Still stumped about what to get mom this Mother’s Day?  Take it from a busy mom, any of these five ideas are easy to gift and perfect to receive.

1. Fragrance.   Avoid trendy fragrances and buy mom a classic that stands the test of time.  My personal favorite is Butterfly by Hanae Mori, available at Nordstrom Pentagon City, Macy’s in Ballston and Neiman Marcus in Tyson’s Corner.   With four fruits, four flowers and four woods, Butterfly is sweet, soft and enduring, just like mom’s love.   Know the difference between a splash, body mist, cologne, eau de toilette, eau de parfum or pure parfum.   A body mist is merely a liquid deodorant with a hint of perfume oil.  A cologne or eau de cologne, has 3 percent to 7 percent perfume oils.  Eau de toilettes contain as much as 15 percent oils, while eau de parfums have 10 percent to 20 percent.  Pure parfum has as much as  40 percent oils.  Splashes and after shaves have less than 3 percent fragrance. 

2. Spa Gift Card. Purchase dollar amounts and not spa packages.  Spas routinely group popular services, such as a massage, with less popular ones (like a lava rock body polish) to introduce you to tough-to-sell menu items.  Before you purchase, visit the spa and ask for a tour.  Any spa that refuses to give you a tour is not worth sending your mother to.  Try Solarous and Escape Day Spa in Clarendon.

3. E-book Reader.   If mom is an avid reader, excite her with an iPad from the Apple Store or a Nook at Barnes & Noble in Clarendon Market Common.  If she is not a geekette, when you present her e-book reader tell her it comes with a lunch date, for when you will spend time helping her learn how to use her new gadget.

4. Gourmet Meal, Prepared by You.  No need to panic, Williams-Sonoma and Whole Foods at Clarendon Market  Common carry short cuts to gourmet meals.  For breakfast in bed you still have time to order Williams-Sonoma’s French pastry worthy croissants.  These arrive frozen, rise overnight and when baked, fill the house with heavenly aroma.  Add a cup of coffee and a bowl fresh berries and blow mom away.  Or check out the seafood and poultry areas at Whole Foods for seasoned meats with cooking instructions.  While at Whole Foods, grab some fresh flowers and a bottle of wine.

5. Me Space. For less than the price of an e-book or spa package, purchase mom a night in a suite at a luxury hotel.  Include breakfast in bed.  I reccommend the Hotel Palomar, a chic boutique hotel in Rosslyn that is sure to wow mom.  Never under estimate how much mom will appreciate a night and morning alone.