Should I Get My Girlfriend’s Mom a Mother’s Day Gift?
Spring is here and that means that Mother’s Day is just around the corner.
You’ve got your routine for your Mom down pat, you know her likes and dislikes and exactly what to get for her. But when it’s about your girlfriend’s mom, it’s an entirely different story!
It won’t be surprising if these questions come to mind – “Should I get a Mother’s Day gift for my girlfriend’s mom? Is it too early in the relationship? Will she be offended if I don’t? If I should, what do I even get for her?!”
The short answer is yes, if you’re already in a steady relationship. Keep the gift simple unless you’ve gotten to know your girlfriend’s mom long and well enough to warrant something more.
Continue reading to find out all of the reasons why you should get a Mother’s Day gift for your girlfriend’s mother – or the mother of anyone’s significant other for that matter – and a quick gift guide for the occasion.
The Things You Should Consider When Thinking of Getting Your Girlfriend’s Mom A Gift
Before we get into what gift you can get, let’s first go over some factors you should consider when deciding whether or not to get a gift for your girlfriend’s mom this Mother’s Day.
You’ve Been In A Serious Relationship For A While
If you’re not sure if your relationship with your girlfriend is serious enough for you to get her mom a gift, you should speak with her to find out.
Generally speaking, if you’ve been with your significant other for six months or more, and are committed to your relationship then you should get a Mother’s Day gift for her mom. But only a simple gift!
But again, this is something you should already have a decent idea of.
You Want to Show Your Girlfriend That You’re Serious About Them
Maybe you haven’t been with your girlfriend for a long time, but you want to show her how committed you are to your relationship with her.
Buying her mom a Mother’s Day gift is a thoughtful way to show your girlfriend that you are serious about the relationship and that you care in taking an interest in her family and her relationship with them.
If your relationship is under 6 months old, it’s best to ask for her opinion in buying her mom a gift. Afterall, that’s her mom. It’s only respectful to ask.
But if you’ve been invited to her family’s Mother’s Day celebration then it’s a pretty safe bet to get a small gift, more so because you don’t want to go empty-handed.
Your Girlfriend Has a Solid Relationship with Her Mother
The kind of relationship that you girlfriend has with their mother is also an important factor to consider when it comes to getting your girlfriend’s mom a Mother’s Day gift.
It’s going to be a bit awkward if you send a gift to your girlfriend’s mom and they haven’t spoken in years. Conversely, if your girlfriend and her mom are close and you don’t get a gift, it may come off as uncaring.
You Have Been Invited to Celebrate Mother’s Day with your Girlfriend’s Family
You have to bring a gift if your girlfriend has extended an invitation to celebrate the day with them – it’s just good manners, regardless of the length of the relationship.
Even if you’ve only dated your girlfriend for a day, at least bring a small bouquet of flower to show her and her mother that you appreciate them including you on a day that’s about mothers and family.
A note on buying flowers for her mother – never splash on a large bouquet of flowers like you would for your girlfriend or your mom.
Are You Spending Mother’s Day with Your Mom This Year?
It may seem an odd question, but it can help you decide whether getting your girlfriend’s mom a gift is appropriate.
There could be various reasons why some people aren’t or couldn’t get to spend Mother’s Day with their own mom.
If you aren’t, and you see your girlfriend’s mom as a mother figure who you’ve warmed to, getting her a gift would be appropriate.
This is especially true if you’re meeting her for the first time as it sets a good foundation going forward and sends the message that you respect her and appreciate her like family.
If you are, it’s still good courtesy to get your girlfriend’s mom a simple gift but ensure you’re only getting a gift that’s not of higher value than the one you’re getting for your own Mom.
Gift Guide for Significant Other’s Mothers
Now that you know why you should get your girlfriend’s mom a Mother’s Day gift, it’s time to go over all of your gift options.
Individual Gift or Joint Gift?
The first point to consider when getting a gift is whether or not the gift will be given by you alone, or by you and your girlfriend as a couple.
Giving a gift with your significant other is a clever way to ensure that you’ll likely get a gift that her mother will like. Furthermore, it can save you some money if you decide to split the cost. Not to mention you can buy a gift of higher value when it’s a joint budget.
On the other hand, even if the gift is just from you, it’s never a bad idea to give your significant other a little extra credit by signing the gift from the both of you.
Handmade DIY or Purchased Gift?
Whether you make or buy a gift for your girlfriend’s mother largely depend on your budget, creativity, and time on your hands.
And one more thing – if you’re meeting your girlfriend’s mom for the first time, DIY gifts are probably off limits. You should allow more time for your girlfriend’s family to warm up to you before you venture into gifts that are more personal in nature.
However, if you know her mom pretty well already then DIY gifts could be for you.
If you can paint, draw, craft, knit, crochet, sew, or build, making a gift may be more cost-efficient and adds an extra bit of sentiment that you just don’t get with store-bought gifts and cards.
One thing though – if you decide to handmade gifts for that personal touch that money can’t buy, you’d better be able to keep it up. Meaning, not always but regularly on major gift giving occasions.
And, that you’d make handmade gifts for your girlfriend as well when it’s her turn to receive gifts from you!
For those who prefer to purchase a gift, think about the subjects and hobbies that your girlfriend’s mom talks about and engages in most often. This shows that you care about her interest, and that you care to listen – Oh, that’s important!
Gifts You Can Buy for Your Significant Other’s Mother
Purchased gifts can generally be classified in two ways – practical and impractical.
Practical gifts are things that your girlfriend’s mom will use. For example: quality yarn for knitters, fancy cutlery for cooks, delicate wine glasses for connoisseurs, a gift card for their favorite restaurant for foodies, or a lovely tea gift for tea lover moms.
Impractical gifts are things that don’t technically serve any kind of purpose or use. This includes gifts like flowers, stuffed animals, trinkets, jewelry, etc.
Regardless of which type of gift you decide to buy, try to find a gift item that reflects something specific about your girlfriend’s mom or the things she is passionate about.
Gifts You Should Make for Your Significant Other’s Mother
With the realm of DIY gifts, your options are virtually limitless!
You can show off your culinary skills and treat her to a homemade meal, express your appreciation with handmade wooden jewelry, or get crafty and make all-natural bath bombs (source) in all her favorite scents.
A thoughtfully put-together gift basket using these items and themes for gift baskets for mothers can be a beautiful show of your skills in packaging a gift.
Even if you’re not confident enough in your artistic skills to give your girlfriend’s mom a homemade gift for Mother’s Day, a simple DIY item can still do wonders with the message that that brings!
You can think about making her a card, or crafting a considerate note to go along with your purchased gift and add a bit of personalization to it.
In Conclusion…
Mother’s Day is a celebration of the incredible sacrifices, immense love, and eternal dedication that mothers share with their children every day.
To show your girlfriend how much you love her and how committed you are to the relationship, you should get your girlfriend’s mom a Mother’s Day gift this year.
To really go the extra mile, put some time into how you wrap and present your gift as well.
Watch the video below for some gift-wrapping ideas:
