Swanning around
Made of machine-washable recycled ripstop nylon, this sturdy and sweet bag has a small interior pocket, a zippered top, and a swan beak on the padded strap.
Your mom surely has a work-friendly tote or practical handbag already. The Baggu Swan Bag would make for a charmingly functional addition to any collection. At 11 by 5 inches, it easily houses a wallet, phone, keys, and lip balm. And this bag is made from machine-washable, recycled ripstop nylon, so it’s ultra-light—ideal for popping out to the store, grabbing lunch with a friend, or cheering on the sidelines of a basketball game. It comes in black, white, and lavender-gray, and on one side of its padded strap, the well-structured purse has an extra flap approximating the bird’s orange-and-black beak. Deputy director of social and community Julia Bush received the swan bag from a friend as an inside joke, but Julia loved it so much, it quickly became her go-to, bopping-around bag. “The zipper is smooth, there’s an internal pocket I can tuck my keys into, and it fits comfortably over my shoulder,” she said. “I’m delighted every time I see someone do a double-take on the street because they’ve realized I’m carrying a swan around.”
Good eats
Featuring 100 irresistible recipes, this soulful cookbook is an homage to the unseen mammas and nonnas who shaped one of America’s most beloved food traditions.
“I am the proud great-granddaughter of a pistol-packing, beer-swigging, gambling, boss-of-her-block Italian American contessa,” begins the preface to Mother Sauce: Italian American Family Recipes and the Story of the Women Who Created Them, by former Martha Stewart Living editorial food director Lucinda Scala Quinn. The cookbook offers fabulous recipes aplenty: lasagna with mini meatballs, prosciutto bread, sherbert-stuffed frozen lemons. But it also makes the case that the legions of unnamed immigrant women—who fled poverty and knew little English—turned the cucina povera (the cooking of the poor) of their homeland into one of America’s most beloved cuisines with sheer grit and imagination. It’s a story that may resonate with moms of all kinds of backgrounds.
Precise painting
These lush, floral paint-by-numbers kits come with everything you need to create large, modern still-life paintings.
Packed with a canvas, paint, and brushes, each Pink Picasso Paint by Numbers Kit results in a gorgeous 16-by-20 still life. Marked by degree of difficulty, from 3 to 5, the paint kits require detailed work but are engrossingly soothing once the artiste gets going. Supervising editor Hannah Morrill found the process “addictive and meditative” when she tried a level 5 kit, even though it required a magnifying glass for some parts. Whether she’s a practiced creative type or just has some artsy flair, you may want to start your giftee out on a level 3 (like Backyard Blooms or Bashful Botanical) for her first go-around.
Bake expectations
Display cakes, pastries, or beautiful objets d’art on this surprisingly durable and dishwasher-safe Parisian-style glass cake stand.
Whether your mother delights in baking or just displaying baked goods, we think the Fortessa Tableware Solutions Jupiter Hobnail Glass Cake Stand is a steal. Made with durable soda-lime glass, its hobnail (raised knobs) design is inspired by the beading style of vintage Parisian glass objects, but it’s still dishwasher-safe. Just choose your size carefully—only the 13-inch large version accommodates full-size cake rounds, while the 8.5-inch small version is better suited to smaller pastries.
Flower holder
Available in four solid colors and two patterns, this petite vase makes a bright addition to a nightstand or windowsill.
The 4-inch-tall Heath Ceramics Bud Vase is a timeless classic, designed in the 1980s by Edith Heath, the late, legendary American studio potter who co-founded Heath Ceramics with her husband, Brian. The petite vase comes in a crackle pattern and a handful of solid colors (including a tomatillo green and a desert orange), as well as some limited seasonal glazes. Yet moms with an eye for artisanal beauty will appreciate that it can spark joy in any small corner, with or without a few blooms.
Massage mat
This 26-by-16-inch acupressure mat is covered in plastic spikes, for increased circulation and relaxation; be warned, it is painful at first.
