Happy Mother's Day: Check out 11 out-of-the-box gifts to get your mom

Of all the modern festivals that have become popular lately, Mother's Day is the most special. Though it's celebrated the world over (albeit on different dates) with cakes and carnations, the custom still retains the same sentiment with which it began in eighteenth century England - of making mom feel special and allowing her to relax for a day.

Retail statistics in the West reveal a big spike in gift and flower buying on Mother's Day. Indeed, the occassion accounted for one-fourth of the total floral purchases for holidays in US in 2014.

With the advent of globalisation, many festivals that weren't originally part of the Indian festival calendar - regardless of religion - have now been embraced. But unlike Valentine's Day, which is often viewed with disdain, Mother's Day is being enthusiastically adopted as most believe a day reserved for pampering mom is well meant and well deserved.

Beauty expert, Shahnaz Husain, who has introduced a curated pamper package for mothers at her chain of salons says, "While we are warming up to the idea of celebrating Mother's Day, traditionally the culture of respecting moms and their hard work has always been strong in our ethos. It's heartening that now we are going all out and acknowledging it." After all the occassion sets the tone to make mothers feel special not just on one day but every day.

In Delhi...

1MOUNTING YOUR MEMORIES
Preserve the memory of your mum's heirloom dupattas or saris by turning them into personalized furniture masterpieces. At One & Only you can order a custom made rocking chair or a settee mounted with the treasured fabrics as a keepsake. You can get family names engraved on the piece too. Now, this will definitely be a gift that mom will be proud to display.
Where: One&Only - Legendary Furniture, Kherki Daula, NH-8, Gurgaon
Price: Rs 70,000 onwards

2PERSONALISED PAMPERING
Treat your mother to a day-long bespoke beauty regimen at Shahnaz Signature salons. As part of the package, her skin hair and lifestyle will be analysed by experts. Your mom's fragrance and colour choices will be kept in mind to formulate a special package for her. Potions and summer-friendly essential oils like lavender and lemon grass will accordingly be formulated. The salon's experts are also offering specially-crafted beauty kits to suit mom's skin type. All this comes along with a Mother's day memento - Husain's biography 'Flame' written by her daughter.
Where: Shahnaz Signature Salon, Santushti Complex and Kohinoor Mall, GK II
Price: Packages from Rs 2,000 onwards

3MONOGRAMMED FOR MOM
Does your mom needs an extra pocket in her handbag to hold her spectacles? Or a compartment roomy enough to stack the books she's currently reading? Sort it out by ordering a tote that's totally customized to her needs. For that personal touch, get her initials monogrammed on the bag. Leather brand Risa manufactures custom made bags from their in house tannery. You get to choose everything from the type of leather to the shape, style and number of compartments.
Where: Risa, 39, Meharchand Market, Lodi Colony.
Price: Rs 8,000 onwards

A made-to-order leather case attached to the bag could be another cute little addition. The case could have mom's picture accompanied by your own loving message. Java Plum is doing a special line just for mommies.
Where: www.javaplumleather.com
Price: Rs 15,000 onwards

Match your mother's most treasured saris with a bag that's made to match. Whether it's ikat, khadi or handloom, designer Anuradha Ramam will help you find a design that best compliments that special sari.
Where: 89, Meherchand Market
Price: Rs 3,800 onwards

4FUND FOREVER
At Scripbox.com you can start an account for your mom with zero platform fees. Scripbox selects the best investment options and recommends selected mutual funds for investment.
Where: Scripbox.com

5BRING HOME THE MALL
Does mom shy away from shopping at the mall? Well, then get her a concierge and styling service that carts all the season's key styles to her door. Once Upon A Trunk is a concept designer shopping at home concept where a stylist puts together some choice buys and brings them home to the shopper. Mom can feel like a queen as she picks and chooses from the trunk.
Contact: info@onceuponatrunk.com or Call 8375010000
Price: You pay for what you buy only

6BEAUTIFUL ALWAYS
Does the fragrance of jasmine evoke special memories for your mother? Or does she prefer vetiver? Whatever her preferred fragrance, she'll be thrilled by a beauty box specially curated for her by experts at Kama.
Where: Kama Ayurveda stores across Delhi
Price: Rs 2,495 onwards

If you want to make your mom feel specia every day, book a little beauty box for her, every month beginning this month. Subscription beauty service My Envy box will put together five products chosen for her and will deliver it to her doorstep.
Where: www.myenvybox.com
Price: Rs 850 pm approx.

Nothing spells thoughtfulness more than a lipstick in a flattering shade. Add to mom's joy by engraving a message or her name on the case.
Where: Colorbar store, Khan Market
Price: Offer on purchases above Rs 2,000

7SMART GIFTING
Make every call that your mother makes or receives memorable by creating a bespoke smartphone case just for her. Choose from 2,500 designs or get a template, a photo, or a quote printed for her. The cases can be home delivered.
Where: www.dailyobjects.com
Price: Rs 999 onwards

In Mumbai...

MAKE IT OLD-SCHOOL

In November, digital marketing professional Kakul Gautam launched a free service that offers to write love letters to anyone or anything — husbands, Android, pizza, even Ryan Gosling — as a unique attempt to explore ‘love stories’.

“I liked how Kakul has a sense of humour in writing,” says Rashmi H, a journalist who had a love letter crafted for her husband in February, titled ‘To you, long eyelashes’.

Recall jokes and special moments in a letter for your mom. Then just fill out a questionnaire, and the letter will reach your doorstep or inbox.

Email: kakulgautam@gmail.com.
Price: The service is free

PLAY WITH YOUR MEMORIES

Imagine a Monopoly-style game sprinkled with nuggets drawn from intimate moments — catchphrases from your childhood, stern admonishments she would adorably mispronounce, or films that always make her cry.

Hiral Malde Shah and Rashi Shetty of Hatke Gifts can customise board games, card games, jewellery boxes, coasters, and even wine bottles. A Mumbai Monopoly-type board game could be a lot of fun, says Shah: "Imagine, you can buy and sell Antilia, or even Sachin."

Ghatkopar-resident Siddharth Deshpande, 30, meanwhile, got his mother a jewellery box for Mother’s Day. "I wanted to give her something that she could cherish. I personalised the box with photos of our family to make it memorable for her," he says.

Call: 9819055765

Price: Start at Rs 300

10FLOWERING CARDS
21Fools makes greeting cards out of seed paper, giving them a long-lasting purpose — and personalises them for special events as well.

You can then ‘plant’ the card and keep the sentiment alive in the form of a sapling.

“Last year, I gifted my mother and mother-in-law a greeting card saying, ‘All that I am or I wish to be I owe to you!’ with foot imprints of a parent and child,” says e-entrepreneur Nameet Potnis. “It is now growing as a marigold plant in our home.”

Where: 21Fools.com
Price: start at Rs 250

11LINES FROM THE HEART
Matunga-based illustrator Pranita Kocharekar of Until Next Time offers a series of postcards featuring inspiring messages like ‘Smile More Often’ and ‘Never Stop Wandering’.

“In December, I saw them at a design fair and got some for family and friends,” says freelance writer Shachi Lavingia.

“The card I gave my mother said ‘You make me feel strong’ and her face lit up when I gave it to her.”

Available at Filter in Kala Ghoda, amazon.in, and untilnexttime.net
Prices: Start at Rs 500 per set