What is Mother's Day?
Mother's Day is a time to celebrate and appreciate the incredible women in our lives who have shaped and guided us.
Mothering Sunday has a long and fascinating history dating back to ancient civilizations, but the modern holiday we know today was established in the early 20th Century. While the holiday has evolved and been celebrated differently around the world, the sentiment of honouring mothers and motherhood remains constant. So, why not make this Mother's Day extra special by finding the best Mother's Day gifts to spoil and pamper the amazing woman in your life?
What is the most popular Mother's Day gift?
When it comes to picking a gift for that special someone, it can be easy to fall back on the old favourites, especially if you’re shopping last minute or you’re not sure what they want.
The most common Mother’s Day gifts include flowers, chocolates and beauty products. Other popular treats are meals out and gift cards.
What do mums really want for Mother's Day?
When we consulted our forums for advice on what mums really want for Mother’s Day, the most popular answer was sleep, which isn’t surprising!
Mums also said it’s less about big, expensive gifts and more about wanting to relax and spend time with their family. When it comes to presents, cakes, homemade gifts and cards are thoughtful treats that are welcomed on Mother’s Day.
What is a unique gift for Mother's Day?
If you want to go against the grain of the more traditional presents, a gift that you can add a personal touch to will make your gift more unique. Think about what they enjoy - if they like gardening, we think the set of 12 herb seeds from Amazon makes a unique gift for Mother’s Day.
You could also make a homemade gift and get the children to help, such as a memory box or painting a plant pot that they can treasure for years to come. An activity or day out doing something they enjoy can also make a nice alternative Mother’s Day gift.
What should I get my mum for Mother's Day instead of flowers?
While plenty of mums still love getting flowers on Mother’s Day, there are lots of other gifts you can get for those that would prefer something a bit different. If your mum likes to be pampered, get them a gift that will help them unwind when the kids are in bed, such as the Neom Organics London Sleep Box Bodycare Gift Set or the John Lewis Bamboo Bath Bridge.
Thoughtful gift ideas are also loved by mums, such as the gorgeous Emma Bridgewater Pink Hearts 'Mummy' Half Pint Mug and presents that can be personalised, like the YENOCK Digital Photo Frames in which you can download photos of the family.
How to make Mother’s Day special on a budget
The last thing many mums want is for their family to spend a fortune on Mother’s Day, especially right now when the cost of living crisis is driving bills up and many people are feeling the pinch. Thankfully, there are lots of lovely ideas for making the day special without blowing your budget.
Make them breakfast in bed and get the children to help.
Get your children to make a homemade card for their mum or grandmother.
You can even make the gift too, such as a keyring, bath bomb or a personalised keepsake box filled with special things.
Instead of taking them out for a meal, make them a special dinner at home with all their favourite food.
If you’re short on cash now, make them some thoughtful IOUs, such as breakfast in bed and a movie night watching their favourite film.
Bake them a cake and make a special afternoon tea.
How we chose our recommendations
We started our research by scouring our Mumsnet forums for tips on what gifts mums actually want to receive on Mother’s Day. We made sure to take note of any gifts that are not well received as well as catering for a range of different interests and budgets.
Armed with a long list of recommendations, we consulted expert reviews and consumer websites to make note of any brands and products that stand out from the rest.
This involved checking consumer reviews, on websites like John Lewis and Amazon, to see what negative and positive feedback they’d received. We know this is the best way of working out whether this is a product that is liked and is worth spending your money on.
Finally, after doing all this, we were able to whittle down our long list to ten products that we think are the best Mother’s Day gifts to buy in 2023.
Why you should trust us
At Mumsnet, we believe parents should be able to access impartial and honest advice about products and services they may purchase.
We consult real parents as well as experts so we can offer the benefit of honest experience and we don’t take payment for our reviews from companies.
Our team of writers is made up of experienced consumer and parenting journalists who between them have a wealth of experience and knowledge at their fingertips.