It’s almost impossible to express the love for the woman who most shaped our lives with a mere present but here are a few ideas for showing appreciation to mom. 

Most skin care and cosmetics companies sell sample size gift bags of their products. Sephora, a company best known for lipsticks and eye shadows, is offering two gift boxes: The Captivators Deluxe Fragrance Sampler and The Fresh Floral Sampler. If mom is a fan of the Bronx Bombers, you may want to get her a bottle of the brand new NY Yankees Fragrance.

OK, you may have to be a bit diplomatic on this one, but anti-aging cremes and serums, have become the biggest selling products in the skin care industry for both men and women. Vichy’s LiftActiv, Clarins Vital Light Illuminating Creme and Avon’s Anew Ultimate 7S line, and the hard-to-forget Kiss My Face’s Spa Collection promote hydration and wrinkle reduction. 

     

Of course there is nothing like a visit to a spa to make one feel younger and more confident. The Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa and the Oasis Day Spa have branches all over the metropolitan area and offer everything from massages to facials to aroma therapy. For the best online deals for spa treatments log onto www.spaweek.com. Hair products are also popular presents for mom. Both Keratin Earth Hair Kit and Pirri Elements offer gift sets that include shampoo, conditioners and detanglers.

     

Mom may be a great cook but everyone likes to take an occasional break from the kitchen. Bistro MD and Nutritious Life are competing companies that deliver low calorie, healthy, but restaurant-style tasty meals right to your door. The chicken, salmon, turkey, pasta, and vegetarian dishes are delicious. If you are looking for a quality healthy snack present, Harry & David has a Fruit of the Month Club. The best way to enjoy a meal is to use quality utensils. Michael Aram Silverware has the finest in chafing dishes, bowls and cutlery.

 Clothing tastes depend on the individual of course but a number of relatively new companies as Baby Phat (a company founded by Hollis native Russell Simmons) and Shoshanna (an apparel company run by Shoshanna Lonstein who is best known for having dated Queens College alum Jerry Seinfeld back in the ‘90s) make quality skirts, dresses, and blouses. Lands End makes some very chic cashmere tops and scarves that go with nearly everything.

     

If mom likes a more casual look and likes sports, the NFL Women’s Apparel can cover her in her favorite team from head to toe. New Balance 574 running shoes, made here right in the USA, allow you to personalize a message to mom if you purchase them on the company’s website, www.shopnewbalance.com. Jordache, the brand that started the designer jeans fad in the 1970s, is still around and they are promoting a line of cropped jeans for women.

     

A Kangol straw hat or a stylish Stetson fedora makes a great fashion statement and more importantly can protect mom from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Picking up a pair of stylish Carrera sunglasses from a Solstice boutique serves as further protection.

     

Luxor Linens make plush bathrobes and high end Egyptian cotton towels that mom should love.

   

Handbags run the gamut from very inexpensive to insanely expensive. Vera Bradley makes handbags and totes in all sizes at a price point generally under $100. Danielle Nicole’s Davina satchel and Olivia & Joy’s humorously- named Vavavoom Hobo are sizable handbags that won’t break your budget. For moms on the go, Zazzle’s messenger bag is a very useful accessory.

     

Jewelry, obviously, is available in all price points. Melania Trump, the wife of Jamaica Estates native real estate developer/reality show star Donald Trump, has started her own company, Melania’s Timepieces and Jewelry, which are surprisingly designed for the working classes and are available at QVC’s website, www.qvc.com. Other affordable jewelry ideas are Housewives Jewelry, that have been created by Long Island designer Nancy Rosen and have been worn by the catty ladies on the various Bravo “Housewives of” series, and Sweethearts necklaces.

   

Stationery is a thoughtful gift that fits in almost anyone’s budget. Bonnie Marcus has long made personalized cards and letterheads. One very rarely thinks of Post-its as a gift but many of their dispensers are works of art that would not be out of place in museums.

If mom likes coffee table books, Stacy Bass’s “In The Garden” (Melcher Media) is a look at the some of the most lush outdoor landscaping of some very private residences.

Nearly everyone enjoys a dinner cruise and in New York there is ample competition between Spirit Cruises, World Yacht and Statue Cruises. By all means, get mom a New York Pass or a CityPASS that will allow her and a guest free entry into a number of museums as well as being able to board the Circle Line, the most popular boat ride around a city in the world.

While New York has a lot to offer, it’s always fun to get away for a few days. Now that almost every place has a casino, traditional gaming locales are offering great deals on rooms, spas, fine dining and entertainment. The Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut and the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City are great nearby getaways that provide incredible value. If mom likes a California beach vacation (and who doesn’t?) the Grande Colonial Hotel in the La Jolla Village district of San Diego, and the Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica, are wonderful hotels to enjoy the Pacific and to view spectacular sunsets.

Happy Mothers Day to all!