Mother's Day is the day set aside to celebrate moms, from "regular moms" and "cool moms" to grandmas, stepmoms, mother-in-laws, or any other honorary moms in our lives. For all the things moms do day in and day out, we're not sure why they only get one day a year, but we don't make the rules, so we gotta make that one day count with a perfect gift. And no, the perfect gift for Mom absolutely does not have to cost a bunch either.
Moms do a lot. How can we ever tell her how much she means? She led the Girl Scout troop and stood up to that rotten eighth grade History teacher. She bought us our first bra and handled that uncomfortable story about the birds and the bees like a total champ. She let us cry on her shoulder after our first heartbreak and stood on her chair and screamed with pride at graduation. And maybe now Mom has become the grandma the kids can't live without. Oh, Mom — how we love her!
A perfectly stated Mother's Day card can certainly do the trick. Heartfelt words are always a wonderful and welcome gift. However, for anyone who wants to take it up a notch for Mom this year, we've come up with tons of creative Mother's Day gift ideas. We looked high and low to find top-notch and budget-friendly gifts for every kind of mom out there.
Check out our roundup of special gifts for Mom that are all under $25 … but still feel extra extra special like Mom.
Canteen Crossbody Bag
Every mom deserves a bag that's all her own (no, that diaper bag doesn't count). This cute, cognac crossbody bag is perfect for moms on the go who need to keep their hands free and still want to get their stylishness on.
Canteen Crossbody Bag by Universal Thread ($22, Target)
Draft Latte 4-Pack
Oh yum. Any coffee-loving mom in your life will enjoy the gift of these ready-made lattes in a can! These tasty cuppas are made with whole, real ingredients, and yes, there's even a frothy layer of foam! Choose from regular Draft Latte, Triple Draft Latte, Mocha Draft Latte, Coconut Milk Draft Latte, Coconut Milk Mocha Draft Latte, Chai Draft Latte, or a Draft Latte Variety Pack.
Draft Latte ($12 for 4-pack, La Colombe)
'Queen' Keychain
Here's a fun, affordable gift for that mom in your life who's a total QUEEN every single day. Choose from 16 colors or pay an extra $5 to customize a keytag in any color with a personalized message just right for Mom.
'Queen' Keytag ($15, Various Keytags)
Light Box With Letters, Numbers & Symbols
This fully customizable light box is a fun addition for any busy household run by an incredibly pithy mom. Mom can use the included letters, numbers, and symbols to share a message for the family, for guests, or even for her Instagram followers.
Lightbox With Letters, Numbers & Symbols ($15, Amazon)
Pastel Gemstone Bracelet
This gorgeous bracelet is adorned in all the best pastel-colored gems, including pale blue glass, agate, jade, white magnesite, and pink quartz. For larger budgets, order a few to give Mom an inspired layered look. This gold-plated bracelet comes in a gift box, too, so wrapping is a snap!
Dainty Pastel Gemstone Bracelet ($24, NestPrettyThingsShop/Etsy)
Sephora Collection Face Masks
Face masks are giving us life right now, and we love this assortment from Sephora. Choose from eight mask types: Algae (purifying & detoxifying), Avocado (nourishing & repairing), Green Tea (mattifying & anti-blemish), Lotus (moisturizing & soothing), Orchid (anti-aging & smoothing), Pearl (perfecting & brightening), Pomegranate (anti-fatigue & energizing), or Rose (ultra-moisturizing & brightening). Right now, they're even running a Buy 3 – Get 1 Free promotion, so you can get Mom 4 masks for just $18 if you hurry.
Sephora Collection Face Masks ($6 each, Sephora)
Hey Mama Floral Ceramic Coffee Mug
It's hard to have a faraway mom or grandma, but here's a way to send her love and a sweet "Hey Mama" each and every day, as she sips her morning favorite. This colorful mug with gold accents will become a fast favorite in her collection.
