Since the first of May, shopkeepers peddling Mother’s Day goods have staged a coup on our inboxes: “Buy, buy, buy!”

And while we’d love to present our queen mum a cask of Krugerrands each year, it’s not always possible to spend a mint considering all the birthdays, baby showers, graduations and weddings that fall in the summer months.

Spare yourself the e-commerce emotional terrorism, and don’t be pressured into spending a frenzy of Franklins this year for Mother’s Day.

Here are 5 suggestions for thoughtful gifts for Mom.

thoughtful gifts for Mom

1. compose a love letter

“The frankest and freest product of the human mind and heart is a love letter,” Mark Twain wrote; “the writer gets his limitless freedom of statement and expression from his sense that no stranger is going to see what he is writing.”

In the era of sending your feelings via modern day hieroglyphics (ahem, emoticons), the visceral bliss of receiving a love letter is all but lost. Recount a treasured memory from childhood or list the most admirable qualities of your mother’s character.

She will keep that sweet nugget stashed in her sock drawer for life.

2. la vie en rose

The brilliant hues and sweet aroma of a fresh cut bouquet is an uncommon splurge in the house of many. Supermarket sprays can be dull and picked-over, whereas the least expensive arrangement from a reputable delivery service just might give you a seizure when the bill arrives.

Instead, go to your local florist or farmer’s market and personally select the stems for your bouquet. You might also find a great flower section at gourmet grocery stores.

Violets, sunflowers, peonies, lily of the valley or a bunch of dried lavender are all winning stems. If you opt for the lavender, include a hand-crafted sachet to save the fragrance once the occasion has passed.

Your mother is different and distinctive—her flowers should follow suit!

3. breakfast in bed with a twist

Breakfast is the beloved meal of the masses, evidenced by the uber-success of bacon & egg conglomerations like Waffle House and IHOP.

However, breakfast need not be limited to early birds or the languid lunch crowd. The mothership might be expecting breakfast in bed on Mother’s Day, but she won’t fathom a bohemian breakfast celebration on Saturday night.

Just remember to trade up the regular for decaf—we want you to surprise your mother, not keep her up all night.

4. the pen is mightier than the sword

Fine stationary can definitely make a dent in your wallet, but not all parchments and pads are alike.

Many online paper shops are well priced and offer a wide array of hues, fonts and designs for your cards—consider treating the dame of your existence to some bright colored notecards etched with her name or initials.

A favorite of ours is TinyPrints.com, because you can opt in for personalized or favorite author quote in fine print on the back of the cards. It’s super unique and always fun to see if recipients notice the detail.

5. a diary means yes indeed

Journals are great for jotting down earth-shattering ideas, world-changing action items, ponderous meeting notes and even the occasional grocery list–they are the external hard drive to the multitaskery of our existence.

Leather or Moleskine, mom will cherish a journal for her own daily meander gander. Use rubber cement to paste pressed flowers, encouraging fortunes from Chinese takeout and fun photos sporadically through the pages.

You can even write your own sweet messages throughout the book.

Cheryl Says

The best part of my Mother’s Day is knowing how loved I am. The most simple gesture means so much when it comes from the heart.