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Mother's Day - great gift and day out ideas
 All mother ducks deserve a day off
Mother’s Day falls so early this year, it has crept up on the best of us. Luckily, there is still time to order a gift online or arrange for a delivery to your mum's doorstep. We've scoured the net for a heap of great ideas for Mother’s Day presents and activities and more importantly, some great deals, so you can enjoy the day without worrying how you’re going to pay for it. The classics The big players for flowers are as always, Interflora, M&S, Next and John Lewis. M&S's Thanks Mum flowers are the cheapest at £19.50, including delivery on 1 March. But our favourite is the Modern Mum; pink, cream and red roses that are presented in a hat box decorated with butterflies, plus you get free chocolates all for £39.50. Last orders for nominated day delivery for M&S are on 28 Feb at 5pm (25 Feb for flowers by post). Hotel Chocolat provides everything you’ll need for a chocolatey Mother's Day. They have something for all tastes, from giant slabs of delicious marbled chocolate to liquid chocolate for those who like to guzzle it down. We especially like the Catwalk 26 and Prosecco, For those who really like to stick to ethical conscious or fairtrade products, the Ethical Superstore has a great range of gift chocolates - our top picks include Divine which is fairtrade and (we think) yummier for it and Montezuma's chocolates. These are handmade, fairtrade and, even though they use techniques from chocolate-making all over the world, completely British-made, as well as being handy for vegetarians and those who have nut allergies as they have detailed ingredients lists. It is also Fairtrade Fortnight starting from 25 February and Tesco are offering 20-25% off all Fairtrade products, including chocolates, as well as being ethical, you can get a bargain. Smellies If your mum is a Clinique or fragrance fiend, Skinstore will certainly have something that will hit the spot. They have piles of gorgeous creams and lotions for fresh, smooth and irresistible skin and they also have a great selection of cosmetics and perfumes if that is more to your mum's taste. Tip: only get her something anti-ageing if she has specifcally requested it, or you risk blowing all your brownie points! There are lots of bargains to be had at Fragrancedirect where you can get your mother a gift set from a massive selection of big name brands for under £10. The site also has loads of individual perfumes, make-up items and cosmetics so you'll certainly be able to find something that will work for your mum. Appliances Even if your mum isn't a whizz in the kitchen, Amazon has a great range of appliances that will enhance the cooking ability of those mums who already have some, and give those who aren't at home in the kitchen a bit of a helping hand. This smoothie-maker is just £23.96 and will be great for all mums who are into healthy eating, as well as those who are just lazy and want to get their five a day as quickly as possible. It also obviously doubles up as a cocktail maker, for those mums who are happier with a daiquiri, rather than a wooden spoon, in their hand. If your mum is a bit adventurous when it comes to cuisine, then Amazon has an ice-cream maker for under £20 which could be a great present for those willing to give it a go. It would also be a great present for mums to use with their children and then save some money on your monthly Ben and Jerry's bill. There's loads of others to choose from, and Amazon is offering 50% off selected appliances right now. An evening out at a concert with your mum is a great present allowing you to spend time together and listen to some great music. There's a huge variety of musical entertainment going on around Britain on Mother's Day. If your mum likes a good gig, then Kate Nash, Eels, Gary Numan and Rihanna are all playing different venues around the country on mother's day. You can get tickets to all of these concerts on Seatwave. However, if classical music is more her thing, there are two chamber music concerts on at the Wigmore Hall in London from just £12 on Mother's Day. Elsewhere, Tosca is playing at the Royal Albert Hall and there is a Strauss Gala taking place in Southend. Find an event in your own area here or you can check out deals on concerts and meals on Lastminute.com. For some pampering for you and your mother, or your mother and a friend, Lastminute currently has two for one and 50% off deals on loads of spa days and treatments. Prices start at £25 for a manicure for both you and your mum (even if you are a guy) and go up to £339 for a lavish three-night stay in a spa where you can relax for the whole of Mother's Day weekend and enjoy three luxury treatments as well as all the other delights the spa has to offer. Get a great deal on a spa day here. Something a bit more different Virgin Experience Days If your Mum likes to live on the wild side, the Virgin Experience Days website has mountains of thrill-seeking activities, from bungee jumping to flying lessons. It's not just for daredevils - gifts are tailored to specific interests, such as a day in a recording studio, a big cat encounter and even packages to get the family portraits done. Obviously some experiences are more expensive than others, but they've got loads of Mother's Day ideas on the site, many of which are under £50. English Heritage and National Trust If your mother is a keen explorer or you would like to give her a gift that will last a bit longer than just one day, membership of either English Heritage or the National Trust will give her free entry into over 700 historical properties (300 National Trust and 400 English Heritage) in Britain. Both organisations fund the upkeep of stately homes, palaces, abbeys and castles which are great places to spend the day with your mum on Mother's Day and which she can then enjoy the whole year round. Annual membership of English Heritage costs just £40 for an adult; for seniors (60s and over) it's only £28. However, the National Trust is currently running a promotion for those who can pay by direct debit (as this reduces administration costs), so you get 12 months for the price of nine. This means that adult membership works out at just £32.63. They don't, however, have reductions for seniors, but they have lots of family and couples passes that are only slightly more expensive than the individual membership, and with the direct debit offer, now is a great time to get one. Evening classes Taking an evening course with your mother not only allows you to set time apart to spend time together each week or once a month, but you can learn a new skill, from cooking to salsa dancing, there are courses available all over the country at very reasonable prices. The best way to see what's going on in your area, or search for a specific class is to go to Hotcourses. Here you can find out the times, locations and prices of evening classes across the UK. Although it may seem a pricey present, some of the courses are just £11 for a one-off morning course, so it doesn't have to cost a huge amount. Look for courses in your area here. Something small If you just want to get something small for your mum, a DVD, CD or a book is a great little present. Play.com has, as ever, tons of ridiculously cheap DVDs and there's no added costs as postage is free. CD-Wow has some great deals on music as does (of course!) Amazon. Waterstones is still offering 30% off selected titles and postage from them is also free. If it's clothes you're after, M&S has picked out a selection of knitwear and accessories that they think will be perfect for your mum. However if your mother is more Marc Jacobs than Marks and Spencer, Mywardrobe.com has loads of designer numbers that she will love. If you're looking for more of a bargain present, Tesco's range of online clothes is surprisingly snazzy and you can also check out Boden, Dorothy Perkins, La Redoute, Littlewoods, Freemans and Next. Eating out Mother's Day deals Mother's Day is another classic opportunity for restaurants to hike up prices, or offer set menus where you really don't get your money's worth. However, Lastminute is offering a load of great Mother's Day special offer meals all over the country from just £10.95 a head for two courses. They also have deals that include exhibition or museum tickets so you can have a meal with your mum and then go out somewhere together. Take a look at the deals now. Toptable also has some offers for Mother's Day meals, with thrown in Kir Royals and Bellinis and three course menus for under £30 you can have a lovely meal without breaking the bank, plus you also earn Toptable points eating your way closer to a free meal. If you’ve got little kids, making presents for mummy not only saves loads of cash, but can keep them occupied for the whole of Saturday afternoon, leaving mummy free to shop, lie in a hot bath or get on with indulging herself in whatever way she wishes.
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Alessia Horwich
Moneymagpie Moneypedia
31.05.2008