A linen topper spangled in 27-point plastic spikes covers a foam mat. The company that makes the scary-looking Prosource Fit Acupressure Mat and Pillow Set says it provides a passive acupressure massage that stimulates circulation and helps sore muscles feel better. Joseph Bernstein, a New York Times Styles reporter, first put this set on our radar, saying, “For five minutes, it’s torture. Then you feel great: relaxed, loose, maybe even a little sleepy. As a bonus, there’s no hangover. And you only have to pay for it once!” We couldn’t agree more.
Swedish sweets
You can mix sweet, sour, and chocolate candies from this purveyor of elevated Swedish treats. They come packed in a glossy box that’s secured with a chic floppy ribbon.
If your sweet-toothed mom likes gummies, consider the offerings from New York City–based BonBon, a favorite of Wirecutter’s kitchen team. This company imports impeccable Swedish treats, such as sour mini strawberry gummies, chocolate-covered rice puffs, and, of course, Swedish fish, and they come in an array of sophisticated flavors, like lemon, orange, pear, and berry. Fill a large box with a mix-and-match assortment of your choice. This candy comes wrapped in a lovely pink box and tied with a floppy ribbon.
Everything pouches
This colorful set contains three different-size recycled nylon pouches in bright patterns. They’re handy for all of your doodads and are machine-washable.
Whether she needs a place to keep her lipstick, her art supplies, or her dirty gym clothes, your mom probably could use some zippered pouches. We love this colorful Baggu Go Pouch Set, and we use them to stash everything and to keep larger purses and suitcases organized. They’re made of recycled nylon, come in a bunch of different patterns and colors and are easy to clean in the washing machine. This year’s new Japanese-produce print is a particular fave.
Anywhere hiking maps
This handy app provides detailed information and community reviews on nearby trails, no matter where you are in the world. As long as you’ve chosen your route in advance, it even works offline.
If your mom is a trekker or even just a casual walker, the All Trails app will help her find dozens of routes nearby, no matter where she is. Staff writer and hiking enthusiast Samantha Schoech has used this app all over the world to find hiking and walking trails, but she uses it most often to explore closer to home. It sorts hikes by difficulty, length, activity (including mountain biking, walking, and backpacking). And it shows whether a trail is suitable for dogs, strollers, or wheelchairs. It will also let your mom know if she’ll be rewarded with a view or a waterfall, and it provides turn-by-turn instructions, so she won’t get lost. The All Trails app even works offline, for when she’s really off the beaten path.
Handsome tapers
These striped candles have a distinct striped look, and they burn with little to no drips.
HAY’s Stripe Candles, which come in a set of four, are made from 100% stearin wax. They feature a smooth, understated finish and a pleasant burn. And during testing, these colorful candles were extremely low-maintenance—there were no drips (hence why they’re some of our favorites), and each one burned for about 10 hours. The ridged base also helps them stay snugly in their holders, with no wobbling. These candles are a great option for the mom who likes to set a scene and is ready to branch out from her “safer” designs.
A pretty planter
Marrying a natural geode with poured concrete and liquid gold results in a one-of-a-kind piece that works equally well as a candle holder or mini planter.
This geode planter is the perfect vessel for holding a succulent or a candle. Ray and Val Talbert, the husband-and-wife duo who run the Pittsburgh-based studio, ethically source minerals. And together with their small team, they carefully arrange the stones over hand-cast concrete to create a faux-geode look. Edged in gold, this planter is a uniquely beautiful piece that almost any mom will love.
Elegantly tough gardening gloves
These long gloves, meant for florists, consist of soft goat leather that shielded our palms and forearms well against rose thorns.
If she spends spring digging around the yard, the Exemplary Gardens Rose Pruning Gloves, from our guide to gardening gloves, are our pick for forearm coverage. Made of soft goat leather, they protect thorns and brambles, whether she’s plucking blackberries or cutting roses for a vase.. However, the palm material is thinner than that of some other gloves we tried, so they may have a shorter lifespan than some of our other picks.
A cotton kaftan
Don’t let the chaotic Etsy shop deter you. This lightweight kaftan—with a generous cut and an even more generous array of prints and colors—suits nearly every body and style.
