Mother’s Day Gift Guide
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Since becoming a mother myself, my perspective on Mother’s Day has changed a lot. I absolutely adore that it is associated with flowers, foot rubs, breakfast in bed — but the reality for most is that it can be a complicated and chaotic day. It is always important to remember that Mother’s Day touches so many people and looks so different for everyone. Personally, it is an entire weekend of scurrying around and spending time with all the moms of my life. So, yes, chaotic is a good description.
As a mom, and a daughter, I often struggle with what to “get” as a gift for the mothers I want to celebrate in my life. I am sure that children, husbands, grandchildren and pretty much everyone else also feels the pressure to find the perfect gift. I think that before you scroll down to my actual gift guide, I’d like to tell you something you already know: the best gifts in life don’t have a price tag. I’ve always heard that the greatest gift is “the gift of time” but it never really resonated until I became a mother and all my scarce time dried up. So, if you’re struggling to find a gift for an important mom in your life, consider giving the gift of time. It could be time spent together over a simple cup of tea or breakfast. Perhaps offer a gift to a new mom who could use a few hours to pamper herself. Maybe it’s packing all of the kids in the car and leaving mom for a little while to soak in a quiet, empty house. Maybe a mama simply needs the morning off to run to errands at Target sans kids. Maybe she wants a few hours to dig into the hobbies she never has time for…or a workout class she has been wanting to try. Maybe invest time together as a family posing for portraits that will capture you as you are, right now, in this moment.
That being said, there are some gifts that could also be incredibly thoughtful and meaningful. So as a new(ish) mom I rounded up a three-part gift guide that focuses on three themes: jewelry, self-care, and heirloom-quality memories.
Botanical Silhouette by Mae Bicklein Designs (spots no longer available for Mother’s Day, but makes such a good gift for all year round) | Our Everyday Moments Photo Book | Heirloom Recipe Book Journal | Kodak Film Camera (under $50!) | Recipe Card Box | Life Notes (under $20! for Grandparent / Parent)
My philosophy on memory-making for gifts is this: give the opportunity to MAKE the memories! These gifts are an aim to help do that, whether it be capturing a child’s essence through bespoke artwork (like Mae Bicklein’s) or by equipping Mom with a tastefully chic film camera for her to snap away. Perhaps it’s recording beloved family recipes, sweet life notes, or planting a tree to christen a new garden for mom in the yard. There are so many thoughtful “experiences” that one can arrange for Mom, and I think that my favorite by far would be a family photo session with a local photographer.
Notebook | NuFace Toning Device | Weezie Towels
Jo Malone Perfume | Candle | Hair Growth Serum | Silk Pillowcase
I struggled with self care during the first postpartum year. If you’re gifting for a new mama, and pampering is important to her, I think these gifts are thoughtful and can be useful for a lot of kinds of women. Self-care is very personal and intimate, but it doesn’t have to always be a beauty product. I love the idea of a notebook, for the diarists in your life (or perhaps a mama who is writing to her new baby). I also think a beautifully designed candle is a fail-safe gift, like this one from Anthropologie. If your gift recipient is a skincare junkie, a huge splurge (but OH so worth it) is the NuFace system. It’ll help her rejuvenate tired eyes and fine lines after the many sleepless nights that motherhood brings! This list is definitely geared toward moms with young babies, but really, I think grandmothers would like it too.
Huggies Earrings (under $50!) | Kate Spade Mini Initial Pendant (under $50!) | Catbird Locket
Catbird Baby Signet Ring | Mejuri Engravable Charm | Jane Win Gold Oval Pendant and Locket
Jewelry is always a classic Mother’s Day gift idea, and the meaningful symbolism behind certain pieces is perhaps greater than the actual gold itself. I absolutely love the idea of signet rings, lockets, and engraved jewelry that can be customized to reflect the initials, birthstones, or special symbols. I feel like the attention has heightened around heirlooms and old-style, traditional styles lately. Be mindful that these picks come from the mom of a 17 month old…so I am going for simple and minimal. Perhaps the most functional (read: least likely to break) are the Huggies earrings and signet ring. I have a pair of Huggies which are so comfortable for sleeping in — and toddlers don’t seem to want to tug them. That being said, the necklaces are just ASKING for a good toddler tug. So, be mindful of this for the new mamas! If I had to pick one, I’d choose the Jane Win locket for my wishlist because it’s just so classic and lovely, yet ornate and unique. Can lockets become a thing again?!