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I get more delight out of buying gifts for my mother than for anyone else (sorry, Dad). Part of that comes down to the challenge. What do you get someone when you’ve already exhausted every obvious gift option? She displayed my preschool scribbles on the fridge for years. I’ve sent flowers enough times. So my philosophy now is to either go for something she needs (but hasn’t gotten around to buying) or surprise her with something she would never, ever buy for herself. Sometimes I go the replacement route, like switching her well-worn slippers for brand-new ones. After gifting her countless candles, I eventually found an absurdly large one that she hasn’t yet burned through, even years later. But I’m always looking for new ideas.
If you’re in the same boat, I found over 50 of the best gifts for moms, including many that have been personally vetted by me and other Strategist staffers — from a best-in-class, easy-to-use digital picture frame to the water bottle seemingly everyone owns. I made sure to search through our archives for unexpected-yet-delightful things (like an elephant-shaped ruler for knitters!) and clicked through hundreds of pages to find extra-giftable versions of everyday items, so you’ll see luxurious body wash, an elegant espresso maker, and nice-smelling incense paper here too.
Everything below is available on Amazon for quick shipping (if you have a Prime membership) and organized by price so you can stay on budget. That said, we’re less than a week away from Christmas Day, so you’ll want to shop sooner rather than later. For the procrastinators: All of the gifts included in this guide should arrive before Christmas, as of publication. But if you don’t want to chance anything in these last hours of gift shopping, we also have a guide to the best e-gift cards (no shipping cutoff dates to worry about there). And if you’re looking for more gift ideas, we have a gifting hub featuring every gift guide we’ve written and a Gift Scout for especially hard-to-shop-for types.
Update on December 18, 2024: Added more gifts that’ll arrive before Christmas; checked stock and prices for all other products.
Under $25
For the mom who pops melatonin gummies like candy
The lavender-scented stick acts like “Ambien without the side effects.”
For the mom whose mantra is “store-bought is fine”
If she never misses a Barefoot Contessa rerun, she’ll want to know all about how Ina answered an ad to run her once-namesake store in the Hamptons.
For the mom who spends every Sunday morning at the farmer’s market
No more wilted-stemmed kale or overripe bananas in her small kitchen.
For the mom who’s working on her serve
It’s the visor that our writer Lauren Ro, who’s learning to play tennis, sports on (and off) the court.
For the mom who never knows where her keys are
It’s hard to lose a key this big — it’s cast from silicone, is more than six inches long, and comes in in-your-face colors like chartreuse, mustard, and brick.
For the mom who’s big on ambience
Tuck these tiny taper candles anywhere for the softest Barry Lyndon–like lighting.
For the mom who doesn’t need another candle
These burning papers have a “nice, powdery, neutral smell,” according to author Young Kim. Instructions are simple: Fold a sheet accordion style, light an end, and quickly blow it out before letting it burn slowly.
For the mom whose fridge is covered in sticky notes
She can hang photos, kid art, and all those passwords neatly with this magnet tape.
For the mom who’s a bit of a planner
Make her note-jotting feel a little less serious with these ramen-noodle sticky notes.
For the mom who loves a good scrub
These strawberry-shaped dish scrubbers are cuter than a smiley-faced Scrub Daddy.
For the mom who wants her skin to feel like Flipper’s
Maybe this made-in-Japan shower towel will finally make her toss that old loofah for good?
Under $50
For the mom who believes in body wash over bar soap
Several of our beauty writers swear by Nécessaire’s body washes, and this set includes all of the brand’s signature scents: eucalyptus, santal, hinoki, and olibanum.
For the mom who believes in bar soap over body wash
Caswell-Massey is older than the United States of America, and its bar soaps are the best bar none.
For the mom who wakes up parched in the middle of the night
Some intel: Our kitchen-and-dining writer, Emma Wartzman, first eyed this fish bottle at Los Angeles’s now-closed Freedman’s Deli, where it was used to serve water. It would look just as nice as a bedside carafe.
For the mom who could use some uninterrupted shuteye
What do The Bear star Abby Elliott and comedian Kate Berlant have in common? They can’t live without this light-blocking sleeping mask.
For the mom who’s in desperate need of peace and quiet
At last, she can let go of those airport earplugs from a few flights ago.
For the mom who’s always nursing a headache
It’s much more effective than a cool compress. (And Cup of Jo’s Joanna Goddard is planning on giving one to everyone on her list this year.)
For the mom who wants you to do a cleanse with her
To grow broccoli sprouts, wheat grass, and everything in between for her green smoothies.
For the mom who likes her breakfast sweet
She can slather an assortment of Bonne Maman’s jams on buttered toast and freshly baked, flaky pastries.
For the mom who’s a serious overpacker
Of course, these packing cubes will be filled to the brim, but they’ll bring much-needed order to her carry-on.
