By Shana Hoch

I've been buying or making gifts for Mother's Day for more than 30 years. You'd think by now I'd think up a great gift idea well in advance of the big day. Yet every year, it seems Mother's Day sneaks up on me, and I'm yet again searching for the perfect gift idea to make or buy for mom.

This year, I had the opportunity to think ahead as we wanted to write something in advance of Mother's Day for our NH.com readers. My mother-in-law Linda was coming to visit, and I thought spending time together with her and my 5-year-old daughter Bailey would be a great way to celebrate Mother's Day in advance. My daughter had never experienced a pedicure, and I thought a spa experience with her and Linda would be fun to experience and write about.

I started to call around, and soon realized finding a nice spa that will accommodate a 5-year-old was not going to be as easy as I'd hoped. Of course, when I have the rare occasion to get out to the spa, the last thing I want is children running around me! I wanted to bring my daughter but not lessen the experience of any other spa goers.

As I thought more about possible locations, I remembered The Wingate. I'd always been curious about The Wingate Salon & Spa in Stratham, as I'd seen their ads over the years, but had never been in the restored classic colonial Wingate House prominently located at 139 Portsmouth Avenue. I saw on their web site that kids were allowed, and thought maybe they could accommodate us.

Before I called, I realized I'd better reach out to Linda to make sure she'd be up for the experience. My mother-in-law is sophisticated and classic in her styles, yet is more traditional by nature. I wondered how she might feel about a spa experience. As it turned out, she had never had a pedicure before! She was delighted to try it out as she had a manicure once before and enjoyed the experience.

The Wingate was happy to accommodate us in a private room, which worked out well because 5-year-olds can be very ticklish and giggly!

The Wingate I had built up in my mind over the years did not match the experience. For some reason I had built up the spa to be a bit stuffy. When we walked in, I realized The Wingate was anything but. I immediately had a warm comfortable friendly feeling. The staff was friendly and accommodating. The waiting room was comfortable, and the ladies attending to us for our pedicures were personable and friendly. The woman assisting my daughter even accommodated her request for a pattern of three different color polishes on her toes, and patiently laughed along with her giggles from her ticklish feet. Linda and I had soothing neck warmers as we relaxed in big comfortable chairs as we enjoyed the pedicures. We both ventured out for brighter colors than we typically would paint ourselves.

We had the choice of tea, water or coffee before and during our pedicures and had opted to add the additional tea after our pedicures. I didn't ask what the additional tea included, but was told it was only $10 more, so figured it'd be worth a try. After the pedicure, we walked over to a quaint room with tables decorated simply and sweetly for a tea party. We had little fruit plates with delicious scones and tea. It was a great way to extend the pedicure and spa experience. Whenever I go to the spa I feel like I'm leaving too soon after my relaxation experience, so this was a great addition I'd highly recommend.

The prices at The Wingate are reasonable as far as spas go. Get mom a gift card for $50 and she can enjoy the pedicure or a number of other services. Splurge on a $100 gift certificate and get an extra $10 bonus card for yourself or mom. You can buy The Wingate gift cards online. If you want to review the full list of The Wingate Mother's Day gift ideas and specials click on the link. You can always find The Wingate on Facebook for more up-to-date news and sales: http://www.facebook.com/wingatesalonspa

And don't think these ideas and combo packages are just for women - men enjoy pedicures and manicures too! My husband and father-in-law were not quite up for the experience, but the ladies at The Wingate said plenty of men are. So don't be afraid to join your mom for a great day at the spa! You will likely enjoy the pampering as much as your mom.

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