By by Lee Weyhrich
Mother's Day is always the second Sunday in May, but usually that puts it at the middle of the month. Because of the calendar Mother's Day has snuck up on many of us a week early.
Rather than letting you panic because you still haven't gotten anything for your wife or mother, local merchants have compiled a Mother's day gift guide.
Earle's Jewelry
As Marilyn Monroe once said, "Diamonds are a girl's best friend," and the same thing goes for moms.
Earle's Jewelry has a wide selection of diamonds as well as many less expensive gifts for mothers.
"We have anything in jewelry, anything in precious moments and porcelain flowers," owner Wayne Dunn said. "Mainly jewelry is what we sell for Mother's Day."
The trends for Mother's Day gifts change from year-to-year though.
"One year it will be pearls, one year it will be pink ice, anything three diamonds has been big since Christmas," Dunn said. "Rings and pendants, especially past present and future things are big."
Earle's Jewelry is also having several holiday sales.
"The three-stone jewelry is represented," Dunn said. "We have tennis bracelets, diamond crosses, some hoop earrings with diamonds, one mother and child pendant that has black onyx in it and one mother and child heart pendant with diamonds in it."
Dunn invites everyone to come to Earle's Jewelry.
R&R Plants
If your mother has a green thumb or she prefers her roses to bloom every year, live plants may be the answer.
"I've got hanging baskets of different kinds, I've got roses you can plant, ferns, a variety of hanging baskets, I've got probably over 100 of them," R&R Plants owner Ronnie Rolin said. "I had some come by last week and put in orders for Mother's Day."
R&R also has a lot of items for the yard.
"I've got trees and everything else," Dunn said. "We've got anything you'd want for a yard. It's according to what the mother likes."
Dunn has a wide selection of plants and hanging baskets.
"I'd like to invite people down to look at the stuff," Dunn said. "It's about the only place in Atmore to buy plants and if I haven't got it I can get it in a couple of days if they want something special."
Rite Aid
Rite Aid Pharmacy carries Mother's Day cards, chocolates and a few gifts making it a one-stop shop for the last minute shopper.
"We have the Russell Stovers and Whitman's Sampler boxes for 25 percent off and the Russell Stovers one-pound boxes are on sale for 3.99," Store Manager Lisa Westmacott said.
If mom is on a diet or is not a fan of chocolate Rite Aid has some other helpful ideas.
"We have some gift items in the seasonal section," Westmacott said. "We have a lot of the As Seen on TV stuff that a lot of people usually buy."
Perhaps the most popular items at Rite Aid are the gift sets.
"We've got some bath gift sets, some Healing Garden gift bath sets and our perfume," Westmacott said. "Designer brand perfume is on sale $10 off and that's a good buy for mom. We've got some gift sets that have foot spas and other bath sets that I would really like to have because it's got the sponges and soaps and a pretty good selection. That's some good smelling stuff and the gift sets are really nice this year."
Westmacott has some advice for anyone who wants to stay out of the doghouse this Sunday.
"I'd encourage people to shop for their moms," Westmacott said. "You'd better shop for your mama."
Hainjes Furniture
If the special mother in your life likes to relax in style Hainjes Furniture has something for you and if the gift of furniture isn't enough they also carry a wide selection of jewelry.
"We have jewelry, we have occasional chairs, occasional tables, pictures and other home furnishings, lamps and things of that nature, recliners and interior decorating ideas," owner Carol Ann Sheppard said. "We have most anything – earrings, necklaces, bracelet charms – and we can order about anything. We can order mothers rings too with their specific stones or whatever. Jewelry is probably one of the largest items."
And what does Sheppard have her eye on?
"Just the general interior decorating," Sheppard said. "There's a wicker trunk set where two fit inside the larger one."
They even have floral arrangements and other things mothers would love.
"I just hope all the mothers in the area have great day," Sheppard said. "We'll give them 15 percent off of anything in the store to shop with us this holiday."