28 Thoughtful Mother’s Day Gifts for Every Kind of Mom
From bespoke wine club shipments and upcycled bucket hats to literary magazines and bath kits, these are the most thoughtful (and inspired) goods for every type of mom out there.
Admittedly, it’s tough to compete with the gift of life. When it comes to celebrating your mother, there’s simply no pair of earrings, however stringently selected, that will feel on par with consciousness (nor is such a thing available on Amazon Prime). But if your mother has taught you anything, it’s that you sure as hell better come up with something—and as we’re already well into April, you’d better start brainstorming now.
Of course, there’s no formula for gift giving when dear mom is the recipient in question. Mothers are a unique breed. From where we’re standing, there’s no telling whether your mother prefers bourbon to gin, pajama rompers to bathrobes, jigsaw puzzles to card games, or Sheila Heti to Sally Rooney. Nevertheless, we can still help you track down the perfect gift—even without knowing your mom’s spirit preference.
Below, we’ve combed through the offerings at all our favorite digital retailers to find the best, most personal, most inspired gifts the internet has to offer. From bespoke wine club shipments and upcycled hats to literary magazines and bath kits, these are the ideal products for every type of mom out there. Shop now before May 9 approaches, and in the meantime, try to express your gratitude to mom for…well, life itself.
For the Chef Mom
Whether this is the sort of thing mom will find extremely handy or the sort of thing that’ll merely serve as a stovetop garnish, these ceramic spoon rests, made by independent Brooklyn-based ceramicist Brooke T. Winfrey, will make for excellent kitchen decor.
Poketo is a solid go-to brand when it comes to bringing a little vibrance into the kitchen. And these geometric-print, cobalt blue linen tea towels are a premiere example. Now, you may be thinking “what is a tea towel?”—and we can’t help you there. But we can tell you these all-purpose cloths can take on just about any rag-towel-kitchen-counter need you have.
If mom is in need of new cookware, it’s hard to go wrong with something like the Always Pan from Our Place (which really is like eight kitchen tools wrapped up in one). The non-stick pan is dishwasher-safe and comes in an array of pretty colors, and it’s from a BIPOC- and women-owned brand—always a plus.
Let’s be clear, these are not your grandmother’s salads. These are your mom’s salads—meaning they’re fun, hearty, and yes, occasionally decadent. From food blogger extraordinaire Julia Sherman, this cookbook is full of fun interviews, charming illustrations, and plenty of recipes that’ll make you reconsider what “salad” even means.
For the Wine Mom
The Wine Mom is no stranger to quality glassware. But no matter how extensive her collection, it’s unlikely she has anything quite like this amber-base set from artisanal glassware brand, Hudson Wilder. Plus, they make great tumblers too—for when Wine Mom pivots to Whiskey Mom.
Produced by the ever-talented Martha Stoumen, this sustainably crafted Nero d’ Avola Rosata wine has a finish that tastes like early-season strawberries and fresh rhubarb—making it the perfect hybrid indoor/outdoor wine for spring.
Mom may frown upon canned wine, but this effervescent beverage from Copenhagen purveyor Empirical Spirits is anything but low brow. True to its name, the brand produces spirits of their own variety, crafted from flavors like sour cherry, toasted birch, oolong tea, and black currant buds—which are a) delicious, and b) quite a classy alternative to your traditional shower beer.
Haven’t you heard that every day should be Mother’s Day? Which is to say, you have ample cause to celebrate mom all the time—and nothing connotes celebration like a good sparkling wine. Plus, the all-natural options that come in this mail-order selection will certainly spare her the hangover. And fear not: If mom isn’t exactly into bubbly, Dry Farm Wines offers plenty of other subscription box options.
When it comes to happy hour drinking, fine glassware isn’t always the best option. What if mom wants to take her wine on a walk? Into the backyard? On the subway? (We’re not here to judge.) Well, this to-go tumbler from YETI is certainly all-terrain. And it makes a solid coffee/tea thermos as well.
For the Foodie Mom
Wine Mom is certainly going to need some cheese to pair with all that vino. So why not gift her the ultimate hors d’oeuvre experience: an array of five decadent cheeses, all at peak ripeness, hand selected by the highly trained cheesemongers from Saxelby’s. Not to mention the fig and black tea jam, the sea salt and olive oil crackers, and the perfect little jar of wildflower honey.
