Gift guide · 12 ideas
Gifts for Mom
Moms are experts at buying for everyone else. These are the little luxuries she’d pick up in the store and put back.
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The best gifts for moms tend to be the things she’d call an indulgence: a nicer version of something ordinary, or something that buys her a little time and comfort. She’ll buy the practical stuff herself, so this is the chance to spoil her a bit.
Most ideas come with our pick from one of our top lists, chosen with her in mind rather than simply the top of the list: the slippers to leave by the bed, the frother that stands by the coffee maker, the picnic blanket that’s soft enough to double as a throw on the porch.
A mulberry silk pillowcase
Of everything on her bed, the pillowcase is the last thing she’d think to upgrade. Silk feels cool and smooth against the face, and she’ll notice it every night.
RENESSY Organic Mulberry Silk Pillowcase, 22 Momme (Standard, Natural White)
$50–$75
GOTS-certified organic mulberry silk at 22 momme, with silk on both sides and an undyed natural white finish: a case with real substance to it, cut for a standard pillow.
What owners say: Owners praise the soft, smooth feel, the colour and how well it washes, and say it’s kind to their hair; the price is where opinions part.
A closer look: Measure the pillow first: this listing is the standard size, and RENESSY sells a queen one separately. A standard case on a queen pillow won’t close over it, and a queen case on a standard pillow sits loose and creases. It arrives boxed, with a care card.
- Silk weight 22 momme
- Silk on both sides
- GOTS-certified organic silk
A heated throw
The couch is where she finally sits down once everyone else is looked after, and a heated throw makes that the warmest part of her day.
Westinghouse Sherpa Heated Throw, Dark Grey
$75–$100
Six heat settings, a timer that switches it off after two to ten hours, and a double layer of soft sherpa that holds the heat; when it needs a wash, it can go through the washer and then the dryer on low.
What owners say: Owners find it warm and quick to heat, soft and comfortable, and like the size, though a few find it big for a lap blanket; the weight gets mixed reports.
A closer look: Sherpa on both sides keeps it warm even unplugged, so it can stay on the couch as an everyday throw. After a wash, let it dry completely before plugging the controller back in; the controller also shuts it off if it ever overheats.
- 6 heat settings
- 2 to 10 hour timer
- Warm even when unplugged
Sheepskin slippers for her
She buys herself a cheap pair every winter and wears them out by spring. Real sheepskin is the pair she’d never pay for, and the one she’ll reach for on cold mornings.
UGG Scuffette II (Sand)
$100–$150
Real sheepskin inside and a fluffy sheepskin collar around the ankle, on a suede upper and a moulded rubber sole: the pair to leave by the bed for cold mornings, in genuine sheepskin rather than faux fur.
What owners say: Super comfortable and toasty without making feet sweat, by owners’ accounts, and the choice of colours goes down well. Fit, durability and value all divide them, and a few doubt their pair was genuine.
A closer look: Keep it well away from the washing machine. UGG’s own method is a damp sponge with its cleaner and conditioner, a light brush to lift the suede, and a day’s drying away from heaters and direct sun. It comes in whole sizes only, from 5 to 12.
- Suede with sheepskin lining
- Moulded rubber sole
- Fluffy sheepskin collar
A cozy bathrobe
A soft, warm robe for slow weekend mornings and evenings on the couch. Most moms are still wearing one that’s seen better days.
Yurhap Striped Plush Fleece Robe (Navy Blue)
$30–$50
A fluffy striped plush fleece that balances warmth and weight, with a shawl collar, two side pockets and a calf-length cut.
What owners say: Owners call it comfortable, cozy and very warm, and they like the colour. Thickness is the common complaint, and opinions on the sizing and the fabric differ.
A closer look: The adjustable belt sits at the waist, and the plush is warm without being heavy, so it works from fall evenings right through to spring mornings. Yurhap says its special dye keeps the navy from fading in the wash.
- Polyester plush fleece
- Calf length
- Striped plush texture
A Wi-Fi digital photo frame
Once the kids have left home, she hears about their lives in phone calls. With this, the everyday photos land on her shelf as well, and nobody has to remember to print them.
VESWWE Frameo 10.1-inch Wi-Fi Digital Photo Frame (32GB)
$75–$100
Anyone with the free Frameo app and the code the frame shows can send photos and short clips to this sharp 10.1-inch touchscreen, with no account to set up and no fee to send, so the whole family can join in. Link a calendar in the app and upcoming plans can show on it too.
What owners say: Owners report setup and everyday use go smoothly, and they’re satisfied with the frame overall.
A closer look: Put the frame on Wi-Fi first, then tap to show a code and type it into the Frameo app on each phone that will send photos. Any picture can be hidden from the slideshow and shown again later.
- No account needed to send
- 32GB plus microSD slot
- Shows your calendar
A reed diffuser
Her candles come from the grocery store; this is the scent she’d try in a boutique and put back on the shelf. A reed diffuser scents the room all day with nothing to light.
