Mother’s Day is on Sunday, May 14th this year, so it’s time to start brainstorming gift ideas for your mom, your kids’ mom and any other important mother figures in your life. Flowers and a card are always nice, as are gift cards in a pinch. Here are some better ideas…
Brass Rain Chime Earrings
$45 by Traci Moyo Designs, from Madebyher.com
These beautiful, bold-yet-delicate brass earrings are hand-cut and hammered by Traci Moyo Designs, a small, woman-owned business based in Stevenson Ranch, California. The company’s designs are all inspired by nature and showcase organic silhouettes with elegant movement. They’re also available in sterling silver. Rush orders are available.
More Than Cake: 100 Baking Recipes Built for Pleasure and Community
By Natasha Pickowicz (Hardcover) $37.20 from Bookshop.org
“More Than Cake” is the debut cookbook from Natasha Pickowicz, a three-time James Beard Award finalist. The pro pastry chef has dazzled diners in a series of top NYC restaurants with her inventive desserts. Her cookbook, one of Food & Wine’s Best New Cookbook of Spring 2023 picks, presents uncomplicated, unique recipes inspired by her Chinese and Californian heritage. It features sweet and savory creations starring uncommon ingredients, such as olive oil cake with crispy capers, apricot and olive focaccia, and sour glaze maple gingerbread. Moms who are baking enthusiasts will love the build-your-own-layer-cake section. In addition to her remarkable culinary skills, Pickowicz has garnered acclaim for her activism, including hugely successful bake sales for Planned Parenthood and other nonprofits.
Polaroid Go Starter Set
Does your mom love taking photos? Buy her the Polaroid Go Starter Set for Mother’s Day! The pocket-sized gadget puts a contemporary spin on a vintage classic. It’s small, portable, and features a selfie mirror, self-timer, flash, internal rechargeable battery and wrist strap. This bundle includes the Polaroid Go Instant Camera (the world’s smallest instant camera) plus a Polaroid Go Color Film Double Pack, so Mom will be able to pop out miniature photos in an instant. Oh, and Polaroid advises that you not shake them.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil in Hand-Painted Ceramic
$50 from the Getty Museum Store
This charming ceramic olive oil bottle is hand-painted by artisans in the Puglia region of Italy. It’s filled with award-winning extra-virgin olive oil produced at the Frantoio Galantino olive mill, run by the same family since 1926. The high-quality product has balanced flavors ideal for everyday use. Plus, Mom can refill the display-worthy bottle with her own favorite oil again and again.
Iced Coffee Cup Gift Set
$39.19+ from SweetBasilCo on Etsy.com
Murrieta, California-based Sweet Basil Co. specializes in personalized gift sets and party favors. This one is perfect for moms who love their iced coffee. It includes a personalized 16-ounce glass iced coffee cup (you choose the name, font and text color), a 2.5-inch live succulent in a white pot, a hand-poured scented soy candle, a glass corked bottle with safety matches, and a greeting card with a personalized message. You can also choose to upgrade the gift set with add-ons like lip balm, a bath bomb or face mask.
Vintage Radio Portable Bluetooth Speaker
$24.99 by Fetor, from Zulily.com
Does your mom love listening to music around the home and outside? Buy her this speaker and FM radio, which combines a chic vintage aesthetic with Bluetooth capability. It comes with a charging cable, and a full charge lasts for up to 8 hours.
Natural Raffia Sun Hat With Flowers
Spring is in the air and summer will be here before we know it, so Mother’s Day is a great time for gifting a snazzy new sun hat. This one, from the Huntington Store, features a wide brim for excellent sun protection, hand-stitched raffia daisies for summery style, and an adjustable inner band that makes it one-size-fits-most. It’s lightweight, comfortable, and perfect for beach days, walks, gardening and general swanning around on sunny days. Delightful!
3D-Printed Rainbow Watering Bell
$20+ from RosebudHomeGoods on Etsy.com
Does your beloved mother figure love her houseplants? She’ll be happy to pamper them in style with this cool, 3D-printed watering bell a.k.a. thumb pot, rain pot or thumb watering can. Submerge the pot in water, place a thumb over the hole in the top, and release it for a gentle shower over any plant. This model is suitable for small- to medium-sized plants that require light watering, and is super-gentle to roots and soil.
Watering bells come with or without a drip tray in a choice of 10 solid colors or rainbow. They are made from high-quality plant-based PLA, a recyclable, biodegradable material that’s strong and sturdy. Costa Mesa-based small business RosebudHomeGoods also prints stylish planters, so consider a matching set.
Handmade Persimmon Ceramic Jars
Both chic and whimsical, these handmade ceramic jars resemble ripe persimmons. According to the seller, persimmons are an auspicious fruit in Chinese culture, so your Mom will feel extra lucky to receive these lovely jars as a gift. They come with an airtight lid and are available in three sizes, and in one-, two- or four-piece sets. She can use them to store tea, candies, coffee beans or other dry goods, or just display the jars as ornaments. Glorious Collection has similar handmade jars resembling tangerines, pumpkins, peaches, Chinese cabbage and other produce, so pick out her favorite.
Now, What She Really Wants…
…is a night in a nice hotel. Alone. With room service. And no interruptions. That’s it.
Here are some hotel recommendations from our archives.
(All prices, details and availability are subject to change)
