It’s impossible to describe just how important moms are — biological mothers, adoptive mothers, surrogate moms and everyone in between. Mother’s Day lands on May 12 this year, and it’s the perfect opportunity to show your mom how important they are to you — and that you’re paying attention. Plus, your mother figure deserves a gift that caters to their specific interests, whether that’s whipping up a home-cooked meal, tending to a garden or traveling around the world.
To help you shop for all the mother figures in your life, we rounded up some of the best Mother’s Day gifts we think you should know about, including personalized items, tech, home goods and more.
SKIP AHEAD Personalized gifts | Beauty and wellness gifts | Home and kitchen gifts | Food and drink gifts | Apparel and accessories gifts | Tech gift ideas | Outdoor and travel gifts
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Mother’s Day gift ideas in 2024
Below, we’ve suggested a variety of Mother’s Day gift ideas that can appeal to any type of mother, including products from our existing shopping guides and Select staff favorites. Mother’s day, like any holiday can sneak up on you, so make sure you order these gifts soon so they arrive in time.
Personalized gifts
L.L.Bean Boat and Tote Zip-Top
If your mom is an avid traveler or simply needs a new everyday bag, L.L.Bean’s Boat and Tote is a great option that you can personalize with their name, initials, nickname or any other fun message you choose. NBC Select commerce editor Lindsay Schneider is a huge fan and has multiple versions and sizes of the classic tote. She recommends this zip-top option for traveling or commuting thanks to its long durable handles and sturdy structure. “I think of it as a modern-day Mary Poppins bag,” says Schneider. “I can easily fit my laptop, lunch, wallet, water bottle, notebook and my other daily work essentials and there’s still room for more — no one ever knows what else I might manage to pull out of it. Plus, the straps always sit comfortably on my shoulders, making it easy to carry no matter how heavy it gets.” You can choose between four sizes ranging from small to extra-large, as well as eight different colors.
Artifact Uprising Hardcover Photo Book
For the sentimental moms, consider making a photo book with their favorite memories. This hardcover option from Artifact Uprising has fabric binding, a minimalist layout, a dust jacket cover and custom foil lettering that makes the book look display-worthy in their home. You can choose from three base page counts: 40 pages (typically displays up to 120 photos), 80 pages (up to 250 photos) and 120 pages (up to 350+ photos). It comes in six sizes and 11 fabric colors.
Apple AirTag
The Apple AirTag, which is one of our top travel accessories available on Amazon, is great for busy moms who tend to misplace their essentials. The Airtag connects via Apple’s FindMy app and shows its precise location. You can also add a personalized engraving on the Apple website with their name, initials, emoji and more.
Minted Groovy Kind Of Love 60-Piece Custom Heart Puzzle
This personalizable 60-piece matte puzzle from Minted comes in a patterned drawstring pouch and hinged box with gold detailing and includes a reference artwork card that she can follow while building it. And if that specific design doesn’t feel like Mom to you, there’s other options like a wide variety of other custom puzzle designs on Minted.
Weezie Women’s Short Signature Robe
Schneider also recommends this cropped robe from Weezie, which you can personalize with your mom’s monogrammed initials, nickname and more in various fonts and colors. “I love that it has short sleeves, so I can comfortably wash my face and brush my teeth without long, chunky sleeves getting in the way,” she says. Schneider also likes that the organic cotton robe is cropped and collarless, making it suitable for warmer temps. Plus, the tie belt is partially sewn into the back of the robe, so it won’t fall off while you’re wearing or washing it, she says. The robe also has pockets for Mom to store small items, like hair clips while she’s getting ready or reading glasses if she’s lounging around the house.
Woof & Wonder Custom Pet Portrait Sweatshirt
If your mother figure finds every opportunity to talk about the family pet, she will love showing their furry friend off in this custom sweatshirt. The unisex crewneck sweatshirt displays a custom embroidered portrait of their pet’s face. You can choose to display and upload photos of up to five pets, and there’s a text box where you can add the pets’ names and any additional notes. You can choose from four colors and sizes range from small to 3XL.