Hey Mama Floral Ceramic Coffee Mug ($19, Always Fits)
Effervescent Bath Bombs
Here's a BOMB gift every busy mom will love — she can relax those tense muscles, draw out toxins, make her skin silky smooth, and take like 10 minutes to her freakin' self. The five signature scents of these effervescent bath bombs include Original (milk, oatmeal, vanilla, vetiver), Marine (fresh sea air, morning mist, beach grass), Honeysuckle (honeysuckle nectar, herbacous greens), Lemon Verbena (citrus with herbaceous notes), or Blood Orange Amber (essential orange and amber oils).
Barr-Co Bath Bomb ($6 each, Gracious Home)
Weekly Agenda Pads
OMG, we love these extra-wide weekly agenda planner pads. Overbooked moms can plan out the family's week, hang it up for all to see and follow, and then tear it off on Sunday to take on a fresh new week. And moms with older kids can delegate the filling-out part to the teens! Choose from three lovely designs: Charlie, Foliage, or Canary Colorbloc.
Agenda Pads ($18, Our Heiday)
Houseplants & Hot Sauce: A Seek-and-Find Book for Grown-Ups
Remember those fun seek 'n' find activity books for kids? Those were fun, huh? Well, now it's Mom's turn to take back that kind of fun for herself. This creative activity book for grown-ups features illustrated scenes full of funny challenges that'll make the kids super jealous. Art by Sally Nixon.
Houseplants & Hot Sauce: A Seek-and-Find Book for Grown-Ups ($14, Chronicle Books)
Herringbone Pestemal Beach Towels
It's just a mom's luck that she'll end up on the beach with one cheek on a sandy SpongeBob towel and the other in the actual sand. But no more, once she's gifted ones of these gorgeous beach towels. They're lovely and lightweight for toting to the pool or beach and they dry quickly in the sun. Choose from 11 colors, including Turquoise (shown here).
Herringbone Pestemal Beach Towels by Linum Home Textiles ($24, Target)
Recycled Bamboo & Cork Canisters
Can any human being have too many pretty containers? We think not. Load up one of these midcentury-inspired bamboo and cork canisters with Mom's favorite coffee, tea, or treats, and you'll have a wonderful, personalized gift!
Recycled Bamboo & Cork Canisters by Ekobo ($24, Food 52)
Floral Sleep Mask
Show us any woman in the thick of motherhood, and we'll show you a woman who needs some sleep. Help a mom get some zzz's with one of these cotton voile sleep masks in a cheery floral pattern. We're also not ruling out the idea of gifting some earplugs on the side. Because that would also be nice.
Eye Mask in Signature Prints ($15, Plum Pretty Sugar)
Concrete Geometric Planter
It's a charming, handmade planter and a geometry lesson all in one. What is an octahedron again? Here's one! Tuck in a tiny succulent or air plant, and Mom will have something lovely to sit in her favorite window sill.
Concrete Geometric Original Mini Octahedron Vessel ($14, ConcreteGeometric/Etsy)
'Mom Hair Don't Care' T-Shirt
Let this be the day we celebrate how little time there is for moms to do it all! "Mom Hair Don't Care" — and neither do we, because she's a good mom doing her very best every day. Gift this cute gray cotton tee to any good, messy-haired mom you love. Available in sizes S-3XL.
'Mom Hair Don't Care' T-Shirt ($24, Look Human)
Minty Lavender Tea
Time for the great escape … even if that means simply gifting Mom with an absolutely decadent cup of tea. This blend of tea and mint leaves, lavender buds, and horsetail greenery can bring on a lovely case of clarity and calm. It's delicious and loaded with herby benefits, including a nervous system regulator, an anxiety eraser, a total system de-stressor, and much more. And oh, that cute pink canister …
Minty Lavender Tea ($20 for 15 tea sachets, Olive & June)
#BonusMom Candle
Mothers-in-law can get a bad rap out there, so celebrate the good one in your life with this sweet hand-poured soy candle. Choose from 10 wonderful scents, and add a personalized message to the back for no extra charge. You can even get these candles customized for that awesome stepmom or other #BonusMom you adore!
