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42 Thoughtful Gifts We Think Your Mom Will Absolutely Adore
1. A fill-in-the-blank book ready to hold all the reasons she’s the best as an affordable customized gift. Amazon Promising review: “I saw this and just knew I HAD to buy it! My mom is my best friend and to get a chance to leave some really sweet and loving notes and then some really…
1.
A fill-in-the-blank book ready to hold all the reasons she’s the best as an affordable customized gift.
Amazon
Promising review: “I saw this and just knew I HAD to buy it! My mom is my best friend and to get a chance to leave some really sweet and loving notes and then some really funny make her laugh out loud notes I had to buy this book! She loves this gift so much! It made her laugh, and get emotional, too! She loved the cute, creative look of it! This was the best gift I’ve gotten her in a while.” —Sarah Smith
Get it from Amazon for $10 (available in a variety of styles).
2.
Or a set of letters to mom you can easily split up with your siblings for a *joint gift* because you’re thoughtful like that and they’re super forgetful like that.
Amazon
Includes 12 fold-and-mail-style envelopes (10 prompted, 2 blank).
Get them from Amazon for $7.99.
3.
A breakfast sandwich maker so YOU can make breakfast for *you both* instead of lazily dropping hints about wanting some McD’s. (Besides, you can drive to get your own McD’s.)
Amazon
Makes 1 to 2 sandwiches ready in 5 minutes. Has a timer with audible tone and removable parts are dishwasher-safe.
Promising review: “It is easy to build a great breakfast sandwich with any toppings you want, and it always comes out perfectly. I usually set the timer for four minutes because I like my yolk a little runny, but you can tweak your time as you gain experience. Make sure it is preheated to minimize the mess from the egg (it will leak if the unit is not preheated), spray lightly with cooking spray, and you’re off to a great breakfast sandwich.” —Rob Cooper
Get it from Amazon for $39.99.
4.
Family tree wall art in case your mom (like mine) is elbow deep in ancestry research and could benefit from a beautiful way to organize it.
Amazon
Get two from Amazon for $22.35.
5.
Or a DNA testing kit as a jumping off point for diving into your lineage and so many stories.
Ancestry
Simply send in your saliva sample to our lab in the prepaid package, and your report will be ready in around 6-8 weeks. Detailed instructions are included. You can also gift mom with a subscription so she can connect with relatives and dig wayyyy deeper into her background.
Promising review: “I got this for my mom for Christmas. She had been wanting it for such a long time, being that she didn’t know anything about her father other than a name. She submitted the kit by the beginning of January and it matched her to a first cousin. Her cousin confirmed her father’s name and was able to point us in the direction of my mothers siblings. By February 2nd she found out she had brothers and sisters and was able to communicate with them. This product changed my mom’s life.” —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $59.
6.
An *affordable* framed photo to help capture that moment from Thanksgiving last year when everyone actually smiled and had their eyes open in one take. Oh, and it ships for FREE!
@keepsake / Via instagram.com
You can download the app, upload a pic, choose a frame, and have it shipped directly to your mom. My brother and I went halfsies on a Keepsake-framed photo for my parents last month for their anniversary and it turned out great!
Get one from Keepsake for $25+ (available in a variety of sizes, styles, and frames).
7.
Or go in together for a custom gallery wall to fill up that blank wall in the foyer she keeps meaning to decorate with pics from the 10 weddings you all attended last year.
Framebridge
Seriously, stop trying to piece together your own gallery wall. I’ve also tried and loved this service! It helped me finally print out a few years of vacation, wedding, and holiday photos to make my apartment feel like home. Each gallery wall shipment comes with a paper format you can tape up to the wall with spots for the included hardware. So you can install it when she’s distracted with wrapping some last-minute gifts for a heartfelt reveal without making a bunch of unnecessary holes in the wall.
Get it from Framebridge for $150+ (available in 12 styles).
9.
A crochet beanie kit for the mom who says she doesn’t need anything. With this kit she can DIY her own gift and know that 20% of its proceeds go to charity!
We Are Knitters
This We Are Knitters x Jonah’s Hands beanie was designed exclusively by this 11-year-old crochet prodigy. 20% of its sales will be donated to Roots Ethiopia, a charity that “partners with communities in Ethiopia to turn local ideas into lasting change.”
Get it from We Are Knitters for $60.
10.
A gift subscription to Acorn for the Anglophile mom who can’t get enough British TV shows. And Australian ones, too!
Acorn TV
My mom and I ADORE watching British mystery shows and we just started watching Agatha Raisin (seen here), starring Ashley Jensen (who I already knew and loved from Catastrophe, which you can watch on Amazon Prime)! This will be like treating your mom to coffee once a month, but so much more satisfying.
Get it from Amazon for $4.95 a month.
12.
A bath bomb set for making the guest bathroom feel like a spa. HER spa.
Amazon
Get them from Amazon for $14.68.
13.
