Queen For A Day Gift-Givers Go To Great Lengths To Honor Mothers On Special Day

Spokane and Coeur d’Alene’s gift-givers should pat themselves on the back as their moms open Mother’s Day presents today.

A National Retail Federation Mother’s Day survey shows that Moms wanted jewelry, a night out on the town, flowers or a personal service, such as a massage, facial or manicure.

“This Friday and Saturday is just full of all of that,” said Shauna Brannon, director of downtown Spokane’s Spa Paradiso.

The Spa’s Mother’s Day special was extended to make room for all the people who want to pamper their moms. Relaxing together, mothers and daughters will have manicures and pedicures, heated wax treatments for their hands and feet and facials.

“That’s three hours of indulgence for you and your mother,” Brannon said.

The special treatment is sure to be a surprise for many moms, because although 13 percent wanted the personal services, none of those surveyed expected to receive it.

What did they expect? The usual.

Fifty percent expect flowers. Twenty percent think clothing will be their loved one’s gift of choice. Eight percent said perfume, and seven percent, jewelry.

“Hopefully something from Dodson’s (Jewelers) in a grey velvet box,” is what Susan Morrow, of Spokane, was hoping her husband would give her for Mother’s Day.

Then there are those who just want to relax. Of those surveyed, 12 percent said they’d like a day off, and 7 percent said they’d like household tasks done for them.

For Spokane’s Jo Clark, the best gift doesn’t come in an expensive box. Time with her four grown children is what she said she wanted for Mother’s Day. “I love spending time with them,” she said.

Some of the region’s florists said that most people giving flowers for Mother’s Day order them using wire services. The $30 to $35 range is most popular, said Sue Bergom, owner of A Garden of Memories on U.S. Hwy. 95 in Coeur d’Alene.

Some of Spokane’s gift-givers are breaking national trends with the amount they’ve spent and the gifts they’ve chosen.

Although 75 percent of those surveyed by the retail federation said they didn’t plan to spend more than $50, the Spa Paradiso’s Mother’s Day special costs $160 for two people. Jewelers also are ringing up sales of items well above the $50 mark.

Mothers should be happy with the plans their children and husbands are making to pamper them. Massage clinics, nail salons and spas were busily booking appointments last week.

“I always get crazy busy around Mother’s Day,” said Anna Carlson, a licensed massage therapist, who offers Mother’s Day massage gift certificates.

“The nice thing is, it’s different. You can always buy your mom flowers or some dumb little thing,” Carlson said. “A massage is really fun and relaxing.”

Carlson charges $45 for an hour-long massage, which includes a relaxing hot tub soak.

The massages and special treatments being sold as Mother’s Day gifts show it is possible to pamper your mom without spending more than $50.

“I had a gentleman come in and give me a check for $50 and say, ‘Just pamper the hell out of her,”’ said Dana Ware, owner of A Perfect 10 Nail Salon on East Wellesley.

For that $50, his wife will get the royal treatment - a pedicure, manicure, hand and foot massage and hot oil treatment.

The plan to treat moms like royalty inspired Stephanie Hille, too.

“We have what we call the Queen’s Treatment,” said Hille, owner of Nails with Pzazz, at 2001 N. Monroe. For $45, the customer receives a manicure, pedicure, hand and foot hot wax treatment and massage.

One man bought the package for his wife, Hille said, then asked if he could come in and serve her champagne during her day of beauty.

“We still have to check on the liability for that,” Hille said.

At some jewelry stores, buying a Mother’s Day gift for less than $50 is almost impossible.

“Less than $50? Ouch! That’s a good question. I probably would not have anything in here for less than $50,” said Dottie Skelton, a buyer and manager for Mandell’s Jewelers.

Still, big spenders are hitting Mandell’s and scooping up Mothers’ rings - which start at $114, Skelton said. The bands of gold are a favorite because they are inlaid with children’s birthstones, Skelton said.

That’s precisely the gift that brought tears to Susie Matteson’s eyes. Several years ago, she received a gold band with decorative flower petals inlaid with six birthstones - one for her son, daughter-in-law, daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren.

“They always surprise me. They’re so thoughtful,” said Matteson, a florist in downtown Spokane.

At Dodson’s Jewelers, gift-givers can go high-class for slightly more than $50. Penn Fix, vice president of Dodson’s, said the “the big T” - namely, Tiffany - is the star of the show this Mothers Day.

Though the exclusive line of jewelry and gifts has items that cost $10,000, some - like the silver heart pendant on a chain - go for as little as $55.

Some of the most creative gifts come from the imaginative minds of children. A 4-year-old recently walked into Bergom’s Coeur d’Alene flower shop to pick out a gift for his mom. Much to the chagrin of his father, he settled on a $1.95 dolphin-shaped chocolate lollipop.

“That kid was bound and determined, and the dad kept saying, ‘no,”’ Bergom said, laughing. “The little kids are really cute because they always want something really different.”

Bergom found a solution that pleased both the boy and his dad. She sold the pair a basket of violets and planted the lollipop inside.

“So everybody was happy,” she said.

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