Mother in Law Soy Candle ($18, Vibesandcompany/Etsy)
Instagram Friendly Books
This sweet, little Instagram book is a fun, easy little gift that every grandma will adore. Because you're going to load it up with cute pics of her grandkids, of course. Just click the book size and "Make Your Book." Then you'll select "Add Images" and choose "Instagram" to connect directly to your feed — no uploading required. Then plug in the pics you want. This is a perfectly sized "brag book" for gram to carry in her purse.
Instagram Friendly Books ($15+, Artifact Uprising)
Striped Mini Note Cards Set
If you have one of those moms who put cute, little notes in your school lunch every day — and she still loves to drop you a line whenever possible — why not send her this black-and-white striped note card set that comes with 12 mini note cards and 12 brown mini envelopes? Yes, this will encourage her, but you know you love it.
I Love Stripes Mini Flat Cards & Minilopes ($15, stationeryboutique/Etsy)
Mixed Material Statement Earrings
These gorgeous dangle earrings turn a lovely combination of ceramic, zinc, resin, wood, and steel into showstopping statement jewelry. She'll love wearing these babies out on the town.
Combined Earrings ($20, Zara)
Brass Table Clock
How elegant, modern … and affordable! This brass table clock is perfect for her desk but also sophisticated enough to make mantel status. Plus, there's no annoying tick-tock sound since the clock has a silent quartz movement. We like that!
Brass SNOFSA Table Clock ($13, Ikea)
Brass Book Darts
Book-loving moms will love this cute, reusable tin full of brass book darts. She can mark a passage she wants to remember or save her spot in a novel. Pair this with a good book of poetry, if you have a little more to spend.
Book Darts ($10, Schoolhouse Electric)
Popsicle Watering Can
Time for that garden lover you know to trade in her beat-up old plastic thing for this vibrant and glossy watering can made from enameled zinc. Choose from three happy-making colors, including Coral (shown), Pink, or Green. Holds 1.9 liters of water.
Popsicle Watering Can ($24, Terrain)
Spotted Ceramic Butter Box
This ceramic box bedecked with tiny spots and a wooden lid makes a delightful gift. Sure, it's designed to be the cutest butter box in the world — and we certainly love that — but this charming little vessel can hold jewelry or cotton balls or sticky notes or anything, really! Choose from Citron or Black.
Spotted Ceramic Butter Box ($18, Leif)
Keepsake Pregnancy Journal
Any mom-to-be who is early in her pregnancy and not "officially" a mom just yet is certainly deserving of this sweet gift. This cheery journal is filled with prompts to inspire a pregnant mama to share her thoughts, feelings, and experiences, as well as her cravings, name ideas, and hopes for baby.
Expecting You: A Keepsake Pregnancy Journal ($13, Uncommon Goods)
Gold Initial Necklace
Here's a sweet, affordable initial necklace that Mom or Grandma can wear every day. Choose from three chain lengths: 16", 18", or 24".
Gold Initial Necklace by Emery & Opal ($21, Brika)
Gradvis Vase Set
These pretty in pink vases are perfect for any mom or grandma who loves having fresh flowers in her house. And there's no beating this amazing price!
GRADVIS Vases in natural and pink ($6 for set of 2, IKEA)
'Mother Unlike Any Other' Patch
Let your mama know she's a "mother unlike any other" with this blush pink felt and black thread iron-on patch. She can wear it on a jacket or vest or put it on a bag or backpack, whatever she wants to wear to boast her queen mom status.
'Mother Unlike Any Other' Embroidered Patch ($10, Alphabet Bags)
Compact Mirror
A compact in your bag is a must-have for checking your lipstick or for spinach in your teeth. Gift Mom with an extra pretty one she'd never buy herself. These come in Gold, Blue, and Pink (shown here).
