Mother's Day

Mother's Day blueprint  
Here's how most guys go about buying their mom or wife a Mother's Day gift. On the morning of Mother's Day, they swing by the supermarket to pick up a cheap bouquet of flowers and maybe a card...and that's it.

It's an easy system that you can repeat every year, but look at it from her perspective. She knows that every Mother's Day, she can expect that same bouquet that she saw at the grocery store a week earlier. And if she gets a card from you, she knows it'll be one that you found at the last minute and then signed with hardly a thought.

Now she may smile and pretend to gush over how "thoughtful" you are when you hand it to her...but do you really believe she's impressed by this? Sorry pal, but handing your mom a five buck bouquet and calling it a day won't cut it. This is not to say that you need to spend a fortune on her, but you absolutely should stick to the following Mother's Day blueprint.

The flowers
First of all, you need to bring her those flowers. If this is your wife we're talking about, then you need to make sure these are not the romantic type of flowers that you give her at other times of the year. (So don't give her a dozen red roses.) Pick out a nice bouquet with a "motherly" kind of look. Multiple types of flowers in various colors work well for this.

You can certainly get away with an inexpensive arrangement if you need to, but if you decide to buy her some pricier flowers, she'll notice and appreciate it. It's true that all gals love flowers, but some bouquets are a sight better than others.

The meal
Your second task is to take her out for a special meal. She's a gal after all, and gals want time with you more than anything. So a nice meal out is likely what she's most looking forward to on this day. Any semi-decent restaurant will do, but understand that when she talks with her friends the next week, they're going to ask her where you took her for her Mother's Day meal, so do not skip this.

Could you stay in and have a meal at home instead? Sure that's okay, but you better figure out some way to make it special. If it's just another ordinary meal, that's no kind of Mother's Day gift. Make her favorite dish, bring something unique to drink, pick out a great dessert...something like that. And of course, don't let her lift a finger in the preparation or clean-up.

I can't make it
If you live far away from your mom or if you're working on Mother's Day and won't be able to visit her, then you'll need to call her instead. (Do I even need to tell you this?) Here's the trick though.

Before calling her, figure out when you'll be able to see her next. Then when you call her, you can let her know exactly when you're planning to go over and take her out for that late Mother's Day meal. This will brighten her day for sure.

The card
Third, you've got to give her the best card you possibly can. It's just a piece of cardboard to you, but it can mean much more to her if you do it right. So begin by selecting a stunningly beautiful card.

The nice ones cost more, but don't let that deter you from going big here. Just reset your thinking so that you view this card as a gift in itself, and consider its higher price the cost of doing business. Trust me...the card is a big deal to moms.

The message
Fourth, you have to fill out the card with a good long message. If your entire message is three words long (as in..."Happy Mother's Day") then you're doing it wrong. You see, when she opens that card, she's hoping to read something heartfelt from you.

Take the time to think for a few minutes and come up with a good message. Then write it out in more than just a couple sentences. Fill up that card if you can, stick an "I love you" on the end, and you're all set. If you don't follow this advice, that card could end up in the trash within a month. If you succeed though, she'll keep it forever.

No substitutions
Finally, do not try to substitute anything for the traditional items listed above. Don't take her to a movie instead of a meal. Don't give her a sweater instead of flowers. Don't send her a virtual card instead of a handwritten one. You're free to add these things and any other gifts that you care to, but absolutely do not skip the three traditional basics...flowers, meal, and a card.

Last thought
Mother's Day is the easiest holiday of the year for guys because the gifts have already been chosen ahead of time. Just follow the steps and she'll be happy.