Your Shopping Guide For Hard-To-Gift Moms, At Every Budget

For many, a simple card or flower delivery will more than suffice on Mother's Day (and we have guides for you, too!). While for some, gifting on May 10 can be a bit trickier. Chances are if she's (a) not into surprises, (b) already has everything, or (c) coyly shrugs off the mere suggestion of anything other than a phone call, you've got a hard-to-gift mom on your hands. Don't fret, we're here to help.

Since you can find us eyebrow-deep in the internet's bottomless product pit on any given day, we've already fished out the Mother's Day material that's dressed to impress for you — lining up the unique haul in a by-budget shopping menu ahead. Scroll on for everything from your cheap-and-cheerful under-$10 catches to your more premium big-kahuna buys that will make even the most jaded mom's day (or any moms for that matter).

We’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. 

Emily Taylor Birth Month Floral Bar Soap

Budget: Under-$10
Help make keeping her hands clean a lovelier affair altogether by gifting one of these compact bar soaps that are charmingly wrapped in a frame-worthy illustration of her birthday month.

Shop Anthropologie

Emily Taylor Birth Month Floral Bar Soap, $, available at Anthropologie

The StoreKing Wooden Nose Eyeglass Holder

Budget: Under-$10
First brought to our attention as one reader's Amazon Hidden Gem, this handmade wooden eyeglass holder in the shape of a floating nose with lips is just zany enough to make the most unflappable mom smile (and never lose track of her readers again).

Shop Amazon

The StoreKing Wooden Handmade Red-Lip Shaped Eyeglass Holder, $, available at Amazon

Seattle Chocolate You're My Hero Truffle Bar

Budget: Under-$10

Female-founded, owned, and run Seattle Chocolate's mission is to give back while making delicious treats. While there's lots of big gift packages you can choose from, prices start at just $4.50 for this dark chocolate truffle bar that celebrates women's right to vote. The "You're My Hero" collection of confections gives 5% of profits to Mary's Place, a local Seattle homeless relief fund.

Shop Seattle Chocolate

Seattle Chocolate Dark Chocolate Truffle Bar, $, available at Seattle Chocolate

Anthropologie Pocket Astrology

Budget: Under-$10
Or, while we're on the topic, go one step further with a birth-month gifting theme by throwing in this thoughtful (and top-rated) pocket-sized astrology guide.

Shop Anthropologie

Anthropologie Pocket Astrology, $, available at The Grommet

Little Words Project Mama Bracelets

Budget: Under-$25
100% of sale proceeds from these handcrafted bracelets go to Every Mother Counts. The novelty beaded bracelets are made of fine-cut stones, acrylic letter beads, and gold-plated brass hardware. Buy one (Mom Boss, Strong As A Mother, or Mom Life) for $20 each or all three for $50.

Shop The Natalist

Little Words Project Mama Bracelets, $, available at The Natalist

Catbird Mini Cannoli Candle

Budget: Under-$25
Surprise her with a sweet treat that was crafted in Italy by sixth-generation candle makers to last just a little bit longer than the real-deal dessert.

Shop Catbird

Catbird Mini Cannoli Candle, $, available at Catbird

Lovepop Berry Sweet Grandma 3D Card

Budget: Under-$25
Don't forget about grandma! Not that you would... Lovepop has a vibrant assortment of pop-up cards that are more like works of art hiding in a fold of paper ready to *surprise!* and be kept forever.

Shop Lovepop

lovepop Berry Sweet Grandma 3D card, $, available at lovepop

Big Picture Farm Goat Milk Caramels Farm Box

Budget: Under-$25
Treat her to something sweet that is a little more out-of-the-ordinary than your drugstore chocolate box — these organic caramels were handcrafted in small batches from the milk of free-range goats living happily on a Vermont farm.

Shop Big Picture Farm

Big Picture Farm Goat Milk Caramels - Farm Box, $, available at The Grommet

Pablo The Bird Ring Holder

Budget: Under-$25
This chipper little fella will look after her prized rings and cheer her up for a song of a price.

Shop Oliver Bonas


Oliver Bonas Pablo Bird Multicolored & Gold Ceramic Ring Holder, $, available at Oliver Bonas

Elementi Handheld Milk Frother

Budget: Under-$25
The satisfaction felt from creating the perfect mochaccino at home can not be explained unless you have held a milk frother in your very own hands. This magical (and very specific) kitchen gadget is an absolute treat for the senses.

Shop Amazon

Elementi Milk Frother, $, available at Amazon

Deconeer Wild Flower Embroidery Kit

Budget: Under-$25
Help cultivate her newfound passion for crafting while also gracing her with a pretty decor gift. This bestselling wild-flower kit is strategically built for beginner embroiderers — and will look oh-so-lovely sitting atop her mantle.

Shop Deconeer

Deconeer Wild Flower Embroidery Kit For Beginner, $, available at Etsy

Senliart White Ceramic Heart Vase

Budget: Under-$25
She'll never guess you scored this sweet little ceramic vase, stamped with a blue-glazed heart print, off of Amazon for under twenty buckeroos. (Bonus points for accompanying it with a flower delivery!)

