Mother's Day is a week away and I bet mostly everyone is still a giftless wreck when it comes to what to get their mom. Traditional gifts include bouquets, sappy greeting cards and a nice dinner at an overcrowded restaurant. Not feeling traditional? Read on to get some great ideas for your wonderful mom. 

1. Take her to a free (or cheap) concert or show. When I was in college, there was some kind of event happening on campus weekly, if not more often. On her birthday one year there was a jazz concert on campus, so I picked up free tickets (student perks!) and my mom and I went together. It wasn't something either of us would usually listen to or go to, but we had a ton of fun, and I got extra credit for a class I was taking. 

2. Make her anything homemade. Usually take your mom to dinner? Try cooking for her instead. She's probably used to doing the cooking, so a night out of the kitchen is more than deserved. Find a fancy Pinterest recipe and get cooking. (If you need a test run, make it for yourself or friends in advance to get it right.) Also, moms love all sorts of personally made gifts. Artistic? Sketch or paint her something. I used to sketch/paint weird, bloody hands when I was in high school. My mom still has them framed around the house. Once again, Pinterest is beneficial here for homemade gifts. 

3. Do some chores around the house. Whether you live at home or own your own, your mom could use the day, or week, off. Clean her house. Vacuum or mop. Do the dishes. Clean out the gutters. Wash her car. Do the hard, nitty gritty stuff. She deserves it. Truly. 

4. Get her a plant. Okay, so yes, I said flowers were overrated. They die. Too soon. But if your mom's Ito gardening, buy her a potted plant or flower seeds. She can keep these much longer and Spring is the perfect time for gardening. If her thumb's not so green, get her something easy like a cactus or a succulent. We've done this for my boyfriend's mom in the past and she loves it. Her flowers still grow in her garden every year. 

5. Pamper her. Take her out for a spa day, of sorts. My mom has neck and shoulder problems, so when her hair gets too long, it's hard for her to take care of. I like to take her to get something done with her hair on special occasions so she can be more comfortable on a daily basis. Getting her nails done or a massage are also high on the list of ways to make your mom happy. 

6. Take her out shopping. But not to a store. Mother's Day falls on a Sunday each year, which is a perfect day for thrifting. Most yard sales or flea markets thrive during the weekends. Plus these are awesome ways to find amazing stuff for next to nothing! Not to mention, you tend to meet really generous people. 

7. Take her to the library. If your mom is anything like mine, she loves nothing more than a good book (except family, of course). But like I mentioned before, she has neck problems so she doesn't get out too often. Our library has a section of paperback books that you can take home for free. It's different than checking out books with for library card. These paperbacks become your's so if you don't get back to the library for, say, a few months, it's no big deal. My mom loves this because she gets to read books she hasn't read before. 

Now, of course, no one knows your mom as well as you do, so you know what she likes best, but hopefully some of these suggestions will get some ideas churning for you. 

Here's a lovely picture of my sisters and me with our beautiful mom:

Happy Mother's Day to your mom and grandma and to you, as well, if you've got children of your own!

What are some of your most successful Mother's Day gifts and ideas? Share below.