It's been 107 years since President Woodrow Wilson signed a congressional resolution designating the second Sunday of May as Mother's Day.

	Cut her some slack with whimsical scissors from katespaperie.com. Click photo for larger image.

The campaign to establish a day honoring Mom began with Anna Jarvis in Grafton, W.Va., who first held an intimate celebration for her own mother, Anna Reeves Jarvis, two years after her death in 1905. In 1908, Ms. Jarvis organized a full-scale celebration for all mothers at Andrews Methodist Church in Grafton, where moms received white carnations.

Recognition probably should have stopped at the carnations. As Mother's Day took hold across the country, Ms. Jarvis became bitter over its commercialization and even sued to halt a Mother's Day festival.

Surely, marketers are going full-steam in trying to pitch every product imaginable this year for Mother's Day on May 13. But we found a few items that we thought added a personal touch or fulfilled a personal need.

A cut above

What's one of the most frustrating things about being a mom? Keeping track of those dang household scissors, of course.

Personalize a gift card with a MyMessage Card from LandsEnd.com. Click photo for larger image.

Kate's Paperie, a trendy stationery store in New York City, has the solution for that. Scissors with magnetized handles that stick on your fridge or file cabinet. (But you still have to train the kids to put them back.) They come in cool bird shapes and colors. They're one of Oprah's faves this month. $38 at katespaperie.com.

Gift card with a message

A simple gift card just doesn't cut it anymore. Especially if it's for your mom. Land's End now offers gift cards called My Message Card, on which your child can record a personal message.

The cards can be purchased in denominations from $5 to $500 and the My Message Card costs an extra $5. It comes with a holder that contains a voice-recording device decorated with Mother's Day artwork of traditional Land's End navy blue. Order by Sunday at 1-800-526-3736 or www.landsend.com to receive this by Mother's Day.

A purse all her own

	Customize a purse for Mom at Bspurses.com. Click photo for larger image.

Some moms can be persnickety. They like black fabric totes, but only if they come with a flowered lining. Or they love large hobo purses, but only if they come in pink paisley with gold hardware.

Now you can design the ideal purse for Mom at B's Purses, bspurses.com. This Web site was started in 2004 by three busy moms from Louisville, Ky., who wanted to bring some fun and style to women across the country. Wristlets, purses, totes, luggage, duffel bags and other carry items can be customized in a variety of fabrics, colors, trims, linings and personal monograms.

Some of the customized items add to base cost. We found a large hobo style we liked with a base price of $135. We added monograms and a $12 optional plastic liner, which brought the price to $157. Shipping and handling is extra.

Massage cushion or spa

Those fancy massage chairs would be just the ticket to help Mom relax after a hectic day, but they're oh so pricey. An affordable alternative might be the Shiatsu massage cushion from Sharper Image. It offers a moving dual massage mechanism that travels up and down your back. It includes six programs to provide full, lower or upper back, in Shiatsu or rolling massage. $149.95.

The 2008 Mustang with Warriors in Pink package will benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Click photo for larger image.

Another option is one of the many Mother's Day special gift certificates offered at local spas to provide Mom that special pampering -- and afternoon off -- that she deserves.

Drive in style

For Mom's big ticket item, might as well do some good, too. Ford is offering a 2008 Warriors in Pink package that supports Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure -- it's a Mustang made exclusively to support the charity. It comes with a pink ribbon and Pony fender badge, pink Mustang rocker tape striping, charcoal leather seats with pink stitching, aluminum-spoke steering wheel with pink stitching and charcoal floor mats with pink ribbon. Cost is $24,000 with $250 going to the Komen Foundation. Order through your Ford dealership, and the cars arrive this summer.

If that's a little steep, consider spending Mother's Day morning on May 13 walking or running together as a family at the Komen Pittsburgh Race for the Cure in Schenley Park. To celebrate its 15th anniversary here, race organizers will mail race T-shirts to your home if you register online by Sunday. The 5K run begins at 8:35 a.m.; walk and one-mile fun run at 8:45 a.m. For details, go to pittsburghraceforthecure.com or call 412-342-0500.