Archives: 2009 March

There is a huge variety of gifts to give on Mother’s Day, and we all know that this special day won’t be complete without one. So how do you know what are the most unique Mothers Day gifts for you own mom? All it comes down to is personality. Whatever your gift may be, it should match your mom’s personality.

Below are some hints and pointers on what you should get for your mother on this special day:

Wonder Mom

If your mom is one who juggles parenting duties with sports activities, dance lessons, and never-ending lists, you probably have a super mom. She is also one who sees to it that she’s on top of your homework and bedtime stories. “Because I said so,” is her mantra, so this leaves you little room for reasoning.

For this mom, unique Mothers Day gifts would be fridge magnets for all her lists, remote control key locators, spa gift certificates, and romantic movies to unwind and relax.

The Modern Mother

The cool mom, as she is also referred to. She is updated with the latest gadgets, and she probably has an iPhone or an iPod. Alternative or vintage, her fashion sense is clearly original! She’s one who likes fashion, music, and art.

Perfect ideas for unique Mother’s Day gifts for these cool chicks are personalized portraits, stylish boots, stylish tops, and art-printed laptop skins.

The Stepford Wife

Anytime you see a Hawaiian shirt being worn whether it’s on television or in a movie you know what state is being represented. The colorful and comfortable shirt makes you want to plan a trip there or recollect your last visit to the islands, even if it was years ago the memories still resonate of a relaxing time.

Have you ever wondered when the Hawaiian shirt became so recognizable? In the 1930’s Hawaii became a popular place to visit because of the beautiful islands and tropic weather, Hollywood became aware of it because air travel was expanding and stars and starlets could vacation in Hawaii and enjoy the great weather year round.

The islanders that inhabited the islands were not natives, but workers that came from the Philippines and Japan to work the sugar cane fields. It wasn’t long before it was discovered that the rich soil was perfect for growing pineapples as well. The workers brought with them their native clothing such as the Barong Tagalong and the Kimono. Both of these were relaxing and comfortable to wear and were made with bright colors. It wasn’t long before all the plantation workers and their children were wearing similar shirts.

The islands began to become a popular vacation destination for Hollywood stars and starlets beginning in the 1930’s because of the warm tropical weather that could be enjoyed year round. The shirts were bought by surfers and tourists as quickly as they could be made. They were worn by celebrities such as Elvis Presley and Bing Crosby which quickly boosted their popularity. Tom Selleck always wore a Hawaiian shirt during the filming of Magnum P.I.

During these harsh economic times, it’s stressful enough to think about how to pay for your home mortgage, putting food on the table, and filling up the gas tank. So, as foreclosures reach all-time highs and thousands of people are losing their jobs each month, timeshare owners have actually been billed special assessment fees for hundreds, and in a number of cases, thousands of dollars. When added to rising maintenance fees paid every year, homeowners should consider getting rid of their timeshare(s) before it’s too late.

If your timeshare is financed, then you’ll want to pay everything off as soon as you can. This will get rid of those interest payments which can be very high on their own (and unlike the interest payments for your primary residence, these payments are not tax deductible). Additionally, you’ll find it difficult, if not impossible to sell your timeshare if there is still a mortgage on the property. With so many other timeshares on the market that no longer have mortgages, it is extremely unlikely that you’ll find a willing buyer.

The timeshare resale market has historically been a difficult one for sellers. In a report by the FTC, only 3.3 percent of timeshares listed have been sold on the resale market over the last 20 years. Attempting to sell it in today’s economic climate may prove even more difficult. You may end up waiting for a long time even after spending good money on advertising and broker fees. It’s time wasted that you can ill afford not knowing if a special assessment is on its way.