Need Mom Day and Dad Day gift ideas

**Mamaw** · 04-25-2007, 02:08 PM

Here's the story:

MIL has a house packed full of "things" She does not want more stuff but also wants something nice and practical. She is a hard on to please....

Mom, says "dont spend on me. I dont need anything" She is easy...plants are always loved.

Dad is a bit harder. Also wants nothing but enjoys being remembered.

any one have any good frugal yet different ideas for gifts??

**WigWamChic** · 04-25-2007, 02:23 PM

I buy MIL a basket filled with bath goodies from the dollar store , usually i find the basket and fancy wrappin too.

I just give dads a card and some beer (if they are beer drinkers)

**tbs727** · 04-25-2007, 02:24 PM

Food. I like giving food (snacks, candy, homemade bread, etc.) to people who don't want or need more stuff. Consumables are nice because they do the job, but take up no space. I'm sure the ladies on here will give you tons of good ideas.

**nuisance26** · 04-25-2007, 05:08 PM

~How about stamps and notecards? ~

**mommy4ever** · 04-25-2007, 06:07 PM

i do a couple scrapbook pages for my parents. Mom is a clutterbug. It's always sad to see the state of her house. You can barely move in it. So I never contribute. I'm now moving to dvd of the kids. Something they can look back on.

For MIL and FIL, we don't get anything. The kids make them something. Dh will usually take MIL out for lunch, and FIL golfing. Just their time.

**YankeeMom** · 04-25-2007, 07:57 PM

I am knitting my mom some socks for Mother's Day. I may do the same for my dad for Father's Day.

What about gift certificates to her favorite restaurants so she doesn't have to cook when it's hot out?

**Luv2BeFrugal1** · 04-26-2007, 12:22 AM

My dad likes cookies...

And my mom said she would LOVE if her car was cleaned out (like the detail shops do, but do it at home so it's just elbow grease and not $$).

**geckoace** · 04-26-2007, 11:07 AM

we often give FIL really good ginger snaps LOL he loves them. great grandmother and MIL get flowers and my mom gets notecards with my son on them......shes looooves those.

does DAd like to grill? some rub spices or really good steaks would be nice. invite MIL over to brunch give her some flowers or something your kids picked from the yard take lots of pics with her and the kids and then send them to her

**coltsmama** · 04-26-2007, 01:01 PM

I prefer to give gifts of time rather than expense. My parents are no longer with us but when they were they really liked it when I coluld do something with them or for them .It really depends on your individual family but hear are some suggestions,
Take your father fishing and on a picnic
plant a flower garden for your mother
clean something that they need or want done, such as car , garage, attic .
repairs that they may need done.
Good luck.

**guest56464** · 04-26-2007, 01:06 PM

I'm all about gift cards. I know my mother-in-law loves Christmas Tree Shops so I got her a $20. gift cert. for there. But she also loves books so I'll probably get her a $20. cert. for Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

But gift cards are wonderful. For Christmas -- every year-- my husbands grandparents give us food gift cards... anytime we can go away to a nice restaurant without the kids is great. Especially since we usually can't afford a nice restaurant.

Also, for my parent's anniv. one year all the kids pitched in $25. to get a $125. gift cert. to my moms favorite restaurant. Food is always good.

**acidcookie** · 04-26-2007, 01:32 PM

My mom has always just liked practical things she can use: more envelopes, a notepad, pens-especially ones with clips for pockets because she's a nurse. Last time she really wanted one of those receipt spikes so for Christmas I got her that (and made her a bunch of snickerdoodles packaged in a cute Christmas tin from Goodwill for $.10). I think something like this really shows I'm thinking of her because I'm thinking of what she needs. But even then I only get her presents for her birthday/Christmas. Other times I'll just call or something.

This year I'm flying back to the other coast to visit my mom for about a week between my spring and summer classes and will happen be there over Mother's Day. I think my 2,600-mile trip will be gift enough for her

**paulsmith** · 06-15-2011, 03:15 AM

If you are looking for a present with a tight budget, you can profess your love to your mother/father with a pretty personalized picture frame. You can also personalize the picture frame with your special message

You can find a bunch of these personalized gift items at bluechopsticks.com, they seem to have a really good collection. Goodluck

**sunshine** · 06-15-2011, 10:41 PM

My parents are both deceased - however, when dad was in the nursing home - and in an electric wheelchair - I made customized headrest covers - one for each month, plus ones for his birthday, holidays, anniversary, etc. I also always made my dad his favorite candy (penuche - brown sugar fudge)

Mom was always cold, her last year - so I got her fingerless gloves (that way she could still surf the net and type), shawls, etc.

**many houseapes** · 05-07-2012, 03:09 PM

This idea would work for both a mom or dad.
Buy a tshirt when they go on sale at Hobby Lobby
Take fabric paint of your choice and write on the front " Proud Mom of ?"(number of kids). (My tshirt says "Proud Mom Of 10

)
Then draw little stick figures evenly around the words...be sure to add a little skirt & hair to distinguish boys from girls.
Then write each child's name above their stick figure.
For dads do the same, only write "Proud Dad Of ?(number of kids)
Or....if your children are still little, you can have them dip their hands in fabric paint & carefully press them on the tshirt. Our children's hands eventually became too big for this method, so we opted for the stick figures

Be sure to place a piece of cardboard inside of the tshirt to avoid having the paint seep through to the back.