Getting just the right gift for Mother’s Day can feel like a lot of pressure. While we’ve got plenty of ideas for what to get her, we also have firsthand experience with both giving and receiving Mother’s Day gifts.
And not to brag, but weare pretty great at giving gifts. Ahead, you’ll find the best Mother’s Day gifts we’ve ever given and received.
My mom absolutely loves a charcuterie board. I knew I had to upgrade her usual setup of using a bunch of little plates, and this cheese board has been perfect for her. It swivels out for more room for meats, nuts and cheeses; comes with its own little containers; and even has three pretty cheese knives inside. She whips it out whenever I come home and I love seeing how happy it makes her. — Rachel Lubitz, senior lifestyle editor
Everyone in my family had witnessed my frustration in the past, desperately trying to tame my full head of curly hair. And then, last Mother’s Day, my family gave me the Dyson Airwrap, and life changed for the better. With this high-end multi-styler, I am now able to miraculously straighten, curl and generally style my hair in literal minutes. And because Dyson put so much effort into creating a product that eschews high heat, I can boast a healthier head of hair to boot — without stepping into a blowout bar. — Tobey Grumet, reviews editor
My mom loves any kind of jam and honey, and so this set from Bonne Maman was a no-brainer to gift her for Mother’s Day. She’s loved spreading them on baguettes and toast. And yeah, I did get it a little early, but I was afraid it was going to sell out! — Rachel Lubitz, senior lifestyle editor
Since my precious gem of a mom practically lives in her PJs, the only gift I could think of giving her for Mother’s Day this year is none other than...a new set! Not only are these the softest, silkiest, comfiest pajamas I’ve personally ever put on my body, but they’re one of Oprah’s faves too! I ordered her the cutest Floral Toile pattern and I’m confident she’ll just love them! — Stephanie Griffin, director of social
This year, I’m planning on gifting my mom this limited-edition fragrance from Snif’s “secret menu.” The fragrance is sweet and gourmand, but not exactly what you’d expect from a croissant-scented perfume. Yes, it does smell like the French pastry, but no, it doesn’t leave you smelling like a bakery. The layers of croissant accord, vanilla, tonka bean, blackcurrant and wild berry jam leave a deliciously rich impression that isn’t cloying. After testing the fragrance myself, I was impressed with its complexity and staying power. Paired with the Body Butter Bar — a solid lotion bar of the same scent that literally looks like a pat of butter — Crumb Couture makes for a cute gift set. And I’ll definitely pick up a fresh croissant to go with the theme, too. — Sophie Shaw, associate beauty editor
My mother-in-law is always trying to find her keys, wallet, sunglasses, etc., so we knew these would be the perfect gift for her. It took her several months to actually set them up, but once we set them up for her, they became one of her favorite gifts! Would highly recommend gifting this to the mom who seems to lose everything — just make sure you set it up and show her how to use it if she’s not super techie. — Hayley Saltzman, former head of social
Flowers? For Mother’s Day? Groundbreaking! But truly, you can’t go wrong with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and last year for the holiday, I treated my mom to an arrangement she’ll never forget (or let me forget!). To probably no one’s surprise, I’m buying her another this year. I love this bouquet and brand because it comes freshly picked, wrapped in burlap and lasts forever. — Stephanie Griffin, director of social
My mom loves a heart-shaped pendant, so this year, I got her this sweet mother of pearl one from my favorite jewelry brand, Catbird. Since it’s cut from an abalone shell, each heart looks unique, and $10 of every sale benefits Direct Relief, which provides emergency medical assistance and disaster relief in the US and globally, so both she and I can feel especially good about this gift. — Chelsea Stone, senior editor
Why give your mom a plain, boring card when she is anything but plain or boring? My mom is going to be in for a huge surprise when she opens this 3D floral bouquet by FreshCut Paper. The brand has tons of cards to choose from so you’ll be sure to find a floral arrangement your mom will love. The brand also uses 100% recyclable paper and donates 1% of sales and plants a tree for each bouquet sold. — Lindsey Smith, associate editor
My mom is always looking for new ways to ease her back pain. She’s tried supportive pillows and those shiatsu massagers, and she recently even got a fancy, full-body massage chair. While the Theragun Prime might not be as relaxing as the massage chair, I got her one so she has a more portable massaging option — that way she can multitask and get some relief while watching late-night Japanese TV on the couch. — Kai Burkhardt, sustainability and outdoors editor
