Mothering Sunday is on the 14th March in the UK. And, although you will love their thoughts and gesture - how confident are you that you will truly "like" what your children do this year?

Because let's face it - it’s hard to be realistic when your children give you a gift. I mean who hasn’t still got that atrocious vase from their Year 4 pottery class in pride of place? Who else put all their kids’ finger paintings up on the fridge the moment they got home? Who else has held onto the swimming towel with all the “I swam a width today” badges proudly embroidered*? And all the certificates from Brownies/Cubs/Guides, whatever? They are precious.

*Only me then? LOL - thought not!

Mothering Sunday – will you get everything you don’t want?

We’re all soft-centred for our children. And mostly they are about us, their mums, too. However this year is going to be a mothering Sunday with a difference. Even last year (2020) we were fortunate to get the bunches of flowers, a hug and a kiss. (Remember - Mothering Sunday 2020 was on the 22^nd March – the day before Lockdown1.0)

This year the big day is on 14^th March, and it’s far more likely that our children will have bought us a gift card! Travels well, easy to post, and “mum can get just what she wants”. And let’s also acknowledge that the thought here is the important thing. They love us and they want us to be happy, and they want us to know they are thinking of us.

What they don’t want, however, is for that giftcard to go unspent.

And yes – they sent you a New Look giftcard – but you are soooo much more John Lewis! Or they bought you a Tesco’s giftcard (“buy your favourite Gin, mum”) but there’s not Tesco’s for miles, plus – you did "Dry Ginuary" – and you’ve carried on with it! Woo hoo, well done you!

OK, so now you have a giftcard, but you don’t really want anything from the store it’s for… what are you going to do? Stick it on the fridge with one of their home-made fridge-magnets? Or display it on the mantelpiece next to “that” vase. Or maybe just hide it in the linen cupboard with the swim towels and certificates (well where else are you supposed to put them?).

There is another way – sell or trade your giftcard on Cardyard

Buy yourself the John Lewis shoes online.

Or the Sainsbury’s chocolates.

Or even buy yourself a frame for those ancient swimming certificates!

You CAN swap up your giftcard and get yourself something that you want, that you’ll remember, and that your children will be delighted to have treated you.

Story source: Anonymous mum who works for Cardyard…(sshhhh, just sussing out which retailers I can trade my giftcards for)