The best Mother’s Day gift that a college graduate can give to mothers this Mother’s day are the type she wouldn’t ask for and the type she will treasure most — those from the heart. like the hand paintings you made as a child or that ashtray from kindergarten, these are often the items that she will cherish the most since they come from the heart and require more thought than money.
Mother’s Day is a proud moment for all moms and that combined with pride of seeing a first, second or third generation minority students leave college makes it one of the most, if not the most memorable day of her life. Here are a few gifts that mom may not ask for, but would love to get from their graduating children:
1. A laminized or framed copy of your degree or certificate. You can purchase an inexpensive frame from Target or Walmart and include a short note that describes what those four years of college and what they meant to you.
2. A beautiful handwritten letter that vividly describes your freshmen year in colorful detail and communicates exactly what you were feeling when you left the security of home and how much you appreciated calls and visits back home. Talk about what your relationship was like then and how it has changed. If appropriate ( meaning you are one) carry that conversation with mom through your first summer away or home, and your experiences in your sophomore year. Include the care packages you got from home and how she comforted you and helped you achieve your academic ends.
3. The very value of what it was and how you experienced being a junior, knowing that only after one more year you would be matriculating. Share with your mother the best gift that she ever gave you and the best memory that your have of her.
4. You are graduating and this is now your senior year.Taking the time in your fourth year to describe in your letter, the beauty and the gift of surprise — like knowing she has always been the voice you needed to hear coming from the other end of the phone on those late night desperate calls over the past four years. These are the things that have meant the most. Mention how much you appreciate her sacrifices as well.
5. Give something back to your mother that she has given to you. Make sure that you return to her something that she has loaned you or something that she has taken the time to share with you — and give it back to her in the spirit of love that you first received it.
6. Do not forget to give your mother a mother’s day graduate gift from your college. That means buy a sweatshirt or a mug or anything else that she collects, like am “I am a Spelman Mother,” or “My Child Attends Howard,” “My child is a Morehouse Man,” or “Class of 2012 Hampton Institute” t-shirts for her to wear and hold on to for years to come. Give the most special woman in your life a gift college memorabilia, and allow her to share in your accomplishment.
7. Give a Mother’s day gift of unexpected proportion that you can give to her. Something like a massage, an all inclusive stay-cation or a nearby weekend vacation, a weekend at a B&B or a a full day of spa treatment and relaxation. Or even a photo, find a photographer on HoopSuites, or Groupons, to get a deal on a graduation or family day photo.
Make this year’s Mother’s Day Gift special. These are the special meaningful things that mom’s really appreciate. They are not particularly expensive, they can be arranged on relatively short notice and the memories will last a lifetime. Create a photo album of graduation day with all of the friends and moment to send to family and friends. Don’t forget to video too.
What makes these gifts even more special is that you can give them anytime, pre or post Mother’s Day and make the day she receivees them her special day, from you her grateful child, to her, your loving mother.