Giving clothing is a risky proposition, but this item isn’t exactly clothing. It’s more like a cute and wearable soft breeze. The construction of this cotton kaftan is relatively straightforward: a rectangle of cotton with a reinforced v-neck, drawstring waist, wide sleeves, and subtle side slits. But the kaftan’s versatility is definitely not basic. Staff writer Samantha Schoech wears hers most often as a housedress, but it also comes in handy as a beach cover-up, a nightgown, or even a sundress. She suggests the longer, ankle-length version, but it’s also available in a knee-length style. And it comes in more than 400 prints and patterns, plus style variations like side ties or front buttons.
Dopp kit like it’s hot
This outdoorsy-looking dopp kit packs down flat but is still roomy when expanded. It does, however, lack pockets and a hook.
If your mom has some trips on the horizon, make it easy for her to tote all of her bathroom essentials by giving her one of our former dopp kit picks from Topo Designs. This bag has space to hold all of the usual gear, like toothpaste, floss, and sunscreen. Yet due to its unique prism shape and color-blocked design, no one else will mistake it for their own kit. In addition to being available on the Topo Designs site, this dopp kit is available (in varying stock) at many retailers, and it comes in more than a dozen bold color combinations.
A cute little vessel
This cute enameled vessel with a chubby wooden handle isn’t just for butter. It also works as a small stovetop pot, a bowl for soup or hot cocoa, or as a ladle or scoop.
Don’t be misled by the name: This cheery, vintage-looking vessel does much more than melt butter. (And when you do use it to melt butter, it won’t explode all over the place, unlike in a microwave.) The 16-ounce enameled steel vessel is great for small tasks, like heating up soup for one or warming hot chocolate, while its cute wooden handle is easy to grab (just make sure it’s not over the flame). This sweet little item is a gift that keeps on giving, and your mother will find endless uses for it. Senior staff writer and resident pan tester Michael Sullivan is an acolyte. “I use it every Thanksgiving as a gravy boat,” he says. “I love that it can go straight from the stovetop to the table.”
Luxurious moisture
This solid moisturizer bar smells great and promotes super-soft skin. It’s a little pricey, however.
The smooth round Kate McLeod Daily Stone Solid Moisturizer is rubbed on dry or damp, post-shower skin. Made with cocoa butter, sweet almond oil, and apricot kernel oil, it softens and melts when it comes into contact with warm skin, providing a lightweight, subtly scented body oil that doesn’t drip, leak, or feel too heavy. Once your mom has the kit, she can buy refills for the reusable bamboo container (currently for about $40). This gift is not cheap, but it is a relatively affordable daily luxury.
Paintings by an Impressionist master
This 120-page retrospective features full-color prints of Impressionist painter Mary Cassatt’s tender portraits of mothers and children.
Mary Cassatt made her career painting two classes of people rarely highlighted during the late 19th century: mothers and their children. Cassatt was one of few female painters in the Impressionist circle of Paris. And her oil paintings and pastels reveal her access to the most intimate moments of those she depicted, glorious in their mundanity: a woman bathing her baby, two children playing on the floor, a mother breastfeeding. This hardcover book collects the very best of Cassatt’s works, with supplementary essays to help the mother in your life appreciate them to the fullest.
Spices galore
Eight different spices—including Indian turmeric, Vietnamese cinnamon, and Greek oregano—come in this affordable gift pack, along with recipe cards with ideas on how to use each one.
If the mom you’re shopping for likes to cook, she’ll get great use out of this spice collection, which was formerly one of our favorite budget-friendly edible gifts. Curio Spice Company toasts or grinds many of its spices in-house, and it sources them from small, sustainable farms around the world, making for more-vibrant and nuanced flavors. Plus, the spices are packaged beautifully in a little cardboard box, with cooking suggestions and recipes included.
We love finding gifts that are unusual, thoughtful, and well vetted. See even more gift ideas we recommend.
This article was edited by Hannah Morrill and Jennifer Hunter.