A Fire tablet with Alexa and your online library password so she won’t have to complain about how she’s “running out of books to read at the library” — which is a thing my mom said. And it was the truth!
Amazon
With this beaut, you can complete tasks, enjoy movies on the go, browse recipes, or ask Alexa for the weather.
Promising review: “Was a gift for my Mom (73 years old). Screen is perfect size for her to watch movies and read books. Very lightweight. Easy for her to navigate. Got her a pair of bluetooth headphones, she was able to pair them to the tablet herself.” —Sexy Puppies Design Studio
Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in two memory sizes).
14.
A customizable family cookbook to make it easier to keep up with those heirloom recipes that taste better than anything you could ever get in a restaurant.
Uncommon Goods
Do the grunt work of filling out the recipe book from the start as an even sweeter gift!
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Or a custom photo book you can build with images of original recipe cards and family holidays past. And because you build it online, you can make lots and lots of copies to share!
@shutterfly / Via instagram.com
My uncle did this a few years ago for our family with my Grandma’s prized family recipes he scanned and uploaded as pics. Now it lives with my mom’s cookbooks and she refers to it for family meals. (We miss Grandma Lilly dearly and she did *not* mess around when it came to good eats and clean plates. So this is a gift she definitely would’ve loved.) A few years before that I made a vacation photos book for my parents through Shutterfly and they thought it was wonderful!
Get it from Shutterfly for $9.99+ (several book making options available, so you can get as creative or as minimalist as you’d like).
Amazon
Get them from Amazon: Jewish Christmas for $25.21 or a National Parks candle for $26.95 (available in Grand Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, and Yosemite).
17.
A puzzle plateau for working on a new puzzle as she pleases instead of waiting for a lull when she won’t be using the dining room table for a few days.
Amazon
Measures at 21″x29″ and fits most 1000 pieces puzzles (puzzle sizes may vary).
Get it from Amazon for $64.98. Also check out a puzzle roll.
19.
A roomy tote she can throw most everything she could possibly need for the day. Even her current read!
Nordstrom Rack
Get it from Nordstrom Rack for $59.97 (available in three colors).
20.
A box of British chocolate you can graciously help her finish off if she needs that help.
Amazon
Comes with one Curly Wurly, one Picnic, one Twirl, one Starbar, one Crunchie, one Wispa, one Dairy Milk Caramel, one Double Decker, one Dairy Milk, and one Flake.
Promising review: “Just received several days ahead of estimated delivery which was very nice. All the chocolates/candy are very freshly dated and were protected by the packaging. The box itself was a bit dented but everything inside was perfect. I am very happy with this purchase. Several years ago, I went to a local British store and bought about $40 worth of candy for a British vs. American ‘taste-off’ for the kids, (we would read a book and then try to eat meals/snacks like the characters for a new experience). This was so much less expensive and I saved myself the two hour round-trip drive. Can’t wait to show the kids and remind them of that taste-off picnic!” —dp
Get them from Amazon for $14.90.
21.
A custom necklace with longitude numbers representing where you and your siblings live to remind her that distance is just a number.
White Lilie Designs / Etsy
22.
A pet odor–neutralizing candle so she won’t have to buy stock in air freshener to keep the house smelling nice despite YOUR dog YOU insisted on adopting who now lives with her.
Amazon
Who amongst us is not guilty? Read my full review of Pet House candles. (I’m obsessed!)
Promising review: “Hands down, the best candle out there. Fills your home with such a lovely scent. I always get compliments from visitors. I have two dogs but would buy this candle if I didn’t have pets. That’s just how lovely the scent of this candle is. My favorite is Mandarin Sage.” —Anadew
Get it from Amazon for $21.95 (available in 23 scents).
23.
A custom print to remind her of your special bond, even if you don’t live around the block.
Emma & The Bean / Etsy
Get it from Emma & The Bean on Etsy for $18 (available in six relationships and two map types).
24.
A ~tasteful~ frame that’ll make that adorably awkward childhood pic of you that much more appealing because you can’t time travel to tell yourself to NOT cut your bangs yourself.
Amazon
Get it from Amazon for $10.49+ (available in four sizes and four finishes).
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Or a digital photo frame with ~unlimited storage~ you’re required to tell her was on Oprah’s list of favorite things this year.
Amazon
Works with iPhone or Android. Facial recognition software via the Aura app identifies your closet relationships and sends photos to your frame automatically. The frame works vertically or horizontally.
Get it from Amazon for $189.
26.
A Texas pride skillet your mama is gonna want to show off to everyone that steps foot in her house.
Sur La Table
27.
An Insta-worthy electric toothbrush set and a year subscription to replacement heads. You know she’s been mulling over an electric toothbrush a while now but other models have felt too rich for her blood.
@quip / Via instagram.com
Did someone just say sibling gift? This set includes a Quip electric toothbrush, refillable floss, large mint toothpaste, and carrying case. The year-long subscription means that she’ll receive quarterly a brush head, AAA battery, floss refill, large mint toothpaste, and free shipping/auto-delivery.
