13 Mother’s Day gifts for every type of mom

Mother’s Day is just around the corner. (In 2018 it falls on May 13, for those of you who forgot). 

Your mother is a goddess. After all, she gave birth to you. And while finding a gift worthy of her can be hard, it’s not impossible. This is mushy as hell, but you should know by now that it’s not the money that goes into the gift — it’s truly the thought that counts. 

So, instead of giving her that same generic candle like always, take some time to find something that really represents your appreciation. 

We’ve picked out some gifts that are as unique as she is, and they’re sure to make her smile.

For the mom with an overflowing jewelry box

Image: caitlyn minimalist

Take the whole jewelry thing a step in an even more thoughtful direction with a handwriting bracelet. If your mom has a note or birthday card from someone that she’s missing (possibly a late parent or spouse) a dainty bracelet featuring a sentimental quote in that person’s handwriting will 100% take her breath away. The Etsy shop Caitlyn Minimalist has more than 26,000 5-star reviews, with customers raving about how accurate the handwriting is and the short wait time. It’s like the less permanent way of getting a loved one’s writing tattooed on you.

Choose from sterling silver, 18K gold, or rose gold and get your bracelet here.

For the mom who lives far away

Image: uncommongoods

If you and your mom are separated by a lot of miles, let her know you’re with her in spirit with these long distance touch lamps. After both lamps are connected via Wi-Fi, a quick touch of the hand will let her know that you miss her. When one lamp is touched, the other gives off the same warm, relaxing glow, regardless of how far away you are from each other. When we wrote about these in October 2017, people went nuts for them — so you can assume it’s a pretty quality gift. It’s like a quicker, cuter version of a goodnight text. And knowing you’re thinking of her will help her sleep better. (It’s a mom thing).

Get a set of two lamps for $150 here.

For the mom who appreciates the little things

Image: uncommongoods

Speaking of mushy and heartwarming things, another long-distance gift that will cheer mom up on the daily is the Lovebox Spinning Heart Messenger. Here’s how it works:

Step 1: You send a thoughtful message to your mom through the Lovebox app.

Step 2: The heart on the outside of the box spins, letting the receiver know that they’ve got mail. (The heart keeps spinning until the lid is opened, so leaving messages for her to come home to is definitely a sweet idea.)

Step 3: Your mom sees the heart spinning, opens the lid to view her message, and is showered in hearts plus the text message.

Step 4. Your mom’s heart starts spinning too, because even a tiny message from her kiddo makes her the happiest mom on the planet.

Can you think of a cuter way to let mom know you’re thinking of her when you don’t have time to call? Get it for $99 here.

For the mom obsessed with her kids

Image: prints inspired

If your mom insists on hanging your awkward middle school photos around the house, give her a better piece of decor (while getting rid of some embarrassment for yourself) with an illustrated star map. Prints Inspired, a well-reviewed shop on Esty, creates personalized star map illustrations of what the sky looked like on a specific date — and in this case, it’s the day you were born (AKA the best day of her life). If you have siblings, you can add all of their birthdays, too, and the piece will feature three illustrations of what the sky looked like when each of you were born. 

Choose the size, frame, and canvas with prices starting at $17 here.

For the mom who needs a glass of wine

Image: firebox

If you’ve seen our coverage of Firebox at all, you’ll know it’s a manufacturer in England known for hilarious, personalizable gifts. And if your mom is a “don’t talk to me before I’ve had my wine” person, they’ve got the perfect gift: Personalized Letterbox Wine. Just pick your poison for the 750 mL bottle, add a message like “Thanks for paying my rent” or “Sorry I was such a difficult teenager,” and then finish off the label by letting her know it’s from you. (Preferably with the embarrassing nickname that she calls you). As one of Firebox’s test labels states, this gift is way better than flowers.

Choose from red, white, or rosé and personalize your label for $35.09 here.

And self-chilling wine glasses for the wine

Image: host

She’ll need a glass to go with that wine, and the only thing better than a nice set of wine glasses is wine glasses that keep themselves chilled. These wine freeze cooling cups by Host are the ultimate gift for anyone who loves a glass of wine after a long day. Just stick them in the fridge for the time that Host recommends (depending on the type of wine) and the gel inside the glass will freeze — keeping the wine in the glass cold for up to two hours.