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Swanning around
Made of machine-washable recycled ripstop nylon, this sturdy and sweet bag has a small interior pocket, a zippered top, and a swan beak on the padded strap.
Your mom surely has a work-friendly tote or practical handbag already. The Baggu Swan Bag would make for a charmingly functional addition to any collection. At 11 by 5 inches, it easily houses a wallet, phone, keys, and lip balm. And this bag is made from machine-washable, recycled ripstop nylon, so it’s ultra-light—ideal for popping out to the store, grabbing lunch with a friend, or cheering on the sidelines of a basketball game. It comes in black, white, and lavender-gray, and on one side of its padded strap, the well-structured purse has an extra flap approximating the bird’s orange-and-black beak. Deputy director of social and community Julia Bush received the swan bag from a friend as an inside joke, but Julia loved it so much, it quickly became her go-to, bopping-around bag. “The zipper is smooth, there’s an internal pocket I can tuck my keys into, and it fits comfortably over my shoulder,” she said. “I’m delighted every time I see someone do a double-take on the street because they’ve realized I’m carrying a swan around.”
Good eats
Featuring 100 irresistible recipes, this soulful cookbook is an homage to the unseen mammas and nonnas who shaped one of America’s most beloved food traditions.
“I am the proud great-granddaughter of a pistol-packing, beer-swigging, gambling, boss-of-her-block Italian American contessa,” begins the preface to Mother Sauce: Italian American Family Recipes and the Story of the Women Who Created Them, by former Martha Stewart Living editorial food director Lucinda Scala Quinn. The cookbook offers fabulous recipes aplenty: lasagna with mini meatballs, prosciutto bread, sherbert-stuffed frozen lemons. But it also makes the case that the legions of unnamed immigrant women—who fled poverty and knew little English—turned the cucina povera (the cooking of the poor) of their homeland into one of America’s most beloved cuisines with sheer grit and imagination. It’s a story that may resonate with moms of all kinds of backgrounds.
Precise painting
These lush, floral paint-by-numbers kits come with everything you need to create large, modern still-life paintings.
Packed with a canvas, paint, and brushes, each Pink Picasso Paint by Numbers Kit results in a gorgeous 16-by-20 still life. Marked by degree of difficulty, from 3 to 5, the paint kits require detailed work but are engrossingly soothing once the artiste gets going. Supervising editor Hannah Morrill found the process “addictive and meditative” when she tried a level 5 kit, even though it required a magnifying glass for some parts. Whether she’s a practiced creative type or just has some artsy flair, you may want to start your giftee out on a level 3 (like Backyard Blooms or Bashful Botanical) for her first go-around.
Bake expectations
Display cakes, pastries, or beautiful objets d’art on this surprisingly durable and dishwasher-safe Parisian-style glass cake stand.
Whether your mother delights in baking or just displaying baked goods, we think the Fortessa Tableware Solutions Jupiter Hobnail Glass Cake Stand is a steal. Made with durable soda-lime glass, its hobnail (raised knobs) design is inspired by the beading style of vintage Parisian glass objects, but it’s still dishwasher-safe. Just choose your size carefully—only the 13-inch large version accommodates full-size cake rounds, while the 8.5-inch small version is better suited to smaller pastries.
Flower holder
Available in four solid colors and two patterns, this petite vase makes a bright addition to a nightstand or windowsill.
The 4-inch-tall Heath Ceramics Bud Vase is a timeless classic, designed in the 1980s by Edith Heath, the late, legendary American studio potter who co-founded Heath Ceramics with her husband, Brian. The petite vase comes in a crackle pattern and a handful of solid colors (including a tomatillo green and a desert orange), as well as some limited seasonal glazes. Yet moms with an eye for artisanal beauty will appreciate that it can spark joy in any small corner, with or without a few blooms.
Massage mat
This 26-by-16-inch acupressure mat is covered in plastic spikes, for increased circulation and relaxation; be warned, it is painful at first.
