Mother's Day Gift Guide in St. Charles

Whether your mom is glamorous, girly, or even a little geeky, celebrate her in all her glory this Mother's Day by giving her the perfect gift. 

So, what to buy? What to do?

First, a little history.

Many people are inclined to believe Mother’s Day is a Hallmark-inspired holiday — but while they may profit from it, they certainly didn’t invent it. After a few false starts — including one by famous abolitionist Julia Ward Howe — Anna Jarvis and the culmination of her tireless efforts to honor mothers brought on the inaugural Mother’s Day in 1914. Woodrow Wilson officially signed it into law, thereby ensuring its place on our calendars on every second Sunday in May.

To get an idea of who is behind the spending, as well as identify the different lucky gift recipients, Patch contacted Shari Brown, communications specialist with the National Retail Federation.

“Predictions on expenditures are based on our consumer spending survey,” Brown said. According to 2012 NRF data, “nearly 65 percent (of shoppers) will shop for their mom or stepmom, while others will buy gifts for their wife (22.4 percent), daughter (10.5 percent), grandmother (8.2 percent), sister (8.4 percent), friend (7.6 percent) or godmother (2.1 percent).”

But neither history nor the National Retail Federation are in charge of your Mother’s Day shopping this year — you are. Luckily, there are a host of gift choices.

For starters, who doesn’t enjoy a meal out, prepared by anyone but themselves? Plenty of local restaurants cater the annual holiday by offering special Mother’s Day menus with seatings throughout the day.

Have dinner at , or perhaps at . But this is St. Charles, and there are plenty of options — is one, , is another. In the mood for Italian? Try , or

Spend some quality time together by attending a local play or concert, visiting a historical site, or even taking a relaxed, self-guided walking tour of the area. You could also plan a trip to the movies or a local cinematic art house.

Take in a movie at , or a show at the Afterward, consider stopping at , or , for a tasty, cold treat. If warm conversation over a hot cop of joe is more your style, , offers just the right atmosphere for that.

Keep the special women in your life in style. Boutiques and shops offer unique items that will make anyone feel special. Department stores like , , and , certainly have an array of gift choices. Then the gift of bling is another option. Check out , , , and , each has an array of choices.

A full wallet might fund an entire day at the spa, but for far less, other restful and calming health and beauty treatments can just as easily be lovingly gifted. Consider other spa activities, such as a gentle facial, rejuvenating massage, pedicure or a simple manicure.

Once you've solved the Mother’s Day puzzle, relax and take a deep breath — it’s time to plan for Father’s Day.

— By Kathleen Reilly

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