A Nice Cuppa

She dressed you up and made sure you always had shoes on your feet. She gave you a sweater and told you to stay warm. She may have taught you to ride a bike, to stand up to peer pressure, to drive, to put on mascara, to stand tall in those very shoes she dressed you in.

And in return? You probably cried, threw tantrums, refused to eat your spinach, broke curfew, complained that the shoes she dressed you in weren???t cool enough, and contributed at least marginally to one or two of the frown lines on her face.

Thankfully, you have at the very least an annual national opportunity to show your immeasurable gratitude. So for this Mother???s Day, I???m offering up my recommendations for coffee (and tea)-inspired goodies that will tempt and tantalize all five of her tired senses.

SIGHT
If mom is too busy to make it to the coffee shop, bring the coffee shop to her. All she needs is a cup of brew, some music of the indie or classical variety, and just the right picture hanging on the wall for ambiance. ???Coffee shop art??? can exist in many forms. Maybe her taste is classical; try a framed copy of Van Gogh???s Caf?? Terrace At Night. Or she might be more in tune with the modern style of black and white photography; someone is always out there selling a shot of something literal like coffee beans set out to roast. Target has a nice selection of framed art and photography of varying sizes and prices, to suit many tastes. Tell mom to hang her new artwork in a corner of the house and pretend it???s her own little street side caf??. Better yet, you can offer up your smiling face and wait on her hand and foot (???More jelly for that scone, ma???am????).

SOUND
There???s something incongruously reassuring about the decidedly non-musical scratching whistle of a tea kettle. Something that says, ???The long day is over and comfort ??? in the form of delicious hot tea ??? is on the way.??? And with the plethora of tea flavors available these days (try vanilla maple, Bombay chai, lychee and chocolate orange, to name a few) there???s bound to be something to please your mom???s palate. Copper whistling tea kettles are a classic kitchen standby and reliable gift idea. Try the pretty Simplex English Whistling Teakettle and pair it up in a basket with a selection of teas. My personal favorite is Mighty Leaf; their tea bags are like no other ??? silky, handcrafted fabric ???pouches??? that showcase gorgeous loose leaf tea. Almost too pretty to put in boiling water (and delightfully scented when you do). You can order their tea at MightyLeaf.com.

SMELL
If only I had bought stock in the smelly candle business. You simply can???t go anywhere these days without finding scented candles as a ???signature??? offering ??? virtually every company makes their own (sometimes to almost ludicrous effect). Many are cloying, many are borderline putrid, but others give off just the right atmospheric scent; subtle and soothing. And pretty much everyone can warm up to the smell of coffee, whether they drink it or not. White Barn New York???s Hazelnut Fresh Roast candle is sweet yet stimulating, sure to perk mom up and make the house smell nice. (Available at Bath & Body Works).

TOUCH
Spas are a wonderful thing. And wouldn???t it be nice if we could all afford to jet-set away every few months to some ranch or another for a week of seaweed soaks and Swedish massages. Alas, that is generally not reality for the modern mom (or her child, no matter how charitable). Thankfully, spa-at-home treatments are readily available and some of them are downright indulgent. Like Jaqua???s line of yummy body products reminiscent of varying baked goods and dessert specialties. Pamper your mom with their French Bulldog Caf?? Wake-Up Kit, complete with shower gel, body spray, body butter and a terry washcloth. They all smell so good you???d almost want to eat them. But don???t. Please.
(Available online through Jaquabeauty.com, or at some beauty supply and department stores.)

TASTE
Lest we forget the most important sense of all! Of course we need to pay tribute to the actual beverage itself, in its drinking form. Rather than simply wrapping up a bag of her favorite beans (nice, sure, but a little anti-climactic), why not add to it a pretty mug ??? or better yet, a set ??? for her to drink out of? I particularly like the Bungalow latte bowls from Anthropologie. White stoneware embossed cups large enough for a grande latte, with a one-of-a-kind garage-sale kind of feel to them (tr??s shabby chic). But naturally you can choose from any design that suits her fancy. Just do everyone a favor and spare her the cheesy ???#1 Mom??? variety that was only acceptable when you were too young to pay for Mother???s Day gifts yourself.