A linen topper spangled in 27-point plastic spikes covers a foam mat. The company that makes the scary-looking Prosource Fit Acupressure Mat and Pillow Set says it provides a passive acupressure massage that stimulates circulation and helps sore muscles feel better. Joseph Bernstein, a New York Times Styles reporter, first put this set on our radar, saying, “For five minutes, it’s torture. Then you feel great: relaxed, loose, maybe even a little sleepy. As a bonus, there’s no hangover. And you only have to pay for it once!” We couldn’t agree more.
Swedish sweets
You can mix sweet, sour, and chocolate candies from this purveyor of elevated Swedish treats. They come packed in a glossy box that’s secured with a chic floppy ribbon.
If your sweet-toothed mom likes gummies, consider the offerings from New York City–based BonBon, a favorite of Wirecutter’s kitchen team. This company imports impeccable Swedish treats, such as sour mini strawberry gummies, chocolate-covered rice puffs, and, of course, Swedish fish, and they come in an array of sophisticated flavors, like lemon, orange, pear, and berry. Fill a large box with a mix-and-match assortment of your choice. This candy comes wrapped in a lovely pink box and tied with a floppy ribbon.
Everything pouches
This colorful set contains three different-size recycled nylon pouches in bright patterns. They’re handy for all of your doodads and are machine-washable.
Whether she needs a place to keep her lipstick, her art supplies, or her dirty gym clothes, your mom probably could use some zippered pouches. We love this colorful Baggu Go Pouch Set, and we use them to stash everything and to keep larger purses and suitcases organized. They’re made of recycled nylon, come in a bunch of different patterns and colors and are easy to clean in the washing machine. This year’s new Japanese-produce print is a particular fave.
Anywhere hiking maps
This handy app provides detailed information and community reviews on nearby trails, no matter where you are in the world. As long as you’ve chosen your route in advance, it even works offline.
If your mom is a trekker or even just a casual walker, the All Trails app will help her find dozens of routes nearby, no matter where she is. Staff writer and hiking enthusiast Samantha Schoech has used this app all over the world to find hiking and walking trails, but she uses it most often to explore closer to home. It sorts hikes by difficulty, length, activity (including mountain biking, walking, and backpacking). And it shows whether a trail is suitable for dogs, strollers, or wheelchairs. It will also let your mom know if she’ll be rewarded with a view or a waterfall, and it provides turn-by-turn instructions, so she won’t get lost. The All Trails app even works offline, for when she’s really off the beaten path.
Handsome tapers
These striped candles have a distinct striped look, and they burn with little to no drips.
HAY’s Stripe Candles, which come in a set of four, are made from 100% stearin wax. They feature a smooth, understated finish and a pleasant burn. And during testing, these colorful candles were extremely low-maintenance—there were no drips (hence why they’re some of our favorites), and each one burned for about 10 hours. The ridged base also helps them stay snugly in their holders, with no wobbling. These candles are a great option for the mom who likes to set a scene and is ready to branch out from her “safer” designs.
A pretty planter
Marrying a natural geode with poured concrete and liquid gold results in a one-of-a-kind piece that works equally well as a candle holder or mini planter.
This geode planter is the perfect vessel for holding a succulent or a candle. Ray and Val Talbert, the husband-and-wife duo who run the Pittsburgh-based studio, ethically source minerals. And together with their small team, they carefully arrange the stones over hand-cast concrete to create a faux-geode look. Edged in gold, this planter is a uniquely beautiful piece that almost any mom will love.
Elegantly tough gardening gloves
These long gloves, meant for florists, consist of soft goat leather that shielded our palms and forearms well against rose thorns.
If she spends spring digging around the yard, the Exemplary Gardens Rose Pruning Gloves, from our guide to gardening gloves, are our pick for forearm coverage. Made of soft goat leather, they protect thorns and brambles, whether she’s plucking blackberries or cutting roses for a vase.. However, the palm material is thinner than that of some other gloves we tried, so they may have a shorter lifespan than some of our other picks.
A cotton kaftan
Don’t let the chaotic Etsy shop deter you. This lightweight kaftan—with a generous cut and an even more generous array of prints and colors—suits nearly every body and style.
