Use card, get love

Now that May is here, it's time to begin shopping for Mother's Day (it's the 11th). Struggling to come up with gift ideas besides flowers and jewelry?  New faux credit cards by Picturoo.com, a Web site that allows you to make custom photo cards, "can give that very special lady something that can be used to redeem extra valuable commodities," a press release says. What will she receive? "Warm and generous hugs." And, if she's lucky, some kisses.

The wallet-sized card is as durable as a credit card, and looks like one, too (albeit with a fake Visa logo). A digital photo and custom message can be added. The cards can be for Huggin' Credits, Kissin' Credits or one of several other designs.

Yeah, it's cute, though I don't like the concept of my mom needing a card in order to redeem hugs and kisses from me. I mean, how will she feel if it gets declined? And if a woman wants to carry around a picture of her kid, she can just carry a photograph -- no need for a fake credit card with a tiny image on it. My top gift pick for Mother's Day is the World Food Programme Feed Bag -- it's a cute tote, and the money you spend to buy it will feed a child in school in an impoverished country for one year.