Top Ten Gifts

Top Ten Gifts Moms Want Top Ten Gifts Moms Want Katy Abel What do women really want? It's a question that's been handed down through the ages. And now, as we prepare to salute Moms, we find ourselves pondering it even more. Godiva truffles? Breakfast in bed? A pink corsage? According to a highly un scientific survey of both veteran and new Moms, the answer is "none of the above." So for the genuinely puzzled and the completely clueless, we offer the gift of a "Top 10 List." These are things to do or buy that are guaranteed to move Mother's Day far beyond the usual flowers and chocolates. Go Ahead: Make My (own) Bed It's a gift mom Margot O'Toole treasured for weeks, even though it was nothing she could sniff, swallow, or try on. One Mother's Day morning, her young son Brendan simply announced that effectively immediately, he would begin to make his own bed every day.And he did, at least, for a matter of weeks. It meant more to Margot than all the cards and flowers received before or since. Take Out and Hang Out Claire Cahill, mother of three-year-old triplets Meaghan, Kimberly and Matthew, remembers the year she and her husband tried to take all three babies - and her mother - out to eat on Mother's Day. "It was absolutely horrible," she says, shuddering at the memory. "We'd made reservations, and even so we had to stand and wait for a table. We'd called ahead for three high chairs; when we got there, they didn't have any! So we sat with the kids on our laps and it was very stressful. "Sometimes people try to make it so special a day that it goes the other way. So last year we got Chinese takeout and just hung around the house taking pictures of the kids. We had such a good time that we're going to do it again this year!" Home Alone Of course you should spend time with her. But maybe Mom would love to be...left alone! One of the greatest gifts a mother can receive is a "coupon" for a day off. Hubby takes the kids and head for the hills one morning. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Mom soaks in a hot tub, curls up by the fire with a good book, or invites a long-neglected friend over for lunch. Ahhhh....the sounds of silence. Shhhh. Say It With...Trees Most communities have garden clubs or beautification committees. Some sell trees and shrubs as a fundraiser. Buying a tree or plant for Mom, then planting it with her in the yard, is a fun activity to do with children and a lasting tribute. Take It To The Streets "Mother's Day isn't about chocolates, it's about taking care of our children," says M.J. Gregoire, one of the local organizers for the Million Mom March in Washington D.C. She and thousands of other moms have boarded buses - with kids in tow - to head to the nation's capital in a mass show of support for tougher gun control laws. If you'd like to accompany or send your Mom to this year's Million Mom March (with her permission of course), visit millionmommarch.com. A Blast From Her Past "I'd love nothing more than to return to my high school with my two (grown) children, and have us all sing together in the annual alumni concert," says Vinny A., mother of two and grandmother of three. Why not spend Mother's Day making a trip down Mom's own Memory Lane, with brunch at the hotel where she once danced with Dad, or tickets to a musical revived from "her" era? This Is Your Life Here's a great activity to do with kids: make a book about Mom's life! The simplest materials will do - construction paper folded, cut and stapled - illustrations done with paint, crayons, markers, and/or photos. This is a good excuse to call Mom's mom or other far-flung relatives for details on the naughty escapades of her childhood or college adventures. Basketweaving 101 Whether she's got a toddler or a teen, most mothers need - and seldom get - a night out. Sign up Mom for a course at a local community college or adult education program: Something fun! How about an Introduction to Chilean Wines, The Fine Art of Bellydancing, or Feng Shui? Say Cheese It's not in the cheap category, but if you're ready to go for broke, a professionally done family portrait would top any Mom's wish list. Remember Moms In Need Each year, the Women's Lunch Place in Boston hosts a special Mother's Day party for homeless and impoverished women.Guests enjoy a special meal of steak tips and scallops, dance to music provided by a live band, and receive corsagesand other gifts. "It came out of a realization that a lot of our guests have lost their families," explains Erin Kelly, fundraising coordinator for the day shelter. "This is a way we could show them that they are still special." Donors pay $25-35 to have a specially designed card sent to their own Moms, with a message saying that a donation to the Women's Lunch Place has been made in their name. (For more information, visit www.womenslunchplace.org. Donations in your mom's name - to her favorite charity - are a wonderful way to sustain the meaning of Mother's Day throughout the year! E-mail This Article Print This Article Article Mom's Memory Box Quiz Mama Movie! Quiz Poll Mom's Day Men Message Boards Momma's Mantra... More Related Links On This Month's Calendar St. Patrick's Day Spring Begins Easter National Nutrition Month Women's History Month -- FREE Digital Prints Digital prints at thousands of Walgreens nationwide. Order digital prints online. Pick up as little as 1 hour! 10 free prints with your first upload. FREE photo sharing and storage. Shipping to home also available. ESPN Play Your Way ESPN Play Your Way is a youth fitness program designed to encourage kids, ages 7-12 to get fit and remain physically active. A great imagination makes its own rules. Go to espnplayyourway.com to find out ways to get your kids active, simply by being kids. Staples One Trip. Every supply. Staples makes it easy to get them what they need for school. All at low prices . Hurricane Katrina To help your children understand and cope with this natural disaster, we have pulled together a collection of articles and advice: Hurricane Katrina How to Donate Back to School Sweepstakes! Win money for your family — or your school — this back to school season! Enter our Back-to-School Sweepstakes ! Join the Box Tops Booster Club! Box Tops for Education gives you exclusive opportunities to earn cash for your school and great ideas for your busy family. Membership is absolutely FREE. Sign up today! 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Great Gifts Inc. Announce

Great Gifts Recall of Snowmen Holiday Lamps NEWS from CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 19, 2004 Release # 04-140 Firms Hotline: (800) 611-0651 CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908 CPSC, Great Gifts Inc. Announce Recall of Snowmen Holiday Lamps WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces the following recall in voluntary cooperation with the firm below. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. Name of product: Snowmen Holiday Lamps Units: 1,900 Importer: Great Gifts Inc., McKeesport, Pa. Hazard: These electric holiday lamps have undersized wiring, no strain relief on the electric cords, and the molded plastic enclosure is flammable. The lamps pose fire and electrocution hazards. Incidents/Injuries: None reported. Description: There are three styles of snowmen lamps included in the recall. The Turbo 1541 model is a train with a snowman and light with Joyful written on the top. The model 1536A consists of three snowmen with a light in a campfire. Model 1628 is three snowmen with a choir book and light. Each holiday light has the model number listed on its base with the label Made in China for Great Gifts McKeesport PA 15132. Sold at: Small gift stores nationwide from October 2003 through December 2003 for about $10. Manufactured in: U.S.A. and China Remedy: Stop using these lamps, and contact the firm to get information on returning them and receiving a refund. Consumer Contact: Call Great Gifts Inc. toll-free at (800) 611-0651 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday. Media Contact: Marian Basa at (412) 672-2300.