Get it from Quip for $135+ (available without the bag for $95 and in several finishes).
28.
A toasty scarf to express her love for classic literature because no matter how many times you watch Colin Firth in a wet T-shirt contest together, this is (unfortunately) the closest either one of you is getting to a nuzzle from Darcy.
Uncommon Goods
Get it from Uncommon Goods for $48 (available in Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Alice in Wonderland, and Sense and Sensibility).
29.
A loose tea subscription box as a reminder to practice a little self-care.
CrateJoy
Get it from CrateJoy for $9+ a month (available in four varieties).
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A gorgeous kettle with a cool-touch handle so she doesn’t have to worry about tracking down an oven mitt when the water’s ready for tea.
Macy’s
I have one of these and love looking at it on my stovetop, even when I’m not using it!
Get it from BuzzFeed’s Goodful line, exclusively at Macy’s for $38.99.
31.
A tea drops sampler, aka an impressive set of loose leaf tea molded into fun shapes that are sure to impress.
Amazon
Get them from Amazon for $16.99.
32.
Personalized family mugs that’ll make her feel all warm and toasty inside while you catch up on the phone.
Uncommon Goods
Get them from Uncommon Goods for $30+.
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And adorable coffee spoon she can use to stir in the good stuff to get her java to the perfect color and taste.
Promising review: “This is a great product and is super cute! The spoon holds on to the side of the cup as expected. I use it every day to stir my coffee.” —Curiously curious
Get it from Amazon for $1.01.
34.
A Rosetta Stone subscription so you can both brush up on your Italian before you hit up the Amalfi coast in summer 2020.
Rosetta Stone
Check out pricing on Rosetta Stone (varies by package, language).
35.
A 7-in-1 Instant Pot because she’s dedicated a whole Pinterest board to Instant Pot recipes (and sent you the link), so she’ll finally be able to put them to use! Maybe you’ll even get to savor the noms.
Amazon
Uses include a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté, yogurt maker and warmer. Features 14 smart programs, like soup, meat/stew, bean/chili, poultry, sauté/simmer, rice, multigrain, porridge, steam, slow cook, keep warm, yogurt, manual, and pressure cook. Unconvinced? Read why one BuzzFeeder loves it.
Promising review: “I love this machine. I got it as a Christmas gift to myself and it’s the best money I’ve ever spent. I’m on an elimination diet for my autoimmune disease. It means that I have to cook all my food myself. I CANNOT eat out. That is a huge amount of time and prep and work. This little machine is a lifesaver. There’s a bit of a learning curve figuring out how long things need to go, and how to adapt recipes from slow cookers and oven braising to work under pressure, but once you figure it out, it’s such a huge time saver. Plus it does so many different things. Such a time saver, and so delicious.” —CelesteEden
Get it from Amazon for $59.92+ (available in 3-, 6-, or 8-quart sizes).
36.
A chic lil’ compact she can keep stashed in her purse bc who can actually keep up with which makeup container has the cleanest mirror? Not I!
Avon
Get it from Avon for $12.
37.
A Book of the Month subscription – it can keep her filled with all sorts of literary tomes she may pass on to you after she’s read them so you can discuss. (Fingers crossed!)
@bookofthemonth / Via instagram.com
The recipient gets a gorgeous gift card with a custom note. Then they can pick one of five books available for each month and even skip a month if they’re super busy then. So you don’t have to sweat selecting the book they’ve love.
Get a three-month gift subscription from Book of the Month for $44.99.
38.
A 2-in-1 folding knife with a set of replacement blades because she doesn’t have the time to worry about buying a replacement knife.
Cabela’s
Get it from Cabela’s for $54.97.
39.
Blue light–blocking glasses she’ll look so good in, she’ll forget she’s wearing them when she’s not staring at her laptop.
DIFF
Promising review: “Everything about this is above my expectations. I do IT for a living with many ancillary digital hobbies so I spend a good amount of time in front of screens. These glasses are the real deal, see my photos which show they actually do what they claim; block blue light! I have a pretty big head/face and they fit great. I wear a size 7 5/8 baseball cap for reference. I’ve been wearing them around the house all afternoon and comfort is not an issue. Packaging was good, each pair comes with a soft sleeve lens cloth case. I got the two pack so I can leave a pair at the office and at home without having to worry about forgetting them which I’m prone to.” —John
Get a pair from Amazon for $19.98.
40.
A desk name plate that’ll spell it out for anyone who’s unsure of her official title.
Amazon
Get it from Amazon for $13.99.
41.
A custom Starbucks cup she can keep in her car so she’s ready for her morning caffeine ritual.
Amazon
Get it from Amazon for $18.99.
42.
And a compact jewelry storage box she can use to organize the gifts of the past and throw in her bag, easy-peasy.
Amazon
Get it from Amazon for $10.99 (available in six colors).
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Looking for the perfect gift for any occasion? Check out all of BuzzFeed’s gift guides!
Allison Krausman / BuzzFeed
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