Choose from four colors and get a set of two for $15.69 here.

For the sentimental, mushy mom

Aw, a homemade gift — well, not really, but it has family pictures on it, so it’s close enough. Collage.com has a massive selection of gifts to personalize that mom can use on the daily: Slap a selfie of you and mom (or just a selfie of your beautiful face) on a phone case, pillow, blanket, mug, coaster, and about 30 more choices, with many priced at 50% off for Mother’s Day. Because even when you think you’re having an ugly day, mom thinks your face is the cutest thing to ever exist.

Check out your options and start your project here, with prices starting at just $4.99.

For the tech savvy mom

Image: amazon

Whether your mom is up on the latest smart devices or still has a flip phone from 2008, the Amazon Echo Show is about to make her life a whole lot easier. One of only two Amazon Echo products with a screen and video calling (and the fanciest of the bunch), the Echo Show can give mom the gift of voice commands with Alexa, schedule reminders, hands-free control of smart lights or locks, and can even provide an extra layer of home security via smart security cameras.

One of the coolest features of The Show is that it allows you to “drop in” on someone with a video call without them having to answer. (!!!) While a college student may not appreciate his mom being able to walkie-talkie him whenever she wants, many customer reviews claim that this feature was very useful for contacting elderly parents who have limited mobility or short term memory as it doesn’t require them to pick up a phone or use any buttons. 

Get your Amazon Echo Show for $229 here.

For the mom who misses the good old days

Image: winning solutions

Take mom back to the days before she had you with Mystery Date. This board game was a classic in the 1960s and 70s (when your mom was in her prime), and there’s a huge chance she either played it or was dying to get it. Whether she regrets selling hers at a yard sale or never had it to begin with, receiving a replica of the 1965 version is a guaranteed recipe for reminiscing. 

The game got a 5-star rating from 79% of Amazon customers, so you can assume it pays tribute to the original pretty well. Multiple people mentioned that even the kids in the family enjoy playing. 

Get this adorable piece of nostalgia for $37.95 here.

For the mom with a good sense of humor

The Thanks For Putting Up With My Shit candy bar is the no-bullshit token of appreciation that is sure to make her laugh — because moms deserve every award in the book for loving us, even when we’re brats. 

The candy bar is a summer-y strawberries and cream flavor, and it’s pink and shimmery (due to edible sparkles, of course). Perfect for moms with a severe sweet tooth. 

Get it for $11.19 here.

For the mom who prefers tea over coffee

Image: uncommongoods

If you can’t send your mom on vacation for Mother’s Day, you can at least send her tastebuds on a trip with this Tea from Around the World set. This collection of ten tubes of loose-leaf teas lets you sample exotic varieties from far away locales. She’ll enjoy flavors from the chestnut spice of Long Jing green tea, to the mix of bancha tea and roasted rice found in Genmaicha, as well as other yummy aromas from the Himalayas, Taiwan, and more. Each tube has enough leaves for 6-8 cups, so she’s set for many mornings in the future.

Get the set of ten for $55 here.

For the mom in need of some ‘me time’

Image: uncommongoods

There’s no mom that won’t like gift of a relaxing spa night — and this Solar System Bath Bomb Set will take her to a galaxy far, far away. Figuratively, at least. The set includes bath bombs modeled after eight plants (sorry Pluto) and the sun, with all natural ingredients and scents like orchids, sandalwood, and honey. 

You should also add a card that says “My love for you is out of this world.” We know it’s corny, but moms love that shit.  Find the details of each bomb’s flavor and get the set for $48 here. 

For the mom who deserves a gift every month

Image: the bath benefit

Which is all moms, right? If you’re having a hard time choosing between gifts, just give her the gift that keeps on giving: We’re talking subscription boxes, people. Cratejoy is having a massive Mother’s Day sale, with over 100 boxes up to 50% off — just use code MOMSDAY. Themes vary greatly, so you’ll have no problem finding something that’s right up her alley. Choose from wine and chocolate boxes, beauty and skincare boxes, DIY baking and craft boxes, and more.

Check out your selection here, and be sure to use code MOMSDAY for a special discount.

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