Do something memorable for Mom this year

She never missed a soccer game and personally helped you handpick the prom attire that wowed all your friends. She never spent a dime on herself so that she could save up for your college education.

You know you can never really repay Mom for all she’s done for you over the years, but Mother’s Day is the one day a year you at least try to let her know how much she’s appreciated. And although you know she’ll be happy with whatever you give her, this year you want to do something truly memorable.

At a loss for gift ideas to really express how much Mom means to you? Here are a few tips and suggestions to keep in mind:

•Don’t just give her money. In a recession, it may seem like money would be a practical, appreciated gift, something everyone needs and everyone can use. In reality, though, parents rank grown children as the givers they least want to get money from, according to a national survey by Momentum Research, commissioned by the Web site Gift Elan.

•If Mom really needs some help in paying for necessities, go the extra mile to help her in a way that won’t hurt her pride. Contact her utilities or car finance company and arrange to pick up some payments, then slip a homemade “paid-for” certificate into her Mother’s Day card. Prepay her cell phone contract for a year. Look for ways to help that don’t involve just handing her money.

•Every mom is a homemaker, even if she works full time outside the home. Helping her make her home more enjoyable for her and inviting for guests is a great way to repay her. Does she need some yard work done? Load the car with the necessary tools — and the grandkids — and spend the weekend with Mom helping her beautify her yard.

•Is she pining for a new look for her kitchen but doesn’t have the budget to remodel? If you’re a seasoned do-it-yourselfer, you can help her retile, install a backsplash and any number of other low-cost projects that will spice up the look of her kitchen. Even if you’re not a handy person, you can still help her out by painting, switching out cabinet hardware and installing some new fixtures.

•Jewelry remains a timeless gift for women of all ages, and mothers are no exception. The Momentum survey also found that mothers score jewelry high on the list of gifts they want to receive from their grown children, and their preference for jewelry gifts actually increases as they get older.

It’s important to purchase the right kind of jewelry gift. Keep in mind that Mom’s taste might be different from yours — and she might not appreciate a naval ring, nose stud or showy cocktail ring. When it comes to buying jewelry for mothers, play it safe with a piece that is sure to be as timeless, classic and enduring as motherhood itself.

“From June Cleaver to Marge Simpson, pearls have come to epitomize the essence of motherhood’s purity and beauty in America’s pop culture psyche,” says pearl expert Jeremy Shepherd. “A simple strand of pearls, a pair of pearl stud earrings or a classic pearl ring can tell Mom that you really see her as the essence of perfect motherhood.”

If Mom’s a traditionalist, go for classic white akoya or freshwater pearls. If she’s more adventurous and likes color, you can add flare to your pearl gift by choosing one of the numerous unusual colors — from shimmering gold to glistening green-black — now available in cultured pearls.