Seven Herbal Gift Ideas for Mom - to make and buy

There are many gift ideas for Mom that incorporate herbs. Here are a few perfect examples, several of which you can make yourself:

1. Herbal Tea Set: Give your mom a collection of her favorite herbal teas, along with a beautiful teapot and a set of tea cups. This gift is perfect for mothers who love to relax with a cup of tea after a long day. Teapot Gifts and Tea Gifts.

2. Herbal Bath Salts: Herbal bath salts are a great way to provide relaxation and rejuvenation. You can make your own bath salts using dried herbs such as lavender, rose petals, and chamomile, or you can purchase pre-made herbal bath salts.

We shared this recipe on the blog back in May 2023, but here is a quick blend of salts to pamper skin.

Pampering Bath Salts

• 1 1/2 cups Epsom salts
•  3/4 cup baking soda
• 3/4 cup herbs (finely ground)

Combine everything in a jar and shake well.  Add 2 to 4 Tablespoons directly to the bath or place in a mesh or organza bag and swish to dissolve the salts.

3. Herbal Soaps: Another great gift for mom is herbal soaps. Especially soaps made from natural ingredients and infused with essential oils and dried herbs, providing a pleasant aroma and gentle cleansing.  I get my herbal soaps from Soapy Roads here in Lombard and you can order online too!

4. Herbal Body Oils: Herbal body oils are a great way to nourish the skin and provide a relaxing massage. You can make your own body oils by infusing carrier oils with dried herbs such as lavender, rose petals, and chamomile or you can just use essential oils in a carrier oil.

Essential oils like lavender, lemon, and eucalyptus come with benefits. But other oils—like black pepper, clove, and peppermint—can irritate the skin, so choose carefully. To make a safe, DIY bath oil blend five to 20 drops of an essential oil with one tablespoon of a carrier oil (like grapeseed, jojoba, almond, or argan oil). Add the oil right before you're about to get into the bath to keep it from evaporating.

5. Herbal Sachets: Herbal sachets are small bags filled with dried herbs, which can be placed in drawers or closets to provide a pleasant aroma and natural pest control. You can make your own sachets using herbs such as lavender, rose petals, and chamomile. RECipe

Romantic Evening Dreams

• 1/2 cup rose petals
• 1/2 cup rosemary
• 1/4 cup lavender flowers
• 2 lemon verbena leaves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon mint
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 small piece of cinnamon stick, 1 inch long, broken up

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine.  Allow to meld for at least 2 days before placing in a sachet.

For a simple pillow, fill a 3- to 5-inch drawstring bag with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of chosen herbs; draw strings and tie closed.

TO USE: place the sachet inside the pillowcase or under the pillow and inhale deeply as you fall asleep.  Enjoy the dreams!

6. Herb Garden: Giving an herb garden can be a great gift for a mom who likes gardening, cooking or both. You can give her a small indoor herb garden or a larger outdoor one.  Try these seed papers or these plant seedlings.

7. Herbal Candles : Herbal candles are a great way to provide a pleasant aroma and relaxation. You can make your own candles using beeswax and essential oils, or purchase pre-made herbal candles or those with pressed flowers.

All these gifts are thoughtful and can be personalized to your mom's preferences and interests, and can be a great way to show her how much you care.

Eight Unique Herbal Gifts for Mom

As Mother's Day approaches, I get asked what is a good herb gift for a mom.  It is a simple question with a huge answer.  So I thought I would put together a list of suggestions for Mom that include herbs from loving the scent to tea to just enjoying the look of them.  There is a gift here for all types of herb lovers!

HERB SCENTS

1. Grow your own Herbs with an Herb in a Pot (available from the Backyard Patch for $6.50 each)

This terra cotta clay pot combination includes soil, seeds, instructions and recipes for growing your own herb in a pot.  Tied into a package with raffia and twine it makes its own rustic gift box. Herbs available include: Basil, Cilantro, Thyme, Oregano, and  Chives.