Thymes Frasier Fir Reed Diffuser (230 mL, 7.75 fl oz)
$50–$75
Thymes’ Frasier Fir, crisp Siberian fir needles with cedarwood and sandalwood, in a pine-needle print glass bottle with slender green rattan reeds. At 230 mL (7.75 fl oz) it’s a big bottle, made for a large room.
What owners say: Owners love the scent and the quality, admire the bottle and find the fragrance lasts.
A closer look: Stand it on a coaster or tray, as Thymes advises keeping it off wood and lacquered, polished or painted surfaces. Its woody scent suits a front hall or a living room, and Thymes sells the oil and reeds as a refill, so the bottle can be used again.
- 230 mL (7.75 fl oz)
- Fir needles, cedarwood, sandalwood
- Pine-needle print glass bottle
A sunrise alarm clock
Mornings in the house usually start with her, while it’s still dark. Light that builds slowly before the alarm is a kinder start than a buzzer.
Odokee Sunrise Alarm Clock and Sound Machine (H03)
$50–$75
Bedtime and wake-up handled by one soft, fabric-covered clock: a sunrise that stretches from 5 to 60 minutes before the alarm, 25 sleep sounds for the night, from white and brown noise to rain and waves, and a 5W Bluetooth speaker for podcasts and audiobooks.
What owners say: The slow, gradual glow before the alarm wins owners over, along with how much of each setting they can tailor and the range of sounds; it’s simple to run, and reliability is the one point they disagree on.
A closer look: Pick one of the three wake modes: light and sound together, the light alone for a silent start, or just the alarm. The sunset shade on the night light makes a soft glow for reading at bedtime, and the sleep timer turns the sounds off once you’ve dropped off.
- Sunrise over 5–60 minutes
- 25 sleep sounds
- Light-only silent wake mode
A garden kneeler seat
For the mom who spends spring weekends in the flower beds. She kneels on the pad, pushes up on the handles to stand, and flips it over to sit.
See options on AmazonA rechargeable milk frother
She talks herself out of the coffee-shop latte most days. With this on the counter, she can make one at home every morning.
CIRCLE JOY Rechargeable Milk Frother with Stand (black)
$10–$20
A slim rechargeable wand with a double-ring whisk that turns warm milk into dense foam in seconds, with hardly any splashing. It stands upright on its own steel stand by the coffee maker, so it’s always within reach.
What owners say: Owners find it froths well and feels well made at a fair price, the battery holds up well between charges, and it rinses clean in seconds; they like the steel stand too, and nobody raises a recurring fault.
A closer look: For the thickest foam, tilt the cup a little and keep the whisk near the top of warm milk. To clean it, dip the whisk in warm water and run it for a couple of seconds, then stand it back up to dry. The USB cable is in the box but the plug isn’t, so charge it from a phone charger.
- USB rechargeable
- Steel stand included
- Hardly any splashing
An embroidery kit
Something just for her, away from screens and the to-do list. Embroidery is easy to pick up, and a hoop and a few threads fit in a bag.
See options on AmazonAn e-reader
A book she never gets to finish goes everywhere on an e-reader: it slips into a purse, and most have a light for reading in bed without waking anyone.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (16GB)
$200–$300
Warm light for bedtime and waterproofing for the bath, neither of which the basic Kindle has, and a 7-inch screen in place of its 6-inch one, with fast page turns and weeks between charges.
What owners say: Owners call it easy to use from the first day, and the battery can go a month between charges; it’s light and travels well, though what it works with and the screen draw mixed reviews.
A closer look: Amazon’s 12-week battery figure assumes half an hour of reading a day with Wi-Fi off, so longer sessions mean charging more often. Audible books play through Bluetooth headphones or a speaker, and listening runs the battery down faster than reading does.
- Waterproof, with warm light
- Up to 12 weeks battery
- Glare-free screen
A picnic blanket
For Mother’s Day picnics, summer concerts in the park and Saturday soccer on the sidelines. It’s soft on top and waterproof underneath, so damp grass is no problem.
Tikroom Waterproof Fleece Outdoor Blanket (202 × 147 cm)
$30–$50
Extra-thick polar fleece on one side and a waterproof back of coated polyester, bonded without stitching so there are no needle holes for water to get through. Spread out, it seats two to four; wrapped around two people, it’s a warm throw at a ball game or a chilly campsite.
What owners say: Its owners pick out how light and soft it is, that it’s waterproof and well made, and that it suits camping and sporting events and is simple to carry in its bag.
A closer look: Over your knees, keep the waterproof back facing out so it blocks the wind as well as the damp. It rolls or folds into the stuff sack that comes with it, which has a carry handle, so it takes little room in a gym bag or the car.
- Polar fleece top
- Machine wash and tumble dry
- Doubles as a throw
Choosing for Mom
- Think about what she’d call “too much” to spend on herself. That’s the sweet spot.
- Anything that gives her time or comfort tends to beat another ornament for the shelf.
- If brothers and sisters are going in on one gift together, the e-reader or the sheepskin slippers make a nice joint present.
Photos are illustrative, some computer-generated. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra. How we pick · How this works.
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