What’s Mother’s Day without a gift that will make Mom cry? This gift really did. My family’s oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe, passed down from my mom’s grandma, is the stuff of legend. And to celebrate it in all its glory, I got her this plate personalized with the recipe, which is written in my mom’s own handwriting. She makes these cookies a lot, so it’s also been handy to have sitting on her kitchen counter on the stand that comes with it too. — Rachel Lubitz, senior lifestyle editor
My mom and I are big tea drinkers and growing up, teatime was something we’ve used for years to bond and wind down with. Since I live so far away from my mom, I want her to always think of me when she’s enjoying her next cup of tea. I’ve been a huge fan of Tea Forte and the brand’s Jubilee selection has some yummy teas she’ll love like Vanilla Rose, Mango Citron and Wildflower Honey Citrus. — Lindsey Smith, associate editor
Sometimes a simple “Mom” necklace can feel a little cheesy, so a few years back I got my mom this subtler take on the traditional “Mom” necklace, with one that reads “Mother” but in Morse code. And even better, it came as a set of two, so I got the one that reads “Daughter.” We’ve worn them together on occasion and it just feels so sweet. — Rachel Lubitz, senior lifestyle editor
My mom and I are both perfume girlies, so I love being able to surprise her with a new fragrance each Mother’s Day. One of my greatest hits, according to her, has been this Byredo travel-sized eau de perfume kit complete with three of the brand’s top-selling floral-forward scents like white rose and freesia (the one I got her contains six fragrances, which they don’t make anymore, but this one is just as delightful). She travels a lot for work so I know she can pop these in her carry-on without getting in trouble with TSA, and the scents haven’t lost their potency in the handful of years since I bought them. — Marissa Miller, contributing editor
I live for giving my mom extra-special jewelry on Mother’s Day, and last year I wanted to celebrate the fact that after 60-plus years my mom finally got her ears pierced. For her first set of real earrings, I gave her these petite silver heart huggie hoops from Aurate. The quality is fantastic — shockingly so for earrings under $100. — Rachel Lubitz, senior lifestyle editor
My mom travels a lot and is also the type of person who likes to be comfy 24/7, so it only made sense to gift her the Travel Napper from Bearaby. The blanket, which is 10 pounds, comes with a small signature duffel bag to bring with her on the plane, and she claims it keeps her calm, cozy and feeling like “she’s at home” no matter how far away she actually is. And even when she’s not traveling, it’s big enough for her to use as a blanket! — Stephanie Griffin, social lead
While Pandora’s charm bracelets have long made moms happy, I loved that I could get custom engraving in my own handwriting done on this sleek and simple bar bracelet. I had my mom’s name engraved on the front, and a personal note added to the inside for an extra touch. — Sophie Shaw, associate beauty editor
My mom has her go-to eye treatment, but she’s always asking me for the newest and latest ones out there. One of my favorite brands is A.P. Chem and I’m so excited to surprise her with a bottle of the brand’s Enlightening Eye Treatment. It’s extremely lightweight and isn’t sticky so I know she’ll love it. — Lindsey Smith, associate editor
My mom would simply never buy herself anything this expensive, but she blow-dries her hair every single day. After trying to convince her to buy the Dyson Supersonic for herself for years, my sister and I went in on it with my dad and got her the best Mother’s Day gift ever. Now that she has the Supersonic, she tells me pretty much every single day how much she loves it. This is a great option for the mom who would never splurge on herself, and it’s also a great one if you want to go in on a luxurious gift with a few siblings. — Hayley Saltzman, former head of social
If you want an alternative to fresh flowers, Pressed Floral has incredibly delicate handmade floral necklaces that are the perfect gift. Once I saw these, I knew I had to get my mom one for Mother’s Day. The brand also sells the flower charms separately so if you have siblings, you can get one for each kid. — Lindsey Smith, associate editor
I gifted my mom a pair of these Lululemon sneakers for Mother’s Day because 1) I’m the best daughter ever, and 2) once I tried on my own pair, I knew she’d fall in love with them as well. I pretty much haven’t taken these off of my feet since I first got them, and I bought my mom a pair the day I got mine. While they’re billed as running shoes, I’ve been wearing mine all around to run errands (as has my mom), so you don’t have to be a runner to appreciate these. — Hayley Saltzman, former head of social
I got this customizable necklace for my mom in 2021 after Michelle Obama wore a similar “VOTE” one the previous year. Unlike the former First Lady’s, though, mine spelled out “MOM” and was only about $25 on Etsy. My mom loved it, and she still wears it often! — Chelsea Stone, senior editor