2. Chase bugs and enjoy the relaxation of Lemon Grass Candles (available from Ashka Candles for $6.50)

Lemon grass scent energizes and relieves nervousness with its strong bug chasing scent.  These 4 ounce candles will burn for 30 hours or more.


HERBAL TEA

3. You can a new tea every month with a Tea Subscription (available from the Backyard Patch in differing lengths)

You receive two bags of loose tea, a tea infuser and a description of the tea in a decorative container each month.  You can customize the tea selections or leave the choices to us.

4. Beaded Tea Ball (available from the Backyard Patch for $3.50 each)

A bead decorated tea ball that will look elegant in any cup or mug!

5. Tea Samplers let Mom try out several teas (available from the Backyard Patch for $4.95 each or a set of 3 for 15.00)

These brochure-shaped samplers contain tea infusing bags, and three small packets of loose teas on themes like Bright Morning, Marvelous Mint or Luscious Lavender.

ENJOYING HERBS

6.  A Plant Press lets you save leaves and flowers and enjoy them later  (available from KathleenEmilyAnne for $30.00)

This plant press book is a set of paper envelopes into which you can place leaves and flowers and hold shut with the elastic band.  It is portable so you can take it on a walk with you and save memories.

7. Chocolate Cake in a Mug (available from the Backyard patch for $10.95 for 2)

Never forget Chocolate is an herb and this quick and easy cake can be made in the microwave in the mug provided.  Many mug patterns and styles available.  Save shipping by ordering more than 2.

8. Herbal Note Cards (available from LoriLooDesigns for $6.49)

Note writing is becoming a thing of the past, but your Mom may still be one to enjoy sending a thoughtful card and these wonderful photo note cards with herbs come in sets of three!

So hopefully I have given you some ideas for items to give your Mom to celebrate her special day!

Making Herbal Gifts Series - quick and easy

In the continuing series of Making Herbal Gifts, I am giving you something quick and easy to do.  Many people want to make gifts but children and family time is a premium, so these few suggestions are quick and easy.  Especially with the holiday so close.

Spiced Door Sachets

Materials:
6″ diameter circle of cotton fabric
broken vanilla bean
2 whole nutmeg crushed
10 whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks, broken
ribbon

Method:
Place all items in the center of the fabric. Gather the fabric up to enclose the spices and tie with one end of a 12 inch long piece of ribbon. Tie the other end of the ribbon to a doorknob. Whenever the door is opened or closed, scent will be released into the room. You can use other winter scented herbs and spices in place of the ones above and tie several sachets together to give a stronger scent, the small bags can be hung individually on the tree as decorations. A couple of drops of orange oil is also
nice and the sachets can be freshened up with the addition of a few drops of a suitable festive essential oil.


Scented Cards, Tags & Writing Sets

Materials:
a large seal-able box
cards and envelopes or tags or stationary
blotter paper
cotton fabric or cheese cloth
your choice of essential or fragrance oils

Method:
Cut the blotter paper to the size of the bottom of the sealable container.  Place a few drops the oils onto the blotter paper.  Wrap the blotter in a fabric so the oil does not mark the cards, paper or tags.  Place the items over the wrapped blotter paper and seal the box. Leave the fragrance to permeate the cards for approximately two weeks. I use Glad containers, place the items inside, wrap them and give them as gifts.  While the gift waits to be delivered and unwrapped the cards inside become scented. You can use any combination of scented oils, from just a plain pine scent to a spicy or herby concoction. Or for stationary something brighter, like lavender, citrus or mint.

Herb Decorated Candles

Materials:
simple pillar candle
pressed flowers and herbs
or fresh fragrant herbs

Method:
Two ways to do this one.  Use Fresh herbs and tie them around the candle with raffia and include a note saying to remove the herbs before burning the candle.  Use pressed flowers and leaves by attaching them with thinned white glue to decorate the surface of the candle.  Do not use hot glue as this is flamable.

Don't forget to vist the ADVENT CALENDAR for more tips, recipes and holiday ideas using herbs.  We even include a few discounts as well.  Visit each day until December 25th for new daily additions.