Beauty and wellness gifts
Olive & June The Mani System
Your mother figure can get the perfect at-home manicure with this Olive & June customized gift box set. It includes up to six polish colors in either gel-like formulas, quick-dry formulas or a combination of the two, plus a cuticle serum, polish remover pot, clean-up brush and more.
Skin Gym Cryocicles Pink Facial Ice Globes
Make everyday feel like a spa day with these facial ice globes. Each one is made of artisanal glass and contains cold liquid, so Mom can swipe the globes across their forehead, cheeks and neck using gentle rolling motions to depuff and soothe the skin. For an extra cooling feeling, they can pop the globes into the freezer or run under cool water for a few minutes before using them.
Kitsch Satin Pillowcase
Silk and satin bedding not only feels luxurious on the skin, but it can also benefit skin and hair health, dermatologists previously told us in our roundup of dry skin products. This Kitsch satin pillowcase is a NBC Select Bed and Bath Awards winner due to its cooling effects and how gentle it is on the skin. It’s also machine-washable and doesn’t lose its softness after the initial wash, according to our editors.
Oura Ring Gen 3
The Oura Ring, which is one of our favorite fitness trackers, has a minimalist design that looks like an everyday piece of jewelry.Your mother figure can track their wellness stats without being weighed down by bulky or flashy fitness trackers. The ring records sleep quality, heart rate, blood oxygen levels and more, which Mom can view directly on the companion app. Plus, it comes in four colors, including silver, black, matte black and gold. Keep in mind that while they can access daily stats for free, a subscription membership for long-term tracking costs $5.99 a month.
Papier Gratitude Journal
Papier makes several unique and aesthetically-pleasing gratitude journals that can help Mom practice daily mindfulness. This journal includes prompts for them to complete in the morning and evening, as well as monthly check-ins and inspiring messages. You can also customize the journals with your mother figure’s name to add a personalized touch.
LARQ Self-Cleaning Bottle
The LARQ bottle has a self-cleaning design that uses UV-C LED lights to purify up to 99.99% of bio-contaminants in your water and bottle, according to the brand. I own this water bottle and love that it self-cleans automatically every two hours (or manually when I press the button). It has a double-insulated design that can keep cold contents chilled for up to 24 hours and hot contents warm for 12 hours, according to LARQ. The bottle also comes in a few different colors for the mom who cares about aesthetics as well as hydration.
Home and kitchen gifts
Keenray Towel Warmer
This towel warmer is a favorite of NBC Select editorial director Lauren Swanson, who gave it as a gift to her grandma. With a 20-liter capacity, this device can warm up your mother figures towels, bathrobe, pajamas, blankets and more, according to the brand. The device heats up in just one minute, and heats for up to 60 minutes at the touch of a button, according to Keenray.
Best Choice Products Raised Garden Bed
If mom loves to garden but doesn’t have a ton of space to do so, this raised garden bed can make a great gift. It comes with a handy liner that separates the wood from the soil, which preserves the structure’s condition over time, according to the brand. And depending on where they lives, Best Choice Products offers the garden bed in two sizes (5 cubic feet or 8.4 cubic feet) — there’s also a separate model that comes on wheels for portability.
Great Jones Hot Dish
This 9-inch by 13-inch ceramic casserole dish — a favorite of associate updates editor Zoe Malin — can help mom bake lasagna, cobblers, cakes and more. It has a 4-quart capacity and is dishwasher-safe and oven-safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. It also includes handles to help them easily transport it around the kitchen. The vintage design comes in four colors: blue, yellow, pink and green.
Joanna Buchanan Druzy Wine Charms
If your mother figure loves to host friends and family for parties and wine nights, consider gifting them this set of six wine charms. The drink markers, which connect to the bottom of a wine glass, are made from zinc and druzy stones, each with their own unique color to help them tell drinks apart. The charms also come neatly packaged in a gift box.
Easyplant Nature’s Trifecta
Easyplant’s self-watering pots can be a great option for moms who have a habit of overwatering (or under-watering) their indoor plants. Each plant comes pre-potted in a ceramic pot that uses a proprietary mechanism to slowly carry water from the reservoir directly to the plant’s roots. I was gifted a few options from Easyplant when I first moved into my apartment in July 2021, and I’ve managed to keep them alive by only watering them about once a month. The Nature’s Trifecta collection includes a small money tree, a small tricolored Hoya plant and a small Parlor Palm. Each plant is pet-friendly, and you can choose between five color combinations for the pots to suit your mom’s personal style.