I can’t even remember the last time my mom bought herself a new purse. She usually uses a travel crossbody that has no place in nice restaurants when she goes on dates with my dad. To upgrade her very small bag collection, I’m gifting her the oh-so-popular and fabulous Quince Quilted Crossbody Bag. It’s made from Italian leather and is as well-made (if not even better) than brands costing five times as much. — Lindsey Smith, associate editor
My mom loves heart motifs, so I bought her a heart-shaped vase from Uncommon Goods for Mother’s Day years ago (this similar one is just as nice). To this day, it’s still the first one she breaks out anytime she has fresh flowers in the house. The gift that keeps on giving! — Chelsea Stone, senior editor
Dior’s lip products are my mom’s favorites, and I’m always happy to add to her collection. The Dior Addict Lip Glow adds sheer color that looks like a tinted balm on its own or feels like a hydrating base when worn under lipstick or gloss. It comes in 12 shades, so there’s an option for all the moms. — Sophie Shaw, associate beauty editor
Ever since I gifted this glow-inducing and cult-fave cleanser to my mom last year, she’s never looked back and repurchases it every time it’s empty! If you too have a skin care-obsessed mother in your life, and want to give her something she’ll actually use and love, I can’t recommend this product enough. — Stephanie Griffin, director of social
If your mom is looking to participate in the “quiet luxury” trend, the Primo Belt from Alex Crane is the perfect gift. These belts are handmade in Oaxaca, Mexico, by a third-generation family business out of painted raw leather. The belt is incredibly lightweight and goes with any outfit. It’s something most moms wouldn’t buy for themselves but something she totally needs in her wardrobe. — Lindsey Smith, associate editor
I was gifted this bag for my birthday a few years back and my mom loved it so much that I had to get her one for herself. It’s super durable, which she loves because, admittedly, it gets a ton of use. She’s had it for several years now and it hasn’t ripped or become discolored (despite taking it everywhere with her), and it also comes with limitless amounts of space. — Stephanie Griffin, social lead
For the sweetest mom around, these silky dessert-themed Room Service PJs are the perfect gift. A lot of moms are known for not buying things for themselves and if your mom is like mine, she’s probably due for a new set of cozy pajamas that make her feel luxurious. — Lindsey Smith, associate editor
Thank goodness for a lot of siblings, because that means we can pool our money to get our mom a whole bunch of gifts for Mother’s Day this year. One of the things that she’ll be receiving is this super-soft blanket robe from UnHide — because if you know my mom, she loves to be cozy and warm whether she’s on the go or simply curled up on the couch. Also, it comes with pockets AND a hood! — Stephanie Griffin, social lead
I’m not a mom, but I am a pet parent, and for that I’m including my favorite perfume: Taken by Jane Booke. It’s such a complex scent overflowing with vanilla and hints of lily of the valley, bergamot and patchouli. If your mom is into muskier, darker scents this will be her new favorite as well. — Lindsey Smith, associate editor
If you’re not helping your mom with her to-do list, the least you can do it upgrade the pen and paper she uses. The elegant refillable metal notebook and solid aluminum pen from Grovemade will help her forget all the times you didn’t clean your room or walk the dog. — Lindsey Smith, associate editor
For years, my mom has raved about this anti-wrinkle cream. She says it’s rich, packed with potent ingredients, and best of all, visibly reduces signs of aging. A few years ago, I gave her the cream and this year, I’m gifting her another bottle! I love knowing that she’ll actually use it, versus something else that’ll just go to waste. — Stephanie Griffin, director of social
Sometimes even a mom needs a stylish pair of kicks. So it was with great joy that I received these rad Nike Blazer Mids with a snakeskin swoosh, especially since the last thing I want to do is put my heels back on. The mid height makes it easier to get these sneakers on and off, and I can wear them with everything from sweats to jeans to dresses. Plus, my teens think I’m cool. And really, isn’t that what it’s all about in the end? — Tobey Grumet, reviews editor
I recently received these super-cute black-and-white-striped heels from Dolce Vita and I knew I had to get my mom a pair as her Mother’s Day gift this year. The block heels make them extremely easy to walk in, and the braided straps are snug but still comfortable and never leave any imprint. These are without a shadow of a doubt THE perfect summer heels that can be dressed up or down, and I know she’ll be as obsessed with them as I am! — Stephanie Griffin, social lead