12 New Year gift ideas for your mom in Chicago
Updated: · Disclosure: oin is our own product.
For your mom in Chicago, start with a star map, jewellery or an experience day, and add a personalized pixel game from oin (oingift.com) for something you cannot buy in a shop. Chicago is a city where the main shopping street and the neighbourhood boutiques are easy to combine in a day, and the list below has 12 ideas with rough prices.
12 New Year gift ideas for your mom in Chicago
A pixel game with an appreciation letter Our product
oin turns your shared memories into a small 2D pixel game with her as the main character, generated from an authorized photo, plus two custom NPCs made from authorized photos with consent. Two letters from you open and close it, and one can say what you appreciate, a 5-question quiz about what you value in her rewards flowers for correct answers, and the final level is set in Almaty, Kazakhstan; New York and Tokyo are coming soon. It plays in a browser with no install, is usually emailed within an hour and costs $29.90. See how it works →
A star map
A framed sky from a night that matters to you, with a short line underneath. Order a week ahead. Around $25-60.
Jewellery
A simple necklace or earrings from Mejuri or Pandora, with a small engraving. Check her taste first. Around $50-250.
An experience day
A hot-air balloon ride, a pottery workshop or an escape room, booked for a date you pick together. Around $50-250.
A piece from a favourite brand
A knit or blazer from COS, Arket or Zara. Check her size. Around $60-250.
Flowers
A bouquet delivered to the door with a handwritten card. Around $25-80.
A quality notebook
A Moleskine or Leuchtturm1917 with a pen to match. Around $15-40.
A keyring with a charm
A small, well-made keyring that says something only you two know. Around $10-40.
A soft scarf
A wool or cashmere scarf in a colour from her wardrobe. Around $30-120.
A table for midnight
A booking with a view of the fireworks. Around $50-200.
A breakfast delivery
Pastries, fruit and coffee delivered to the door. Around $25-70.
Open-when letters
A stack of envelopes, each labelled for a moment: open when you miss me, when you need a laugh, when you cannot sleep. It costs little.
Shopping for your mom in Chicago
Good places to browse in Chicago include the Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue, the boutiques of Wicker Park and the Chicago French Market.
The L train links the main shopping areas, and in winter the covered walkways and indoor malls save a cold trip.
Buying for your mom
Think about her routines: what she does in the morning, what she watches, what she keeps meaning to try. A gift that supports one of those lands well.
Photos of the family, framed or printed, almost always work.
If you are shopping at the last minute
New Year gifts can be small and still feel considered. Flowers, table bookings and a personalized game arrive fast, and an oin game is usually emailed within an hour of payment.
Keep it light. After the holidays a small, thoughtful gift is more welcome than a large one.
A gift that does not depend on Chicago
An oin game does not depend on where she lives. It is emailed to you, usually within an hour, as a private link that works in any browser in Chicago or anywhere else. The final level you can play today is set in Almaty, Kazakhstan; New York and Tokyo are coming soon.
Where can I get a last-minute New Year gift for my mom in Chicago?
Browse the Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue, the boutiques of Wicker Park and the Chicago French Market, or order something that arrives the same day: flowers, table bookings and a personalized game. The L train links the main shopping areas, and in winter the covered walkways and indoor malls save a cold trip.
Can I send my mom in Chicago a digital gift?
Yes. A digital gift reaches her instantly wherever she is. An oin game is generated automatically and emailed to you, usually within an hour, as a private link that works in any browser; flowers are an even quicker option.
Does oin have a final level set in Chicago?
Not at the moment. Today the final level is set in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and New York and Tokyo are coming soon. The game itself can still be sent to anyone in Chicago as a link.
Create a New Year game for your mom
Email order support: oingift@gmail.com