Let’s face it: many guys just aren’t the best gift-givers. Granted, some gems like my brother-in-law get really cute and creative, coming up with gifts straight out of the best chick flick, but I think a lot of men are probably like my husband–who once gave me a shotgun-shell belt, protective eyewear, and camo pants (in a men’s 34). Now, I do enjoy going skeet shooting with him, but that was not my idea of the perfect gift; fortunately, he DOES have a lot of other redeeming qualities to make up for these gift-giving deficits!
In light of these realities, we’ve decided to create a gift guide for moms; that way, you’ll stand a chance of receiving gifts that you actually need AND want. To that end, feel free to share this post with the shopping-challenged men in your lives. In case you’re wondering, I definitely plan to give my husband a copy so that I can steer him in the right direction and won’t end up with another pair of men’s pants!
Let Mom Relax
I don’t know any mom who wouldn’t appreciate a day at the spa: a nice getaway from it all to relax and get a facial, a massage, a manicure, a pedicure–or best of all, some combination thereof! The list of what you can do is endless, and we have some wonderful local places where moms can take some time for themselves; some good examples are Frenchy’s, Sole Spa, Ponte Vedra Plastic Surgery, and Total Body Aesthetics. JMB has tried all of these places, and we were more than impressed. At a few of them, you can also put together a skincare package as part of the gift!
The Gift of Style
Make an appointment for her with Jacksonville’s best Stylist, Beth Sullivan! The St. Johns Town Center is providing FREE styling services with Beth for a limited time, and she is so much fun to work with. Here’s another suggestion: buy the woman in your life a Simon Malls Gift Card to spend all over the Town Center, assembling a new wardrobe for the New Year! Other possibilities include such fabulous local boutiques as penelope t and Rosie True, where you can find the perfect gift for mom. The wonderful women who work at both of these boutiques will be more than happy to help you find something special for mom. For the busy mom, especially one who’s or not a fan of shopping, get her a subscription to Stitch Fix. It’s basically an online styling service that sends you a “fix” based on an online style profile.
Give Mom a Few Nights Off from Cooking
For both the working mom and the stay-at-home mom, some days it is just difficult to get a healthy meal on the table. The perfect solution is a service like J.William Culinary, which offers freshly prepared, healthy gourmet meals delivered right to your door. That way, everyone benefits: you can give mom a few nights off in the kitchen and still enjoy delicious home-cooked meals!
The Gift of Fitness
For the mom who loves to work out, give her a package to a new place that she can try out. Sure, she might already have a gym membership, or perhaps she enjoys running regularly, but sometimes it’s fun to try something new–like Pure Barre (locations in Jax Beach and Riverside), A Pilates, or Yoga Mix. Another way to indulge her love of fitness is to outfit her in the best workout clothes! A Lululemon gift card is always a hit, or sign her up for an Ellie subscription so she can get a new outfit monthly.
Extra Time for Mom
Since my husband isn’t the best gift-giver and I’m terrible at cleaning the house, I would definitely benefit from regular cleaning services for my home. Any mom would undoubtedly appreciate more time to herself, spending quality time with her kids, or being able to get some other work done, rather than cleaning baseboards! One possible solution is First Coast Home Pros, which specializes in cleaning services and offers a wide range of possibilities, including exterior work like gutter cleaning and pressure washing–so this gift can be perfect for dad too!
Give Mom a Break
Every mom needs a break from the kids once in a while. A babysitting or nanny service is a great way to give her the gift of some time to herself. If you need a good place to start, check out Twinkle Toes Nanny Agency for quality, affordable childcare.
Give Mom a Good Hair Day
I love the way my hair looks when I actually take the time to blow dry and style it, but I don’t always give myself that time. Before we did our blog photo shoot, we all visited Sutra Salon for fabulous blowouts, and I have to say that I became a little addicted. It’s fun to indulge in this service if you have a special event to go to–or even if you just want to look extra special for date night. Plus, you can enjoy complimentary wine or champagne while you’re being pampered. Their blowout card offers the perfect gift deal: you can purchase either 5 blowouts (buy 4, get 1 free) or 10 blowouts (buy 8, get 2 free).
For Expectant Moms
Maternity & Newborn Photo session
This is such a meaningful gift for a new mom, even if she’s pregnant with her 2nd, 3rd, or 4th child; capturing those special early moments to keep for a lifetime is such wonderful gift to give. Jacksonville has many excellent photographers, but Stephanie Knowles of Jaiden Photography is known especially for her talent with newborns. Mary Huszcza of 8.08 Photography is also a perfect choice for newborn and family sessions. Our contributor Cheryl recently used her deal for newborn pictures of her 3rd child, Whit, and really enjoyed her session.
Baby Bounce Back
We all know how hard it is to bounce back after baby, and it’s especially hard to carve out the time for yourself to do it. Pure Barre Jax Beach and Pure Barre Riverside offer a 3-month Baby Bounce Back package to help moms achieve their goals and regain their strength after experiencing 9 months of drastic body changes. If you want to learn more about Pure Barre, you can read my 3-part challenge series about my positive experience there.
Prenatal Massage
Pregnancy comes with so many aches and pains, and a prenatal massage is the best way to help soothe and relax the mom-to-be. Many places around town offer prenatal massages, but you usually have a submit a note from your doctor, stating that it is okay for you to have a massage. Jacksonville Doulas works with a Licensed Massage Therapist who specializes in prenatal massage. You can find more information about the benefits of massage during pregnancy and about their therapist here.
Jogging Stroller
For the running mom-to-be, a great jogging stroller is a wonderful gift, and the BOB Stroller is one of the best. Jacksonville Running Company offers both the single and the double BOB Stroller, as well as the accessories. They even offer a 3-day test drive so you can find out if it’s the right stroller for you. To learn more about the BOB, read our post about why it’s the best stroller here.
The perfect gifts set that one can give a new mom would be nursing necklace with pretty colors.