Created by Somali chef Hawa Hassan, Basbaas sauces are beautifully jarred, exceptionally tasty Somali spreads and sauces designed after the flavors Hassan grew up eating as a child in Mogadishu. This particular tamarind date sauce will taste fantastic on anything from fresh greens to roasted pork.
Objectively speaking, there’s no finer way to sate a sweet tooth than with a selection of Christina Tosi’s famed Milk Bar baked goods. Think: cloyingly sweet birthday cake truffles (in two varieties), the infamous “crack pie,” and plentiful cookies.
For the Fashion Mom
It’s time you stopped giving your mom grief about her ever-growing tote bag collection, and instead, helped her celebrate the utter versatility of the classic tote. This Mother’s Day, feed the hoard with this set of three vibrant nylon bags from Baggu.
When a standard tote won’t cut it, it’s time to introduce a classic netted produce bag—which mom will surely know is this season’s hottest farmer’s market accessory.
The only thing preferable to a pajama set is a pajama romper—and this zip-up number from leisure-forward fashion brand Dandy Del Mar comes in terry cloth, which means it’s just as absurdly cozy as it is flattering.
When it comes to more formalized bag needs, sustainable designer Angela Roi has plenty of options in vegan leather. This micro handbag is just big enough for a book but just small enough to say “I’m going out tonight.”
Even if your mom isn’t a TikTok star (or a Gen Z sympathizer), she can still sport a bucket hat with grace. That said, in place of some viral tie-dye number with an Emma Chamberlain logo, consider something a bit more twee—like this quilted headwear from independent designer, Marvin Ruby, which is repurposed from a vintage American quilt.
Purchasing clothing for anyone can be a bit of a shot in the dark, no matter how well you know them. So for mom, lean classy/classic, but still of the moment: Few garments are as enduringly chic as a well-made trench (and this Everlane iteration certainly counts).
For the New Mom
We’ll only say this once: New moms deserve baths. Whether that means renting an Airbnb or loaning out your own tub, be sure the new mom in your life has access to ample soak time. But first, arm her with this luxurious, natural, pH balanced “Wind Down” bath kit from Maude.
No one deserves a high quality robe like the new mom in your life. And you can’t do better than this waffle robe from Parachute, made of 100% Turkish cotton. If nothing else, it’ll serve as a welcome reminder that she sure as hell does not need to put pants on until she damn well pleases.
“Nursing bra” might not be the sexiest phrase available to you at the moment—but this athletic-style top from sustainable athleisure brand Girlfriend Collective might just change your mind. Designed to make nursing as easy as possible, it’s soft, stretchy, and, well, sexy.
For new moms, an indoor shoe is all but crucial—specifically one that helps with sore, swollen feet. And in the realm of comfort, there are few more glorious options than Oofos recovery shoes, which will essentially massage mom’s feet each time she stands up.
For the 'Wellness' Mom
This innovative tinted skin serum from trendy clean beauty brand, Ilia, doubles as a perfect, even, matte foundation and a sunscreen—so it’s pore perfecting and it’s good for your skin.
A soothing hair and body oil is an easy crowd-pleaser in the realm of mom-forward wellness. This one from Fur is safe on sensitive skin and it won’t stain clothes. Plus, it looks cute on a vanity.
Of all the self-care options out there in the world, it still holds true that few things are quite so reliably soothing as a perfect towel. So look no further than this wildly plush, sustainable option from Brooklinen made with 100% Turkish cotton.
Wellness doesn’t have to be all face masks, all the time. Mental hygiene counts, too. Hence: a subscription to sceney, hip literary mag, The Drift. Filled with short fiction and essays from new voices in the publishing world, it’ll give mom plenty of material to work through—and with new issues arriving three times annually, she’ll never run out of new content.
Okay but sometimes, wellness is about face masks. Help mom chill out with this ultra calming mask filled with stressed-skin-neutralizing Tiger Grass from cult-honored skincare purveyor, Dr. Jart+.
For getting her steps in, mom will need a functional sneaker that will not discredit her fashion-mom-status. So why not go with a new pair of HOKAs? They’re universally beloved, designed for all terrains, and available in a truly unending selection of colorways, so surely you’ll find something to match mom’s favorite speed-walk leggings.