Bring on the big-ticket gift!

The countdown is on…have you purchased your Mother’s Day gift yet? I'm pretty sure Hubby Hawks hasn't, either. I'm sure at some point tomorrow, he'll announce that he and the boys need to go do some shopping. If you're in the same boat, you might want to take note of some interesting trends this year. While retail analysts project a slumping economy will hinder mom-focused gift sales, gift-givers still say big-ticket items are what they’re giving. In fact, 84 percent of Mother’s Day gift-givers will give one big-ticket item rather than several items with small price tags. And a recent Harris poll showed that when given several options, what mothers 18 to 55 value most is relaxation. Thirty-seven percent said they wanted to be given the gift of freedom from their stressful daily routines. Still, while moms want to relax, they also want to spend precious time with their kids. What a fine line. My kids are the ultimate gift, of course -- and also energy draining! If given your choice, what Mother's Day gift would you choose?