Why is it so difficult to buy a gift for Mother’s Day – Especially for men!

Why do men seem to forget when to send gifts and best wishes for Mother's Day? Let us explain how the date Mother's Day changes and how men's attitudes to buying gifts can create this problem. It all starts with the way Mother’s Day is calculated in the UK which is 3 weeks before Easter; Easter in the UK is determined, would you believe, by the 1st Sunday after the full moon on or after the Vernal Equinox. Phew, it sounds all really complicated but has the effect that Mother’s Day in the UK is on different dates year on year.

This makes it difficult to remember exactly when it is; you probably have a vague idea it is sometime in March but without a consistent date many people think they have lots of time but can be suddenly confronted with buying a gift far sooner than they had imagined. This in turn adds to the stress of choosing a suitable gift and because it is for your Mother or your Wife or from your kiddies on Mother’s Day you really want to get something appropriate and something that is going to be appreciated. In the US however, the situation is somewhat clearer as it is always the 2nd Sunday in May. Now I'm not making excuses for men here, but sometimes we do panic which is not conducive with choosing that elusive perfect gift. Men mostly do try, speaking as a man I can attest, however, herds of men can be found wandering from shop to shop in search of this and probably with not much of a clue but with the knowledge that it is important to get it right.

When it comes to choosing gifts, men generally find great difficulty, however, if we are married with kids this makes this process even more difficult as we have to buy a gift for the mother of our children, then, we have to buy a gift on behalf of the kids. Do we buy one gift from all the kids or gifts from each individual child; this also goes for Mother’s Day cards. We always set out with good intentions and desperately want to find gifts that express the sentiment of the occasion, not easy for the male of the species and we probably know the consequences of not getting this right, despite our best endeavours. The memory of past mistakes with that disappointing look haunts us, which just adds to the pressure. This goes some-way to explain why men, at best, find it really, really difficult and at worst, holds a special hell reserved just for us.

When children move into adulthood or late teens the responsibility then usually passes to the individual child for the procurement of the expected Mother’s Day gift. The female of the species usually not only finds out when it is, but has a gift & card organised. Sometimes they will inform any males in the household of the impending occasion and then when the time becomes near, will remind them that is only a week away and to get out there and get that gift and card. The males of the family then panic, usually because we have thought about it and are still unsure what to do. Do we go down the chocolates and flowers route or something else? It is my experience that the girls have already covered this and because the boys are not on the ball have to find possible alternatives. It now comes full circle because most mothers would probably like a gift that reflects just a little thought. However it is my contention that men and, I'm a man with extensive experience, over think and get it wrong because we feel we have to get a perfect gift reflecting everything we feel our mother or wife would like, without some simple steps to establish this.

These steps are to find out what she might need if anything and a little research would yield dividends and not just at Mother’s Day. We only get into hot water when it is clear that she never would want such gifts and that the answer lies in her normal tastes and needs. The needs section of this issue is very simple, is it practical, is it what she would herself choose? The simple truth is that all the information is already available; all we have to do is listen, observe and use this when we think of buying a mother’s day gift, and of course, remember to buy a nice card!

Just to let everyone know this year Mother’s Day in the UK is on Sunday 30th March 2014, and in the US is on Sunday 11th May 2014, so you have been told in plenty of time so good luck and I hope you find that special gift without the stress!

 Peekaboogifts is an online general gift store where you can buy gifts for friends and family. For more information and to browse their collection please visit www.peekaboogifts.co.uk