. If you love them all, too, and can’t decide which to get your gift recipient, you can choose the “Just 4 You Bundle,” and pick any four lip products at a very discounted price! (And, there’s a coupon code for a bundle of five glosses on their site right now, as soon as you log on!) www.gerardcosmetics.com

Shaz Justice Fine Art–I have a couple of young single mom pals, who are fans of things that are not the norm, to me, at least. I gave one two suitcases worth of baby gifts when she was preggers, and out of it all, her favorite thing was a baby cap with a skull on it! So, thinking outside the box for moms like them, I highly recommend original art by Shaz Justice. I know that many celebrities, especially ones in rock bands, love her work, so I’m not the only one recommending it. I believe she has lots of ready-to-go pieces, in both originals and prints, but she also takes commissions. Shaz usually paints very distinctive and pretty cartoony girls, but with little skulls or blood someone in there. Her work is sooo creative, and owning a piece of art, especially an affordable one, is always something special. Shaz works in mixed medium, (mostly a combination of graphite, ink, Prismacolors, and glitter,) and also in digital format. (Artists and fans will know what all that means. I just know it’s all fabulous!) I promise, a work of hers will be a treasured gift! (And, art lovers, keep an eye out for her up-and-coming artist teen-age daughter, Bradleigh. All I can say of her is “wow!”) www.facebook.com/OfficialShazJustice

Slim Uno Portable Manicure Kit–Since I was a little girl, I’ve been obsessed with my nails. I used to write about their care in my diary every night. If you know someone like that, too, this is the gift for them! (And I wish it so for many males, as well. They should all know better by now!) It’s a battery-powered sturdy “pen” that has attachments for filing, buffing, and even cuticle-pushing! You really don’t need anything else for your nails. And it comes in attractive designs on the outside, that should each please someone. The polka-dot one makes my mouth water! (And, if you order by April 30th, you will receive $5 off any purchase over $35 by using the code “WDPR5.”) www.violife.com

Faby Fabulous Mini Collection Set—While we’re on the topic of nails…As I was telling someone recently, girly items make such great Mother’s Day gifts, especially for fashionable moms! This set of four mini bottles of pretty polishes has just come to America from Italy. And, since Italians say “Ciao” with their hands, you know their nails just have to look good! I decided to share my quartet with some of my reviewing panel chicks, and the consensus was that the blue bottle (with the lengthy moniker “Plastic Jewels and Neon Lights,”) looks adorable with tiny polka drops of the snow white “Sugarful” on top. And the bottles are the perfect size for travel. To Italy, perhaps? (If you order on-line by Mother’s Day, use code “MOTHERSDAY2015” to receive 10% off.) www.fabyusa.com

Imperial Books—If you have parents like mine were, academics all the way, this New York bookshop has the gifts for you! (You can read my full write-up on them here: itsnotaboutme.tv/news/gift-ideas-imperial-fine-books.) My mother would not care about girly things, (except for dolls, dolls, dolls!,) but, as an English teacher, she loooved books. The ones from Imperial are mostly leather-bound sets with fine bindings, and, trust me—every single one of them is an impressive gift! You don’t have to be on the East Coast to partake of these treasures; just look around their catalog (which is on their site,) and order on-line or by phone. www.imperialfinebooks.com

Thanks To My Mom—Speaking of books, here’s a good modern one. It’s the mother version of the famous Chicken Soup For The Soul series, entitled Thanks To My Mom. It’s compiled by country singer Jo Dee Messina, and contains over a hundred personal stories from famous people and plebians alike, some anonymous, and some even deceased. It shows just how much moms mean to all of us, which everyone needs to remember. (Of course, if she’s a hip or rock ‘n roll mom, she’ll also enjoy Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Story Behind the Song, a book I’ve bought for many people since it came out a few years ago. Any hip dad will love it, too!) www.chickensoupforthesoul.com

And that’s it! I hope this list is helpful, and I promise, they’re all perfect gifts for someone you know. Happy gift-giving, no matter for what occasion!