Mother’s Day is fast approaching so you’re likely to be thinking about how to spend the day and treat your mum or loved one. Mother’s Day takes place on Sunday 15th March this year in the UK and Ireland (whereas most other countries, including the USA, celebrate their equivalent in May).
Wherever and however you’ll be celebrating, there is a good chance you have been told not to, ‘go to any trouble’ or ‘make a fuss’ – mums are great at buying for and taking care of others and not so good at allowing themselves to be spoilt!
If you are looking for ideas to treat your mum or other special person in your life, below are some Mother’s Day gift ideas for different budgets, including free days out. Many are London-based so perfect if you live in the area or can visit for a day out; if not, they’ll give you ideas for similar places in your own area.
For quirky gifts
You might like to try Etsy for vintage or handmade items or notonthehighstreet.com for unique present ideas including fashion, jewellery, personalised gifts and home decor.
For food lovers
For award-winning organic food and luxury homeware gifts, try Daylesford. They also have a cookery school with workshops on Mother’s Day itself too where you can make gifts and healthy treats. Harrods Food Hall is a spectacular place to visit and you can enjoy a glass of champagne or just take in the amazing foods on display in this vast shopping emporium. Try La Durée in Covent Garden or the Burlington Arcade for its famous macarons which are so beautifully boxed. You can also buy them online.
For fans of nature or walking
Tucked away beside the Thames in London, Chelsea Physic Garden is a celebration of the beauty and importance of plants and it’s a beautiful place to visit, relax and learn more about the beauty around us. I regularly visit its wonderful gardens. You can buy tickets in advance for your mum to visit the gardens or buy her membership as a Friend of the Garden so she can enjoy this special place throughout the year and support its cause. Walks Talks & Workshops include Behind the Scenes and Plant Remedies for Spring. They also run family activity days which you can buy tickets for – really interesting ideas like Chocolate Tuesday, Gardening for Beginners and Creepy Crawling.
I love to take a walk in Battersea Park, considered by many as London’s best park. Walks there are wonderful, taking in its special gardens, lake, aviary, peace pagoda, art, sculpture and large playgrounds for children. Kew Gardens has guided Spring Spectacular Walks which are fascinating. You could also take your mum to one of London’s secret gardens and enjoy time just catching up with each other in a lovely setting.
For beauty lovers
The winter takes its toll on our feet in particular as they get so little air and the skin becomes very dry. Why not treat your mum to a luxury pedicure so she feels ready for Spring. Try her favourite spa or offer to do a pedicure, manicure or massage yourself at her home using a massage oil candle – try Unwind to help her relax, Alive for energy, Sleepy if at the end of the day, Essential Defence to boost immunity, Detoxify to eliminate toxins or Slender for toning. They can each be used for manicure, pedicure, massage, bath oil and as a general skin moisturiser and beauty balm.
For art lovers
James and I just enjoyed the Rubens exhibition at the Royal Academy of Art in London. Your mum may like their special package for two including cocktails and audio guide or lunch, afternoon tea or drinks at one of their lovely cafés or restaurant. Afterwards we walked to the Sargent exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.
Fashion lovers may also like the Alexander McQueen and Wedding Dresses exhibitions at the V&A.
For shopping fans
You don’t need to spend money to enjoy browsing in beautiful shopping locations. In London, South Molton Street remains a favourite for fashion lovers, boasting iconic store, Browns; likewise, the King’s Road is still so popular with its eclectic mix of fashionable boutiques, unique labels, designer shops, high-street staples and some stand-out stores such as Chelsea Antiques Market and Vivienne Westwood’s first shop; Covent Garden is a perfect place to explore, with unique gifts such as handmade jewellery and the imaginative arts and crafts at Covent Garden Market; the beautiful Burlington Arcade on Piccadilly, ‘curators of London style since 1829’ combines the quintessential English look with Parisian chic, due to its many French stores; Lamb’s Conduit Street in ‘bookish’ Bloomsbury is great for books and interesting interiors shops.
Outside of London, your mum may like to visit cosmopolitan city by the sea, Brighton, with its North Laines shopping and Royal Pavilion. Edinburgh’s Princes Street is also a good choice for its elegance and imposing stone architecture, with shops like Jenners department store, and the Castle immediately opposite. The historic city of Chester is unusual with its famous Rows: medieval two-deck shopping streets.
However you spend the day, have a wonderful time!