Giving clothing is a risky proposition, but this item isn’t exactly clothing. It’s more like a cute and wearable soft breeze. The construction of this cotton kaftan is relatively straightforward: a rectangle of cotton with a reinforced v-neck, drawstring waist, wide sleeves, and subtle side slits. But the kaftan’s versatility is definitely not basic. Staff writer Samantha Schoech wears hers most often as a housedress, but it also comes in handy as a beach cover-up, a nightgown, or even a sundress. She suggests the longer, ankle-length version, but it’s also available in a knee-length style. And it comes in more than 400 prints and patterns, plus style variations like side ties or front buttons.
Dopp kit like it’s hot
This outdoorsy-looking dopp kit packs down flat but is still roomy when expanded. It does, however, lack pockets and a hook.
If your mom has some trips on the horizon, make it easy for her to tote all of her bathroom essentials by giving her one of our former dopp kit picks from Topo Designs. This bag has space to hold all of the usual gear, like toothpaste, floss, and sunscreen. Yet due to its unique prism shape and color-blocked design, no one else will mistake it for their own kit. In addition to being available on the Topo Designs site, this dopp kit is available (in varying stock) at many retailers, and it comes in more than a dozen bold color combinations.
A cute little vessel
This cute enameled vessel with a chubby wooden handle isn’t just for butter. It also works as a small stovetop pot, a bowl for soup or hot cocoa, or as a ladle or scoop.
Don’t be misled by the name: This cheery, vintage-looking vessel does much more than melt butter. (And when you do use it to melt butter, it won’t explode all over the place, unlike in a microwave.) The 16-ounce enameled steel vessel is great for small tasks, like heating up soup for one or warming hot chocolate, while its cute wooden handle is easy to grab (just make sure it’s not over the flame). This sweet little item is a gift that keeps on giving, and your mother will find endless uses for it. Senior staff writer and resident pan tester Michael Sullivan is an acolyte. “I use it every Thanksgiving as a gravy boat,” he says. “I love that it can go straight from the stovetop to the table.”
Luxurious moisture
This solid moisturizer bar smells great and promotes super-soft skin. It’s a little pricey, however.
The smooth round Kate McLeod Daily Stone Solid Moisturizer is rubbed on dry or damp, post-shower skin. Made with cocoa butter, sweet almond oil, and apricot kernel oil, it softens and melts when it comes into contact with warm skin, providing a lightweight, subtly scented body oil that doesn’t drip, leak, or feel too heavy. Once your mom has the kit, she can buy refills for the reusable bamboo container (currently for about $40). This gift is not cheap, but it is a relatively affordable daily luxury.
Paintings by an Impressionist master
This 120-page retrospective features full-color prints of Impressionist painter Mary Cassatt’s tender portraits of mothers and children.
Mary Cassatt made her career painting two classes of people rarely highlighted during the late 19th century: mothers and their children. Cassatt was one of few female painters in the Impressionist circle of Paris. And her oil paintings and pastels reveal her access to the most intimate moments of those she depicted, glorious in their mundanity: a woman bathing her baby, two children playing on the floor, a mother breastfeeding. This hardcover book collects the very best of Cassatt’s works, with supplementary essays to help the mother in your life appreciate them to the fullest.
Spices galore
Eight different spices—including Indian turmeric, Vietnamese cinnamon, and Greek oregano—come in this affordable gift pack, along with recipe cards with ideas on how to use each one.
If the mom you’re shopping for likes to cook, she’ll get great use out of this spice collection, which was formerly one of our favorite budget-friendly edible gifts. Curio Spice Company toasts or grinds many of its spices in-house, and it sources them from small, sustainable farms around the world, making for more-vibrant and nuanced flavors. Plus, the spices are packaged beautifully in a little cardboard box, with cooking suggestions and recipes included.
We love finding gifts that are unusual, thoughtful, and well vetted. See even more gift ideas we recommend.
This article was edited by Hannah Morrill and Jennifer Hunter.
36 Best Cheap Mother’s Day Gifts Under $50 of 2025
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