Dear Internet,
Said with much love but … please, not another coffee mug or Heather’s Pick novel this Christmas. Those are things mom can easily pick out herself if she feels the need. We’ll happily take hand-crafted custom art signed by the artist (aka, her offspring) and those lovely little coupon books offering “one free breakfast-in-bed” and “10 free hugs on demand”. But if you really want to surprise mom with a gift she’ll love but wasn’t expecting, throw one or two of these top Christmas wishlist picks into the mix and under the tree. Hot tip: An awesome mom-gift must make her life easier, not harder or more complicated.
Go for gifts that give more than once
It’s cliche to say, sure, but the best gifts really do keep on giving. That means it can be reused or renewed. This gift guide offers up 4 fantastic ideas that can keep mom happier for longer and follow the “reuse or renew” rule. But before we reveal our Big 4 for Mom’s Christmas Wishlist 2022 Edition, here’s a handy “nope, not for mom this year” list: (Caveat: If mom specifically asks for these things, go nuts and shop away.)
- Don’t mess with mom’s skincare routine. Only buy brands and products she already uses (which is easy to find out – just take notes on what’s already in her bathroom/make-up area)
- Don’t buy anything from those displays by the registers. Those are last-minute gifts that scream “I-haven’t-really-thought-about-what-you-want-so-here’s-this *insert thing here”
- Don’t fall back into fuzzy robes, slippers or socks. Unless something like that is specifically on her list, it’s not something too many people are excited to open on a special day
- Don’t shop in the kitchen department. If the household needs a kitchen tool or small appliance, that’s a family thing, not a mom thing. And definitely not a Christmas thing.
Those are your 4 major “don’t do’s” for mom this holiday season, and here’s one huge “do” you need to try: Subscription services. Subscription services are unique, helpful, and usually customizable so the person you’re buying for can take over complete control of the whole experience. And it meets our #1 gift-giving-for-mom rule: It’s reusable (because it occurs more than once), and renewable!
Take a peek through these 4 subscription-based gift ideas that will make mom’s life easier and have her excitedly sharing her morning gift-opening session with anyone who will listen.
“Your wine delivery is en route”
Give mom an array of sommelier-selected wines, arriving on her doorstep each month. Opt for all reds, all whites, or a selection of both – you can even find services that feature wines from specific areas, or curate their selections globally. There are several Canadian wine clubs to check out, like WineCollective, Monthly Sommelier, or Wine Club.
Make it a Nespresso
Forget the mug. Go for the coffee machine and make it a good one. Impress mom with a Nespresso machine and a year-long Coffee Plan so she can brew one, two, or three coffees every day … until next Christmas. It’s clean, easy, delicous, and looks really freaking great on the counter. Reusable? Check. Renewable? You bet.
Style in a box
Fashion and accessory style box subscriptions are aplenty north of the border so jump on trend and sign up for mom – don’t worry, she can always change her preferences once the account is set up. It’s a perfect way to start her new year, with a box of clothes and accessories arriving each month to her doorstep. Most services allow you to pick and choose what items to keep (think FrockBox), and others (like Rachel Zoe’s CURATEUR) don’t offer a return on any items but send you up to $500-worth of goods every 3 months for $100 per box.
3. Separate your needs and wants
You just saw a great deal on a big, beautiful TV. The TV you have is perfectly fine, but this one is better and it’s on sale. Welcome to a classic case of sticker-shine, where your want tries its best to overshadow your need (or lack thereof). Every list has its fair share of needs and wants, and your job at this point is simple to put a “W” next to pure wants and “N” next to the needs. This doesn’t have to fall into the drastic “food and shelter” basics of needs versus wants because that’s not going to play with the idea of Black Friday. If you’re running out of something that you always use, consider that a need. If what you have is still a perfectly good item but there’s a deal on something just a little better, call it a want.
Done-for-you home cleaning
Imagine mom’s face when she realizes the house will be cleaned each week or two, without nagging or giving up and doing everything herself. Make sure your regular home cleaning subscription packages includes all the cleaning products and supplies (with the exception of toilet brushes and mops/vacuums, because who wants to share those things?) as well as travel time for the pro cleaner, and flat rates by appointment. Scrubbi offers weekly, biweekly, monthly, and custom house cleaning packages that checks all those boxes. Plus, Scrubbi clients can manage appointments online via a personal Scrubbi portal so you can make changes and provide instructions whenever you want.
Lock down major Christmas wishlist brownie points
It can be hard to let go of practicality and ask for what you really want. Half the time, mom’s are so busy curating everyone else’s list that they really don’t get a lot of time to think about what they really do want from the rest of the family. Never underestimate the amount of planning, prepping, and implementing that goes into a holiday season. Mom works hard all year, punctuated by busy periods that demand more of her time and energy. Give her something that will sustain her through all those ups and downs, and keeps her feeling loved and appreciated all year.
Have fun with your Christmas wishlist this year!
With much love,
All the moms at Scrubbi HQ
