Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12, and while the day can bring with it a whole range of emotions, it’s undeniably a great opportunity to show our appreciation to a mom, auntie, sister, mentor, daughter, or friend who inspires us in the way they mother.
For all of us looking to find a gift that can help us celebrate the beauty, devotion, and determination of motherhood, I rounded up a collection of things that are thoughtful, various price points, and small on space (because you know I’m all about the minimal thing).
Year after year, it’s hard to go wrong with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. And this bouquet from Farmgirl Flowers ($89) does double duty in that it supports Every Mother Counts, an organization focused on equitable maternity care. Of course the limitation with fresh cut flowers is that they don’t last longer than a week. So if Mom is into adding beauty to her space with greenery, consider gifting her with this set of cute succulents ($34.99). They are low-maintenance (i.e. hard to kill) and can live in a sunny spot on her work desk or night stand.
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Summer is right around the corner, and a sweet circle bag feels pretty perfect for the season. You could go larger for carrying a blanket to the park like the one above ($32.99) or a smaller crossbody rattan one ($35).
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Ok, listen here: a friend gave me this gift set after our second son, Josiah, was born, and I swear that using this stuff made me feel like a human again. The way these things feel on your skin — particularly the shower oil and almond milk concentrate — are crazy luxurious. So even if you don’t get the whole set ($79), consider the shower oil or almond milk, and thank me later. On a related note, you could also consider a bamboo bath caddy ($40) that can hold a book, tea/wine, and a candle.
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While motherhood can be incredibly rewarding, it doesn’t always feel very glamorous or extraordinary. Sometimes the monotony of mothering can feel lackluster. Enter this book ($17), which is a quick read, that’s best read one chapter at a time, with some reflection in between. It focuses on how the very ordinary things we do each day have spiritual meaning — if we learn to see them that way. It’s my favorite book that I read last year.
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Another item that benefits Every Mother Counts and their efforts around equitable maternity care is this t-shirt ($48), which is a collaboration between Citizens of Humanity and Anthropologie. Simple and chic.
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For a personalized gift, consider this brass cuff ($34), which can be imprinted with initials or another short phrase Mom can meditate on throughout the day — think “brave,” “loved,” “abide,” or even the company’s name “able.” Bonus that this cuff is made by women who have typically overcome challenging life circumstances and are paid fair wages.
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Gift Mom with this pack of caramels ($12.95) — a sweet treat with a sweeter message.
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Mom might like this ceramic travel mug ($25) that is pretty and modern enough to let everyone in the house know it’s her’s and no one else’s (I might be projecting my household issues onto you with that comment.) Great for being on the go AND reducing waste.
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This year, I’m very excited to gift some of my girlfriends who are moms with a donation in their name to an organization I deeply admire. Restore NYC exists to end sex trafficking and make freedom real for foreign-national survivors. Nearly 70% of the women served at Restore are mothers, and the organization comes alongside these survivors with counseling, housing, and safe jobs. Learn more here.
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After Mom works hard all day, reward her with a cute, comfortable pajama set ($17) she can relax in.
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Comfortable, stylish flats always come in handy. And these Rothy’s ($125 – $165) are cool in that they’re made from recycled plastic bottles and super durable.
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Finally, if mom is creative, consider sending or taking her to a class where she can let the creative juices flow — like a cooking class from a place like Sur La Table, a flower-arrangement class, or a pottery-making class. You can typically do a quick search on Eventbrite for classes in your area and find all kinds of classes to consider.
What other ideas would you add to this list? If you’re looking for more inspiration, you can check out the 2018 Mother’s Day Gift Guide and 2017 Mother’s Day Gift Guide.
4 Comments
Ma Rice
May 2, 2019 at 4:36 pmThe event idea is always good. The gift you guys gave me last year – the afternoon Tea with all the Rice ladies decked in floral dresses and pearls – was especially memorable. But, loving the whole list!
Jessica Rice
May 7, 2019 at 11:09 pmThe Tea with the Rice ladies was SO much fun! xoxo
Samantha Seminario
May 3, 2019 at 11:12 amThis is such a good list, Jess! Will definitely be using some of these.
Jessica Rice
May 7, 2019 at 11:09 pmThanks, Sam! So glad it’s helpful!