Compact Mirror by Odeme ($18, ban.do)
Pregnant Belly Sheet Mask
Here's a great gift idea for an expectant mom. Face masks may be all the rage these days, but this belly mask is next level. This all-natural hydrating sheet mask is said to help minimize stretch marks during pregnancy and help soften inflamed scar tissue postpartum — and that'd be great — but this would also feel oh so nice for a tired mom-to-be with a growing belly.
Belly Mask: Stretch Mark Minimizing Sheet Mask ($12, Hatch Collection)
Half Moon Hair Clip Set
For moms and grams who like to pull their hair back, we love these beautiful half moon hair clips. One has a shell-like shimmer and the other is a pretty marbled gold.
Half Moon Hair Clip Set ($20, Poketo)
Copper Utensils
Whether Mom or Grandma is a cook or loves to entertain, these pretty copper utensils will take her kitchen and dining wares up a notch. Each piece is just $15. Choose from (clockwise from top) the Copper Turner, Copper-Plated Whisk, Slotted Copper Spoon, 4-pc. Copper-Plated Measuring Spoon Set, Copper-Plated Serving Spoon, Copper-Plated Pie Server, or the 4-pc. Copper-Plated Measuring Cup Set.
Copper Utensils by Food Network ($15 each, Kohl's)
Bio Brightener Stick
This creamy skin brightener is a great addition to any beauty collection. Even better, it's free of harsh ingredients and made with organic aloe, chamomile, and green tea, which can all help heal and revitalize your skin.
Bio Brightener Stick by W3LL People ($24, Anthropologie)
'Sleep Is for the Weak' T-Shirt
Most moms will relate to this funny "Sleep Is for the Weak" tee. Gift this to her with a voucher for "free babysitting." These T-shirts are incredibly soft and come in three colors: Peachy Pink (shown), Stone Grey, or White. Available in an array of sizes, too, from XS to 2XL.
'Sleep Is for the Weak' T-Shirt ($22-$23, JulietRoseBoutique/Etsy)
Light Blue Glasses
We love these stackable light blue glasses, especially for the backyard and summertime. Get your favorite mom a set of 12 for just 12 bucks, too. At a buck a piece, who cares if a few get broken over the summer! Live large, mamas. Live dangerously.
MUSTIG Glass in Light Blue ($1 each, IKEA)
The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother
Here's a beautiful gift for that expectant or new mom who's a total artist in the kitchen. There are more than 50 recipes for Mom and baby and tons of gorgeous photography.
The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother ($25, Anthropologie)
'Mother of the Year' Mug
Sometimes the simplest Mother's Day gift is the best one. Give Mom that much deserved blue ribbon for "Mother of the Year" on a mug she can pull out every day to feel special and loved.
'Mother of the Year' Mug ($15, Brooklyn Backroom)
'Hellraiser' Zipper Pouch
You'll know right away if this zipper pouch is the perfect gift for your mom. After all, anyone with a "hellraiser" mom doesn't have to wonder about it. It's been perfectly clear. Since the day you were born. This zipper pouch is 95 percent post consumer recycled material. Art by Haley Johnson.
Little 'Hellraiser' Zipper Pouch ($8, Always Fits)
Portable Rummy Game
If Grandma's a total gamer (the old-school kind, not the video kind!) and the grandkids want to gift her something they can all play together, this rummy game is the perfect gift. Not only does it come in a small zippered cloth bag with high-quality tiles (the heavier ones that feel really nice!) and four playing racks, but it'll mean hours of quality gaming and bonding time, too.
Full Size Rummy Game in Travel Bag by Point Games ($15, Amazon)
Mini Heart Carabiner Clip Keychain
This simple mini heart says, "I love you, Mom." Plus, she can us the carabiner style for hanging her keys and hanging other things, like her purse, the diaper bag, or the kids' backpacks in a pinch.
Mini Heart Carabiner Clip Keychain by Bison Designs ($6, Urban Outfitters)