Lisa Says Gah Archie Throw Blanket
Add a pop of color to your mother figure’s home with this Italian summer-inspired throw blanket, which I recently bought and love to display in my living room. It’s five feet long and machine-washable, just make sure to use the gentle setting. Plus, it has colorful fraying on the sides to add an extra fun touch.
Lego Orchid
Perhaps your mom has no green thumb at all and would rather opt for a fake floral beauty like this Lego Orchid. Select’s editorial projects associate Rebecca Rodriguez recently constructed this set, noting that it was a fun hour-long process and looks great. The set includes 608 building blocks that ultimately create six large flowers and two newly opened flowers inside of a blue vase. When completed, the orchid measures 15 inches high and your mother figure can easily customize its appearance by rotating stems and blooms.
Ember Coffee Mug2
If mom needs to put freshly brewed coffee into a cup, the Ember Mug2 is a gorgeous answer to that call. The ceramic mug works with the Ember app, which displays the current temperature of the drink inside the mug and the temperature they set it to. Minutes later, they’ll receive a push notification once the ideal temperature has been reached. As someone who likes their coffee to remain hot while working from home, I use the Ember Mug daily to avoid having to heat up my drink in the microwave. The mug is available in two sizes: 10 ounces that can keep drinks warm for up to 1.5 hours and the 14-ounce version that can last up to 80 minutes, according to the brand.
Purple Harmony Pillow
If mom already has the perfect mattress — or you don’t have quite enough expendable cash to spend on one — this pillow can be a solid alternative. The Purple Harmony Pillow is made from hypoallergenic material and is designed to keep their head and neck supported all night, according to the brand. If it doesn’t work out, it comes with a 100-night trial so she should be able to return it without any hassle.
Food and drink gifts
Boarderie Mother’s Day Diletto Cheese & Charcuterie Board
This Boarderie charcuterie board is a ready-to-eat meat and cheese spread that comes in three sizes to serve up to 10 people. The board comes with a variety of cheeses, meats, dried fruits, nuts, chocolates and olives, all assembled on an acacia wood serving board. It even comes with a bamboo cutlery kit for serving.
Ghia Deluxe Sweet Set
Upgrade your mom’s bar cart with this nonalcoholic set from Ghia. It comes with a 500-milliliter bottle of nonalcoholic Berry Apéritif, two jars of the brand’s hazelnut spread and a set of two handmade totem glasses. You can choose from four colors for the glasses, too.
SodaStream Terra
Your mom can make sparkling water or soda instantly with help from the SodaStream Terra. Its cylinder injects carbonation into your water and you can buy additional products to flavor and customize your drink. In addition to the sparkling water maker, the set comes with a 60-liter carbonating cylinder and a 1-liter dishwasher-safe bottle to hold her favorite fizzy drink.
Brightland The Artist Capsule
For the mom that loves to cook, this Brightland set includes four infused cold-pressed olive oils: Ardor (infused with red chili peppers, jalapeño peppers, chipotle peppers and paprika), Rosette (infused with garlic), Lucid (infused with lemon) and Arise (infused with basil). Each olive oil is packaged in a 375-milliliter glass bottle that has been UV-coated to protect the olive oil from light that could damage it, according to the brand.
Deux Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
Deux’s mini donuts can definitely help satisfy your mother figure’s sweet tooth. These gluten-free donut holes come in four flavors, including cinnamon sugar, glazed, chocolate glaze and the brand’s latest addition, not-so-red velvet. Each order comes with two four-packs of donut holes.
Bonne Maman Sampler Gift Tin
This Bonne Maman sampler tin comes with nine bestselling flavors in adorably mini, 1 ounce jars. Mom will get eight jars of the brand’s premium spreads, including strawberry, apricot, blueberry, raspberry, cherry, orange, grape jelly and fig, plus one jar of honey.
