Gift Ideas For Any Occasion For The Busy Wife and Stressed-Out Mom

It is now 2011, and the past year, I’ve been able to discover (and re-discover) a lot  of nice places to purchase gifts for people close to our hearts, whether it’s for a birthday, an anniversary, or for Christmas.  I love being able to take time to choose and buy little and thoughtful items, maybe because I know that I’ve been on the receiving end of such wonderful little surprises, and gift-giving has always been a joy to me.

Here a few gift ideas I thought I’d share for busy wives and moms like myself, who find time to squeeze in gift-buying all year round (yes, obsessive-compulsiveness to beat the holiday rush kicks in a LOT of times when you have your hands full with a household to run, a husband to take care of, an active little daughter’s needs to nurture, and some work-from-home projects to handle!):

FOR BIRTHDAYS OR CHRISTMAS:

• It’s always great to pick out something useful.
• I usually make a mental checklist (or keep a notebook handy of foodstuff or bath products or books they’re fond of) of things I know they may like…
• Gift ideas:
• 1.  handy hand-sanitizers or soaps or lotions from The Echo Store.  They carry their own Echo Store brand (of course), as well as all-natural products by Human Heart Nature, Ilog Maria, By Nature, etc.
• 2. Watson’s came out with these delicious-smelling grape-scented lotions, body gels, body polish shower gels called Grape Bella that are just fantastic, and their packaging is beautiful…They come in these slim plastic bottles that would look great on the bathroom shelf as they would smell good on your loved-ones. They’re affordable & totally worth checking out!
• 3.all-natural food and chips from Healthy Options (they have LOTS to choose from, from cookies, to sugar-free sweets, to canned homecooked-tasting soups that are still low-fat, as well as scented candles and organic supplements.
• 4. Great titles from Fully Booked or National Bookstore. If you don’t know what type of books they like but you know they’ll appreciate a good read, these bookstores have gift certificates you can purchase, along with a beautifully-handwritten card.
• 5. Gift certificates for a mani-pedi-footspa at the Nail Spa in Shangri-la Mall or an aromatherapy massage at Urban Spa are fantastic and thoughtful gift ideas for the stressed-out and “I so badly need a break” lady-friend, Mom, fellow-Mom, girlfriend!
• 6. Invite her out to try a Barre3 session (it’s an exercise program located at The Spa that’s a combination of ballet, pilates, and yoga. Check out my Barre3 article in this website!) and sweat it out and have a lingering coffee date or healthy snack after.  Barre3 is located in The Spa building in Bonifacio High Street. They also have other branches (Eastwood, Alabang, etc.)
• 7. Tickets to a play or a musical.  Nothing like a dose of laughter to entertain someone you love.
• For bath and beauty products, if you feel like spending a little bit more, the following brands hold a lot of really, really decadent and refreshing items:  LUSH, L’Occitane, Laura Mercier, The Body Shop, Rustan’s Essenses, Philosophy, Beauty Bar
• If she is fond of collecting vintage items, try getting her a nice purse that has an “antique” feel to it, or browse through gift shops for an interesting piece she could put on display that is useful, like a one-of-a-kind clock, or a jewelry box.
• If she likes old movies, get her a collection of old movies or better yet, a few DVD movies starring her favorite actor or actress.
• If there’s a particular singer or band that she likes, choose their latest album from the record store, and throw in some hard-to-find recordings of the same artist.
• If you’re feeling creative, write a long letter telling that person how much you appreciate her or share a fond memory you know will put a smile on her face (or better yet, something that will make her laugh).
• If you can, write a song and record it on a CD.  If you’re feeling creative, create a cute “album cover” with the person’s photo, complete with a CD inlay that has a dedication inside.
• If you’re good at drawing or painting, create an artwork for her and have it delivered to her house.
• If you feel like dabbling in some graphic art, enhance photos of you together and have it printed and framed.
• If you don’t have that much time, write a Note about her on Facebook and share it on your Wall for the world to see, telling everyone how happy you are to have her in your life.
• Create a scrapbook filled with photos, mementos, or dedications from relatives and friends and giftwrap it beautifully.
• Here’s a list of books that you may want to check out that are nice reads:

1. Chicken Soup for the Soul (there are ones for the Expectant Mother’s Soul, Mother’s Soul, Power Moms, Christian Soul, etc.)
2. Cup of Comfort for Mothers and Daughters
3. Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge
4. The Power of A Praying Parent by Stormie Omartian
5. The Power of A Praying Woman by Stormie Omartian
6. I Feel Bad About My Neck (And Other Thoughts on Being A Woman) by Nora Ephron
7. Kid CEO: How To Keep Your Children From Running Your Life by Ed Young
8. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Thanks, Mom: 101 Stories of Gratitude, Love, and Good Times by Jack Canfield, et. al.
9. The 10 Commandments of Marriage by Ed Young and Beth Moore
10. His Needs, Her Needs: Building An Affair-Proof Marriage by Willard Harley
11. The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
12. The Act of Marriage: The Beauty of Sexual Love by Tim LaHaye
13. Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires, The Respect He Desperately Needs by Emerson Eggerichs
14. The Love Dare by Stephen Kendrick and Alex Kendrick
15. Babyproofing Your Marriage: How To Laugh More and Argue Less As Your Family Grows by Stacie Cockrell, Cathy O’Neill, et.al.
16. Boy Meets Girl by Joshua Harris
17. The First 90 Days of Marriage by Eric Ludy and Leslie Ludy
18. When Dreams Come True by Eric Ludy and Leslie Ludy

At the end of the day, it’s always sweet to receive something that comes from the heart, whether it’s a simple, handwritten note with a personal and heartfelt message or a thoughtful gift to show how much you appreciate and honor that person.  It need not be expensive.  You’ll know what an incomparable joy it is to be appreciated and loved when you receive something that has been given a lot of thought and effort. Enjoy warming your family’s and friends’ hearts today!