So what do you do? How do you surprise the lady who brought you up and made you who you are?

We've said it before and we'll say it again ? using your creativity will enable you to start thinking outside the box and really come up with something meaningful. Plus, a little decadence, whether it be expensive or just downright fun, doesn't hurt either!

If you and your siblings pool your money, why not send your mom on a cruise? A week of swimming, relaxing in the sun and reading to her heart's content would be an amazing gift, and it would be something she would never forget.

Or, what about buying her a month's worth of relaxation? Hire a cleaning lady to come in and take over the housework for her. Hire a caterer to drop off dinner twice a week. Sign her up for a few massages and a pedicure. Drop the dogs off to get groomed. Let your imagination go wild here, and try the gift of free time. Maybe you could also sign her up for a craft or educational class she's been wanting to take but just hasn't been able to make the time to do it. Now would be a great time for her to get started.

If your mom loves to garden, why not get her a bunch of new plants? And we're not talking Gerbera Daisies here. We're talking topiaries, Birds Nest Ferns, orchids, and other plants that will really make a statement indoors or out. Ones that are higher priced that she might not have splurged on for herself. Having a room full of beautiful plants is not only therapeutic, but it's healthy. You also could think about buying her an indoor water fountain to go in her new ?conservatory'.

If your mom is a reader, instead of getting her a book or two, why not go big? Get her 15 or 20! If you know basically what she likes to read, spend some time in the bookstore and get her books in that genre. You might also want to pick up some that look interesting to you. This would be intriguing to her, as well as getting her out of her comfort zone. These could all be stacked up in groups of 5 and tied with some twine like old schoolbooks.

If your mom is the type with an adventurous spirit, why not get her a metal detector? Imagine her delight at going out on her own to look for treasures. If you're not careful, you'll be skipping out to go with her. You never know what you're going to find!

With a little advance planning you can come up with the perfect gift for your mom. All you need is a little ?out of the box' thinking and some good old-fashioned creativity. No matter what gift you give, you can bank on the fact that your mom will love it (at least, she'll tell you that she does!).