For the mom who keeps the thermostat at 55 degrees year-round
Make sure to brag that Lupita Nyong’o had this fan around her neck on the picket line.
For the mom whose dinner-party invitations are much-anticipated
These teapot-shaped napkin rings will match her heirloom porcelain.
For the mom whose ends are fried
This “repairing treatment” has bond-building technology to help with damage — in other words, the hair mask will give her smoother-looking strands.
For the mom who never leaves the house without putting on her face
Replace her concealer-coated makeup bag with an organizer that can sit on top of her vanity. It has drawers and removable dividers to separate eyeliners from lip liners — plus, it’s clear for easy access to everything.
For the mom who gets cold feet
A nice little splurge would be these socks from Falke (one of the better known names in the hosiery business), which are made from soft merino wool and come knee-high for more warmth.
For the mom who gets achy feet
You can’t even tell these compression socks are compression socks.
For the mom who needs to up her H2O intake
No less than 11 Strategist staffers own this water bottle, which has a hidden straw for sipping and a wide mouthpiece for gulping to get those recommended liters in.
Under $100
For the mom who has a stiff neck
The multidirectional knobs on this massage tool can get lower-back aches too.
For the mom whose towels are monogrammed
From silk-pillowcase maker Slip, this one comes with illustrated initials (and you might get one for your father, too, while you’re at it).
For the mom who’s a snob about coasters
For the mom who runs a “shoes off” household
This low-profile Yamazaki shoe rack can sit right in a mudroom corner. It’s also adjustable for all her going-out shoes (and the ones she’ll add there later).
For the mom who just finished her Matiz sardine supply
Grab a multipack of especially tasty tinned rainbow trout (or sardines in preserved lemon, albacore tuna in spicy olive oil, or smoked salmon in Sichuan chile).
For the mom whose third child has a snout
For the mom who likes her steak exactly medium-rare
Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio uses this smart thermometer to get “perfect meat every time.”
For the mom who doesn’t charge her phone overnight
This charger can go just about anywhere she goes — it plugs directly into the wall and comes with USB-A and USB-C ports.
For the mom who keeps actual photo albums
Save her trip to the drugstores with this pocket-size photo printer that’ll turn what’s in her phone’s camera roll into scrapbook-ready 2.1-by-3.4-inch photos.
Under $200
For the mom who can’t wait to be a grandma
Let’s hope our best-in-class, easy-to-use digital picture frame distracts her enough with baby photos of your nephews and nieces.
For the mom who stays in the tub until her fingers prune
Frette’s linens are found at the Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis. The brand’s H by Frette line is just as luxurious, and this bathrobe makes Strategist associate editor Jenna Milliner-Waddell “feel like a rich bitch.”
For the mom who takes her slippers out of the house
All the comfort of an UGG with the assurance that it’s public-appropriate.
For the mom who’s always looking for a lost earring
The peacock-blue velvet lining in this butterfly-printed box will keep her studs and hoops safe and secure.
For the mom who does shots (of espresso)
She’ll never want to take Alessi’s sculptural espresso pot off the stovetop. This model has the capacity for six cups for whenever she needs a rush of caffeine.
For the mom who’s trying to cut down on her Starbucks spending
This milk frother, our very favorite, comes with different settings for foam that’s denser or airier — and a setting just for heated milk with no foam at all.
For the book who could write the book on dining etiquette
Even Miss Manners couldn’t possibly pooh-pooh this French serveware set, which includes a serrated pie server and a cheese knife.
For the mom who’s perfected the weekend getaway
The lightest of packers will appreciate the laptop sleeve and water-bottle holder inside this backpack.
For the mom who can’t sit down
Give her a much-needed break with this remote-controlled foot massager. It comes with deep-kneading, compression, rolling, and vibrating settings.
Under $500
For the mom who likes the finer things in life
To make lounging around in her pajamas feel luxurious.
For the mom who needs a wake-up call
It keeps Strategist tech writer Jordan McMahon’s circadian rhythm on track. Plus, it can be programmed to automatically turn on before brushing her teeth as more of a lamp than a nightlight.
For the mom who’s a regular on her neighborhood’s Nextdoor
Help her keep her eyes peeled while bird watching.
For the mom who’s trying to cut back on her Diet Coke consumption
You won’t find a soda-maker that’s this nice to leave out on the countertop.
For the mom who knows what hyperdecanting means
Riedel is king when it comes to wine decanters. Instead of a standard vase-shaped version, go with this charmer that has a heart-shaped handle.
For the mom who’s got a lot on her mental load
Think of it as a planner with a touchscreen. She can sync multiple online calendars, make a grocery list, and start a “chore chart” to help kids keep track of their to-dos.
For the mom who swears vinyl sounds better
Unlike turntables of the past, the Spinner is Bluetooth-enabled, so it can pair with her speakers or headphones.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best hostess gifts, gifts for dads, baby-shower gifts, gifts for bosses, bar mitzvah gifts, and things on sale. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
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