Trade Coffee Subscription
Trade’s coffee subscription is a great way for your coffee-loving mom to expand their coffee knowledge and get to know different roasters, and they can rate each coffee on the brand’s website to get similar options in future shipments. After answering a few questions about their coffee preferences, Trade’s algorithm will curate options for them from their list of 450+ craft coffees from U.S. roasters. Each coffee is roasted within 48 hours of shipping and sent directly from the roaster, according to Trade.
Winc Wine Club Membership
Before anything else, Winc’s Wine Club Membership asks Mom to take a short quiz that determines their taste, including whether they prefer red or white wine and what regions and flavors they like best. By updating the recommendation settings, they can change the types of wine delivered each time, too. If they enjoy a glass of Pinot (or otherwise) every once in a while, you can be the source of that relaxing swig.
Apparel and accessories gifts
Verloop Chunky Checkerboard Slide Slippers
These backless slippers are cushioned, have slip-resistant padded soles and are lined with a warm polyester fleece to help your mom get cozy at home. They are knit with a bold, two-toned checkerboard pattern to add a pop of color to your mother figure’s wardrobe.
Mejuri Bold Pearl Drop Earrings
A classic pair of pearl drop earrings like these from Mejuri can be a great way to help revamp your mother figure’s jewelry collection. I bought these to wear the night before my wedding, and I found that they’re comfortable, lightweight and complement every outfit. They’re made from gold vermeil, which is a thick 18-karat gold layer on sterling silver.
Lion Latch Jewelry Case
This small circular case can safely hold their rings, necklaces, earrings and other jewelry. Plus, it easily attaches to their keys so they won’t forget it while traveling. The case comes in a variety of solid colors and even comes in patterns to match your mom’s favorite sport.
Lululemon Chargefeel 2 Low
Lululemon’s Chargefeel 2 sneakers — which were released last year as an upgraded version of the brand’s original Chargefeel shoe — can help upgrade your mom’s workout routine. These cushioned, lightweight training sneakers are great for running, walking and training exercises like weightlifting, which makes them a perfect multi-purpose shoe, according to Malin. It’s available in two styles: Low Top and Mid Top.
Dagne Dover Landon Carryall Bag
One of our favorite weekender bags, the Dagne Dover Landon Carryall Bag is both versatile and functional. Designed from 100% neoprene fabric, the lightweight material is insulating, shock-absorbent and flexible that makes it easier to take it on long or short getaways. It comes in six colors and five sizes ranging from extra-small to extra-large.
Little Words Project Custom Bracelet
One of our favorite women-owned brands, Little Words Project makes custom and pre-made friendship bracelets that can showcase meaningful phrases, names and more. If you want a simpler option, the brand also has a beaded bracelet that says “Mama.”
Stitch Fix Gift Card
Whether your mom is looking to update their wardrobe or collect a few staple pieces, Stitch Fix is a personal styling service that can send their accessories and jewelry, business casual wear, athleisure and more. They would simply need to take a style quiz on the brand’s website — once they place an order, they’ll receive a box with five items to try on and potentially keep, exchange or return. The service offers clothes in sizes XXS to XXL, as well as maternity, petite and plus sizing. Former NBC Select writer Gabriella DePinho received a Stitch Fix gift card for the service and said she loves the convenience and simplicity of it.
Summersalt The Cloud 9 Silky Robe
For the homebody mom, this Summersalt wrap robe is my favorite cover-up to throw on when I’m lounging around my house. Its matte charmeuse fabric feels soft and silky against my skin and I love that it has pockets to store any smaller items.
Birthdate Pendant
This custom pendant has gemstones and crystals that are uniquely created for your mother figure’s birthday, or their child’s. The necklace is made from 14-karat gold plated silver. Included with the pendant is a gift insert that explains more about the stones and why the brand’s astrologers selected them.
Everlane The Way-High Jean
Everlane’s Way-High Jean is by far my most used pair of pants (and I have them in three different colors). They’re extremely comfortable, versatile and don’t show signs of wear or fading after a few washes. These jeans are available in seven colors and 13 sizes. You can also choose between three inseam lengths — 25.5 inches, 27.5 inches and 29.5 inches — to give your mom the best fit.
