AskPatty Mother's Day Gift Guide

Jody DeVere -- Ask Patty — Thu, 07 May 2009 21:07:40 -0500

Mom was always there to pick you up from school and shuffle you to and from soccer practice. She drove you to your first school dance, and parked around the corner to save you the embarrassment. Mother's Day is an opportunity to give back to Mom in a way that celebrates how she always ensured you reached your destination. Choosing the right gift can be a challenge, so we've gathered up some gift ideas that should be perfect for your car-loving Mom. Some are practical, some are elegant, but all of them will please a Mom-on-the-go - regardless of whether she's cruising a beatup old minivan, or tearing up the tarmac in a Porsche Cayenne.

What car-loving woman doesn't also love a Harveys Seatbelt bag? Harvey's has just announced a collaboration with popular NYC illustrator, Sujean Rim. Sujean has showered a vigorous dose of lavishly colorful and feminine artistry into her new Harvey's collection featuring vivid red and pink Posie satchels and distinctive mauve, burgundy, pink and brown Garden Tweed totes ($138-$154). Among the other fabulous bags Harvey's line are a collection of 100% recycled seatbelts called "Treecycle": Fully lined with hemp fabric imprinted with eco-friendly inks, the Treecycle line includes small wallets ($78) and messenger bags ($134), full-size totes, and satchels ($148). I adore my cranberry red messenger bag, and love the attention it gets from others who are attracted to its lovely but durable appearance! Plus, Harveys bags are handmade in the USA and come with a lifetime guarantee.

Help mom show her high-performance automotive affection with a high-quality Porsche bracelet and necklace featuring a dangling car and 911 charms and lovely Swarovski crystal baubles. Adjustable stainless-steel bracelet incorporates smaller letters spelling Porsche in the chain. The stainless-steel necklace is styled to match the bracelet and features daingling 911 digits as well as two other Swarovski crystal pendants. Give her one or both, these are a delicate and elegant way for Mom to show she's a performance-loving car gal who enjoys her sporty ride! $139 each

In tough economic times, people prefer to receive gifts that help out with everyday expenses and tasks. A recent survey by Jiffy Lube International reveals that 64 percent of moms said they would prefer something useful and practical this year and 60 percent said they would like to receive a gift card. One practical gift to consider is the gift of vehicle maintenance. Whether she's commuting to work or running errands, Mom spends a lot of time on the road, and her vehicle handles a lot of wear and tear. In fact, a survey from MomCentralConsulting.com found that 78 percent of moms spend at least six hours in their car each week. Driving a vehicle that doesn't run efficiently or breaks down can be frustrating, so a Jiffy Lube Gift Card can help keep her vehicle running properly, and give you peace of mind that she's keeping her car in top condition. Consumers can purchase the Jiffy Lube Gift Card online at JiffyLube.com or at participating Jiffy Lube service centers across the United States. The gift card can be set for monetary denominations from $5 to $300, has no expiration date or fees, and can be redeemed toward any Jiffy Lube preventive maintenance service. Or be a good son or daughter, and take her car there yourself!

Why not take Mom on a picnic with this very cool tote from BMW? The BMW Picnic Tote adds a touch of class to outdoor dining - from the beach to the Hollywood Bowl, to the Palisades - or even in your own backyard. In navy and white with BMW logo, the versatile BMW Picnic Tote includes a picnic set for four, complete with flatware, cups and plates, napkins, cutting board and cheese Knife, corkscrew, and salt and pepper shakers. The tote features ample storage thanks to its outside pockets and an insulated wine compartment, so you can easily fill it for a lovely wine-and-cheese picnic outing. It's also easy to carry thanks to offers sleek straps instead of traditional bulky picnic basket handles. MSRP: $120. The BMW Picnic Tote is part of the BMW Lifestyle Collection, which includes apparel, accessories and gifts. For more information or to purchase, visit any authorized BMW centers or bmw-online.com.

We love the folks at Busted Knuckle Garage! They've got great gift ideas for car guys, but they also know that Ladies can be "Car Guys" too! For that reason, they've got their Busted Knuckle Garage Women's Ball Cap on sale right now for Mother's Day, discounted by $10 to bring it down to the excellent price of just $9.09! And no, this is not a man's hat with a woman's touch, this hat was designed specifically for the ladies. The side of the cap is embroidered "No Car, No Story" so that she can tell everyone about her own personal wheels, and on the back it reads "Let A Woman Do It", advice that all Dads should take to heart, eh? Isn't it time for Mom to have her own Busted Knuckle gear?

You know Mom loves her car and wants to keep it in the best possible condition, so help her keep it looking great with the AutoVisuals AutoSharp paint touchup pen. Thanks to its unique combination of felt-tip applicators and factory-matched high-quality urethane paints, she'll see touch-up results she never thought possible without paying a professional! Paint is held in a barrel and automatically dispensed through a fine felt tip, so Mom can touch up chips, dings and scratches as easily as signing her name! Custom-matched AutoSharp touch-up pens are $22, and extra nibs are just $1 each. (Much cheaper than a new paint job!)

Finally, make sure Mom is safe wherever she travels by giving her a special car emergency kit. Safety Kits Plus is a leading supplier nationwide of Emergency Preparedness Supplies such as car emergency kits, first aid kits, and disaster kits. No matter what your budget, they've got a variety of car emergency kits to suit your needs, from giant kits with more than 70 pieces for about $50, to smaller more compact kits that will fit in her glovebox for less than $10. From jumper cables, air compressor, screwdrivers, first aid supplies, flashlights, duct tape and bungee cords, they've got any kind of safety kit you can imagine. The whole family will feel safe knowing Mom is prepared for any roadside emergency!

If nothing else, you could also take Mom to brunch. Not sure what the fixin's are like where you live, but the Westin Bonaventure in Los Angeles is offering a killer Mother's Day brunch in their Lake View Bistro with so many delicious choices it would be impossible to list them all here. Certainly you can pack your Mom up into the family car and take her out to an elegant Mother's Day meal at a special restaurant near you -- don't make her cook on her special day!

Have a great mother's day, from all of us at AskPatty!

Jody DeVere
President and CEO
http://www.askpatty.com
http://www.carblabber.com

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AskPatty Mother's Day Gift Guide