Liz Weston

…is a day at the spa, according to a poll commissioned by Insure.com.

About two out of five moms picked pampering as their top choice for a purchased gift. A family getaway was the next most popular option, preferred by about one third of respondents. Gift cards, a nice dinner out, a romantic getaway, chocolates and breakfast in bed were other favorites.

As for the day itself, the majority wanted to spend time with the whole family and preferred homemade presents from their kids.

Appreciating Mom means appreciating all the things mothers do, which offers a natural segue (at least for personal finance types) to a discussion about the importance of life insurance. That’s part of the Insure.com post as well. The idea is that if Mom weren’t around, you’d have to not only replace her income (assuming she works outside the home, as most mothers do) plus hire someone to perform at least some of the many tasks she accomplishes each day.

But “Hey, Mom, I bought you some life insurance!” doesn’t really have the right ring to it. So look into getting insurance, but book the massage as well.