Mother's Day Gift Guide
My favorite Mother’s Day Gifts of Years Past
I’m not lying when I say that my absolute favorite thing to receive on Mother’s Day is a handmade gift from my children.
For the past six years, the kids have made beautiful and sticky and special gifts at school, and I get to wake up each Mother’s Day to three homemade gifts that I get to treasure and cherish.
This year… things are different.
(How many times will we say that over these few months, I wonder?)
Because of the pandemic, school is out, which means…no homemade gifts are coming home in backpacks. I’m sure teachers around the world are celebrating the fact that they don’t have to spend the next week up to their elbows in glue and washable paint, but this mom is going to miss her handmade gifts!
That’s why, last night, when Brian said to me, “Ok. You’re going to have to help me out here. Just tell me what you want,” I was both impressed by his forward thinking, and— of course— I had a list ready to go.
Not So Into “Stuff”
Here’s the thing about me: I’m not a “stuff” person.
I like buying really good, quality items (from clothing to decor to cookware). I’d rather buy something that lasts, and buy it once.
That also means that when I do want to invest in something, I’m… just gonna go ahead and buy it. Which is super annoying for anyone trying to give good gifts!
So I decided to sit down and write my list for Brian, and once I was done, I wanted to share it with all of you!
Sometimes, as moms, it’s hard to ask for things we plain old want instead of things we (or our kids) need. So here are some ideas!
My TOP TEN Mother’s Day Gift Ideas
I love a good coffee table book. The bigger the better. They are timeless and beautiful, and I appreciate the work, the design, and the time that went into creating a book that’s basically a work of art.
This is the perfect coffee table book to add to my collection this Mother’s Day. (Bonus points if Brian has the kids sign their name and draw me a little something in the inside cover…and date it, of course.)
I have an obsession with designer vintage furniture.
My current obsession are 1960’s and ‘70’s Italian pieces. Again, it’s right in my sweet spot— something that’s quality, timeless, and something that’s going to hold or appreciate in value.
It has a history, a story, and it’s aesthetically beautiful.
I love the lines and shape of it. I love the contrast of black and white.
Of course it’s more expensive than something I’d find in a department store, but I don’t buy a lamp just because I need a lamp.
I’d rather wait. I’ll go lampless for years until I find the one that makes my heart skip a beat.
Did I mention I love a coffee table book? This one has been on my wishlist ever since it was released in March
I’m really big on scents, right now. This quarantine has given me an incredible appreciation for my home and for what I can control. I can control the environment of my home. I’ve been doing this with music and candles and changing the mood as the day progresses. No overhead lights on in the morning, just lamps. That kind of thing.
After I’m done with my workday, I immediately get out of my work clothes and into something comfortable. I think I would live in this thing. And I love this neutral oatmeal color!
When I’m not working (and sometimes when I am), I live in PJ’s! This WildFox set pairs my love for comfort with my love for an all black look. If you’re going to be living in sweats, might as well make them ones that will last— and look chic as hell!
For as long as I can remember, I have been drawn to line drawings. I love the simplicity of them. They aren’t overcomplicated with lots of color; they’re simple, usually just one color, and drawn in pencil, pen, or charcoal.
I have a large charcoal drawing that hangs in our master bedroom. Ever since I had kids, I’ve loved drawings of a mother and child or children.
I could be having a tough parenting day, but when I see those still, simple moments depicted in the artwork, they make me feel everything a mother feels at her most loving and appreciative.
I’ve had this particular drawing saved in my favorites folder for a couple years now. I love the size. I love the color. I love that it’s vintage 1961. And I love that it’s titled, “Mother Holding Her Child”
For me, part of being a mother is creating a comforting and beautiful home environment. I’m not talking new furniture or a fresh coat of paint, I’m talking smell and sound.
I’ve already mentioned how I’ve been changing candles throughout the day. Well, the same goes for music. I’ve created playlists that I play at different times of day, all day long in the house.
I wake up before everyone else, have my hour, and I get so much joy out of lighting a candle and putting on my morning music.
Then, when it’s time for the rest of the house to get up, the kids wake up to calm, soothing music. I change it a little more upbeat music for breakfast, some pick me up music during the afternoon, and we wind back down in the evening. I have a Spotify subscription for unlimited music, no ads, $9.99 a month, and I love it.
One problem. Because the music plays through speakers that are connected to my phone, any time I get a phone call or I need to use my phone, the music turns off! I did a little research and found this and bought it on the spot. (See what I mean!)
But if you’re in the market for something like this, we’ve been loving it!
I love baths. I love them. I take— on average— two baths a day. I get to be fully alone, I don’t need to be productive, and I can just slip away and relax. So any gift that can enhance the bath experience is a win in my book. For an everyday bath experience, I love Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salts.
For a more elevated bath experience, I always come back to this Hawaiian Black Lava Body Caviar.
It’s more of a splurge, but the last time I used this product, I could not believe how soft my skin felt. It is the most incredible bath product I’ve ever used, and definitely a contender for a Mother’s Day gift— or any holiday for that matter!
Again, I’m all about aesthetics! Of course you can wash your dishes with one of those lime green scrub brushes or ugly blue sponges. Or you can use these!
If you can make something you have to do a little more pleasurable, a little more beautiful, that’s worth it in my book!
BONUS!
I already have this particular gift, but if you’re looking for a good book (besides a coffee table book) to read by the light of a beautiful lamp, while you’re curled up in your robe, smelling your candle, may I suggest Sleeping with a Stranger.
I may be biased, but I think it’s the perfect gift!
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms. We are the luckiest human beings on the planet to do what we do.
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