If you’re all out of ideas for what to gift your mom for Mother’s Day this year, you’re in luck. We sat down with local moms to discuss what they really wanted each year. Surprisingly, many moms are looking forward to time with their kiddos and having a “day off.” Here’s what these moms feel would make their Mother’s Day extraordinary.

 

“I would love to be with both of my daughters, but one is in Texas and one is here, so that probably won’t happen. They may surprise me though! We could eat, play games, build a fire, sit around and talk, plan our Thanksgiving and Christmas together, or spend time with the grandpuppies. Or, we could even go on a trip to a beautiful place and just kick back and do all of the above there. I don’t need gifts. I truly value time spent together. Time together at a beautiful resort or at a nice restaurant would be very relaxing.” –Jeanne J.

 

“My perfect Mother’s day starts off with church and then spending the day with my children. As our children get older, they have jobs and friends and they’re gone most of the day. I have always said that I don’t want gifts, rather time with them. As a close family, we all gather together with our mother, the heart of our family. I always give my mom carnations and some type of plant for her garden. We usually have a big crawfish boil and swim, play games, and make memories. Sometimes if Easter is later in April, we celebrate our family’s Easter on this day, too. Mother’s Day is a day that I look forward to; it truly is a special day for me.” –Laurie A.

 

“Two words: kid free. I would love for my husband to handle everything kid related for the day! I would sleep in a little, pamper myself (manicure, pedicure, massage, facial), grab lunch or dinner with some girlfriends, go shopping, and then come home to a clean/quiet house (kids already bathed and fed), enjoy glass of wine, have a hot bath, and go to sleep!” –Crystal B.

 

“I would like to have a day off and sleep in. A spa day would be great, so I could get a facial and a massage. I’d like to go to church with my family after having breakfast cooked by my husband, where we make our own ‘Waffle House.’ I would enjoy going to the movies with the family, especially if a Marvel movie is out. We could end the day with dinner. I wouldn’t want to do any cooking, cleaning, or laundry!” –Amy F.

 

“I want to be out in the sun with my boys. I would love to go to an on-the-water restaurant so we could sit on the patio. I love the springtime, so having a crawfish boil and boiled shrimp would be great. For me, it’s not the gifts or the card, it’s just time together.” –Teri H.

 

“My idea of a perfect Mother’s Day would be to have some peace and quiet. Maybe sit out in the yard with a sweet cup of coffee and a blank canvas to work on my next painting. Then later, spend some quality time with my girls, with a delicious meal and a great movie.” –Grace K.

 

“It’s been almost six years since my son passed away, but my favorite Mother’s Day was when coffee was brought to me while still in bed, followed by a card my son made for me (he did this every year), and flowers. Then we went out for brunch at my favorite restaurant. Later that day, we would go to the movies and eat popcorn, and for dinner, my son would cook hot dogs and mac & cheese (that’s all he knew how to cook at the time). While eating dinner, we would tell each other jokes.” –Sam S.

 

“My idea of a perfect Mother’s Day is not traditional. My mother and grandmother (raised me after my mom passed away) have both passed away. My grandmother lived in Mississippi and we lived in Baton Rouge, so we buried my mother close to her to avoid her having to travel far. When she passed away, we had to sell her property, and we no longer have access to that land. Oddly enough, my perfect Mother’s Day would be to travel to Mississippi and have access to the property I spent most of my time at as a kid and tell stories to my three daughters. We can still visit the gravesite, but I would really like to be able to show them the pond and gravel pit where I spent my time with my mom and grandmother on the weekends while my dad hunted. Most Mother’s Days consist of staying busy and avoiding that day. Instead of making it about me, I would rather share my mom’s and grandmother’s memories with my girls.” –Jennifer H.

 

“My perfect Mother’s Day would consist of a nice, uninterrupted meal and peace and quiet!” –Martine M.

 

“My idea of the perfect Mother’s Day gift would be to have a full 12 hours of sleep and wake up to brunch, a clean house, and laundry folded. I would like to have a fun day of activities with my husband and children. The cherry on top would be a 100 lb crawfish boil.” –Ryn W.

This article was originally published in May 2023.