Eberjey Gisele Tencel Modal Relaxed Short PJ Set
Eberjey is one of our favorite women-owned brands for its comfy pajama sets. NBC Select manager of editorial operations Shari Uyehara received this set as a gift and says the fabric is soft, cooling and stretchy. “I also particularly like the style and silhouette of the pajamas — they’re PJs but I would wear them to the bodega or coffee shop,” she says. The set is machine-washable and comes in 11 different colors, as well as five sizes ranging from extra-small to extra-large.
Tech gift ideas
Kindle Paperwhite
If your mom likes to read but has yet to upgrade to e-readers, consider giving them the Kindle Paperwhite. The glare-free display should make it easy to read, even in sunlight, and its built-in adjustable warm light accommodates total darkness, according to Amazon. The Paperwhite’s charge should last for weeks, and it comes in 8GB and 16GB storage sizes, which can hold thousands of e-books at once.
Courant MAG:2 Essentials
Your mother figure can snap their iPhone 15 (or any older model) onto this magnetic phone stand that doubles as a charger. Malin loves how chic the device looks on a desk or nightstand, and it acts as a convenient stand for your phone so “you can video chat with people or scroll through social media at a perfect angle while it’s charging,” she says. The stand, which also has a separate surface to charge their AirPods, is available in either a linen or a leather material, and you can choose between five different colors. For a more personalized touch, you can also add your mom’s monogram for an additional $10.
Nixplay 10.1 inch Smart Digital Photo Frame
A digital photo frame can be a great way to share photos instantly with your mother figure, especially if you live far away. You can share photos via the Nixplay app or email, and you can import them directly from Google Photos, Facebook and Instagram. The app also lets moms invite family and friends to share photos or video playlists so the frame is always updated with new content.
Smartish WalletSlayer Vol. 1 for the iPhone 13
If your mom is always losing things, one former NBC Select editor found an older model of the Smartish’s WalletSlayer Vol. 1 and thought it was a great solution. The WalletSlayer is a two-in-one that effectively, well, slays the wallet by combining it with your phone’s case. It holds three cards total and they can push each of their cards out of the case through a slot on its back.
Philips Wiz Smart Wi-Fi LED Color Bulb
We all deserve to turn our homes into magical caves, illuminated with millions of different colors — whenever and however we want. These smart bulbs from Philips allow Mom to do just that, according to one Select editor. While some smart bulbs require buying a separate hub to use them, they can easily change the color of the lights emitted from the Philips Wiz bulbs by using the Wiz smartphone app (or by pairing the bulbs with a home assistant like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Apple’s Siri Shortcuts). The bulbs are easy to configure and a fun, easy way to decorate the home.
Outdoor and travel gifts
Tangerine Northeast Harbor Pickleball Paddle
If your mother figure is an avid pickleball fan, Tangerine has a variety of paddles and paddle covers in bright colors and patterns. This paddle in the brand’s “Northeast Harbor” design has an elongated face, a durable fiberglass surface and a 5-inch handle wrapped with grip tape to help them maintain a better hold.
Fillmore Vegan Leather Luggage Tag and Passport Case
Help your mom keep their travel essentials safe with this matching luggage tag and passport case, which you can personalize with their initials for an additional charge. Made from vegan leather, this matching set comes in 12 colors and patterns
Stanley The Mother’s Day Quencher
If your mom hasn’t quite gotten on the Stanley Quencher trend (or, alternatively, has too many to count), consider the brand’s new Mother’s Day variant of the viral cup. The 40-ounce tumbler comes with a colorful floral design and a stainless steel, vacuum-insulated construction that keeps their drink cold for hours, according to the brand. You can pair it with various accessories, including a straw cover and sling bag.
Rumpl Alpenglow Original Puffy Blanket
For picnics, star-gazing and every outdoor adventure in between, this Rumpl blanket is durable, thick and wraps into a travel bag to take on the go. It’s also insulated, machine-washable and stain- and water-resistant, according to the brand. The corner loops lets them stake the blanket into the ground, while a “Cape Clip” allows them to wear the blanket hands-free.
Why trust NBC Select?
Mili Godio is an editor at NBC Select who has provided dozens of gift ideas for a variety of holidays and occasions, including Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, Secret Santa and weddings. For this article, Godio researched dozens of products across shopping categories like home, tech, kitchen, wellness and more, and compiled the best gifts for moms to consider this year.
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