Mothers Day Gift Ideas from a Mom in The Trenches

Last year, I had a Mother’s Day that perfectly sums up what it’s like to celebrate the day with small children. I had made plans to play golf with a few friends in the afternoon. I’m comically terrible at golf, but it felt like a nice excuse for a few of us to borrow from the dads’ playbook and get outside for a few hours.

That same weekend, my oldest son was playing in his first hockey tournament (who schedules these things, really?). The only way the game would interfere with my tee time on Mother’s Day was if his team not only made the finals, but the championship game, so I figured odds were in my favor since there were 10 teams in the tournament.

Guess what happened? My son’s team made the championship game. I had to decide if we should go to the tee time, or watch my eight year old in the championship game of his first hockey tournament. I went to the game.

They ended up winning the whole thing and it turned out to be a great day, but the day was sort of like a metaphor for Mother’s Day and parenting in general. When you have kids, no matter how hard you try, things rarely go as planned, or as we picture them in our heads.

I share this to say: Get your mom or wife or grandma a gift. Any gift. Even if she says she doesn’t want one. Moms are always putting family first (usually happily), and bring flexible, and setting low expectations (kidding, kind of!), and they deserve to be celebrated. It doesn’t have to be big or expensive or perfect. Just slightly thoughtful will do.

If you’re totally stuck on what to get your mom, or wife, or any special lady in your life, for Mother’s Day, here are some ideas, from a mom of three.

First a few things to remember

Not all moms are alike, so don’t feel like you need to stick to the cliche gifts, like flowers and candy and spa gift cards (though those things are all great).

My mom, for example, is not a flowers-and-pampering woman. Her favorite thing to do is ride her mountain bike and go for hikes in the woods, so I always think about that when I get her a gift. One of my go-tos for my mom is actually Bombas socks. She loves them, and they’re on the more expensive side for socks, so I always get them for her on holidays, even though socks are not the most exciting gift to a lot of people.

Think about hobbies, interests, upcoming trips or seasonal activities when you’re buying a gift. This is also a good idea if you’re going the gift-card route, especially since they can be seen as impersonal. Get her a gift card for a place you know she loves, like her hair salon, favorite coffee shop, Barnes & Noble if she’s a big reader, etc.

All that said, here are some of my favorite Mother’s Day Gift ideas.

Personalized Jewelry

I actually love everyday jewelry with subtle reminders of my family. I have a bracelet that I always wear that’s made of gold beads, and on the very end near the clasp is three beads, one in each of my kids’ birthstones. It’s one of my favs.

Silhouettes of the kids (or grandkids)

Silhouette portraits of your kids are such a cute and thoughtful keepsake. They’re also simple enough that they suit a range of different decorating styles, so they make a good gift for almost anyone. You can even leave them un-framed, which allows for your mom/recipient to personalize them for their own decor.

Upgraded Versions of Everyday Essentials

Another great gift for mom is upgraded version of things she uses everyday, like sheets, towels, tea kettles, espresso machines, etc. It’s nice to have quality basics, but it’s not always something she likely wants to spend they money to replace.

Planters and gardening supplies.

Since Mother’s Day generally coincides with the start of gardening season (at least annuals gardening), it’s a great time to get mom new gardening essentials. Last year for Mother’s Day, all I wanted were a pair of planters for our front porch. Of course, this works best if mom is a gardener.

Seasonal Activity Essentials

If your mom/wife is sporty or into spring or summer activities like pickleball, golf, tennis, hiking, biking, etc. Mother’s Day is a great time to get her new gear. A tennis skirt, new golf shirt, a pickleball bag, new water bottle, etc are all great gift ideas.

Splurgey Skincare / Self-Care

OK, it can be tough to pick out skincare products for other people, but I think there are some universally-adored products that most women over 30 will appreciate, including Dr. Dennis Gross’s Alpha-Beta Peel Pads, a light-therapy mask, and a good moisturizer, all of which are linked below!

A Simple Summer Bag

If your mom/wife/recipient is into fashion, I love the idea of a simple, good quality straw bag. It’s a summer must-have, and most style-conscious women will have a place for one in their wardrobes (again, this is very dependent on personality, as my own mother would very much not appreciate a bag).

If none of these gifts feel quite right, I also love the idea of homemade gifts from the kids, things like cards, baked goods, and jewelry are always cute. Ditto for experience gifts, like a spa day, or a pilates class, or a guided meditation session. Even a restaurant gift card and a promise to watch the kids so she can go out with friends.

Do you have any other go-to Mother’s Day gifts? Drop them in the comments, below!