Shop Amazon

Senliart White Ceramic Vase, Small (Heart), $, available at Amazon

Uncommon Goods Hand-Carved Heart Serving Spoon

Budget: Under-$25
If she's into cooking, chances are she's gone through a wooden serving spoon or two throughout the years — replenish her worn-out stock with a new olive-wood utensil hand-carved by artisans in Kenya that she'll treasure (and treat with a little more in-kitchen care) for the next few.

Shop Uncommon Goods

Uncommon Goods Hand-Carved Heart Serving Spoon, $, available at Uncommon Goods

200 Women Book

Budget: Under-$25
A new and beautiful addition to her burgeoning book collection: 280 pages filled with empowering women's portraits and stories of strength and hope from around the world.

Shop Paper Source

Chronicle Books 200 Women Book, $, available at Paper Source

Modern Sprout Lavender Indoor Garden Kit

Budget: Under-$50
For all the hands-on moms out there who'd rather "do it themselves," a sweet little terracotta pot packed with the essentials needed for planting, cultivating, and tending to their very own at-home lavender garden.

Shop Modern Sprout

Modern Sprout Lavender Indoor Garden Kit, $, available at Verishop

Homesick Candles Thank You, Mom Candle

Budget: Under-$50
For those of us feeling a little more than homesick right about now, this popular candle company's personalized offerings couldn't be more timely — gift it to your mom as a sweet token that she can light up to bridge the social distance between you.

Shop Homesick Candles

Homesick Candles Thank You, Mom Candle, $, available at Homesick Candles

Artifact Uprising Walnut Desktop Photo Calendar

Budget: Under-$50
What's better than a personalized Mother's Day photo card? A personalized Mother's Day photo calendar!

Shop Artifact Uprising



Artifact Uprising Walnut Desktop Photo Calendar, $, available at Artifact Uprising

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

Budget: Under-$50
Your mom may never spend $36 dollars on an ultra-rich cream, which is why it makes such a luxe gift. Bonus: Lookfantastic is currently offering 15% off thousands of beauty goods using the code FRIENDS at checkout and plant of gifts with purchases like this adorable freebie that comes with the full-size First Aid Beauty cream.

Shop Lookfantastic

First Aid Beauty First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream, $, available at LookFantastic

Lo & Sons The Catalina Deluxe Tote

Budget: Under-$100
Keep mom up-to-speed with the plastic-bag ban by gifting her a chic reusable tote she'll be delighted to haul her groceries in. This durable and multi-storage capable canvas style is crafted by reader-favorite, sustainable, and family-owned Lo & Sons — and on top of its ongoing 40%-off sitewide sale, the brand is also offering a bonus 15%-off deal in honor of Mom's Day (with code "WELOVEMOM").

Shop Lo & Sons

Lo & Sons The Catalina Deluxe Tote, $, available at Lo & Sons

Minted Personalized Snap Tote

Budget: Under-$50
Keep mom up-to-speed with the plastic-bag ban by gifting her a chic reusable tote she'll be delighted to haul her groceries in. Minted's stacked selection of 100% cotton canvas styles come crafted with buttery-soft leather straps, brushed-copper snap closures (cause we know she likes a secure bag), and free custom-embossed leather tags.

Shop Minted

Minted Playground Snap Tote, $, available at Minted

Tea Drops Deluxe Assortment Gift Box

Budget: Under-$50
For the tea-loving mom who doesn't need another mug: a sleek wooden box filled with 25 artfully shaped, dissolvable tea drops. The organic blends, from citrus ginger to rose earl grey, are designed to simply be dropped into a cup of hot water, stirred, and enjoyed.

Shop Tea Drops

Tea Drops BEST TEA GIFT SET - DELUXE TEA DROPS ASSORTMENT BOX, $, available at Tea Drops

Lula's Ever Garden Succulent

Budget: Under-$50
Brighten her day with the most unique, cheerful-yellow succulent friend we ever did see.

Shop Lula's Garden

Lula's Garden Ever Garden, $, available at Lula's Garden

FarmSteady Kombucha Making Kit

Budget: Under-$50
Send her everything she'll need to give veggies new life, longevity, and flavor with FarmSteady's fermenting kit. It's the kind of good, sensible fun she'd appreciate.

Shop FarmSteady

FarmSteady Fermented Vegetable Kit, $, available at FarmSteady

Akola Bracelet Kit

Budget: Under-$50
Instead of gifting the usual piece of jewelry, opt for a DIY kit instead (especially for moms in need of a new stay-at-home project). Not only are all of Akola's unique goods crafted from sustainable up-cycled materials, but they also employ an impact model of job creation through a network of 200 women makers based in Uganda.

Shop Akola

Akola Bracelet Kit, $, available at Akola

The Paisley Moon Wood Flower Bouquet

Budget: Under-$50
If a standard bloom delivery isn't wow-worthy enough, then try surprising mom with this unexpected wooden bouquet handcrafted to last way beyond her special day.

Shop The Paisley Moon

thepaisleymoon Wood Flower Bouquet, $, available at Etsy

Urban Stems Bouquet & Complementary Theo Chocolate Bars

Budget: Under-$100
And if you're more of a traditionalist, send her a big ol' bouquet of fresh flowers. To make your delivery extra special, Refinery29 teamed up with Urban Stems to offer you a FREE Theo Chocolate Fantasy Bar 5-pack set ($15 value) with any bouquet purchase. Use the code R29MomsDay at checkout to score the deal.

Shop Urban Stems


Urban Stems The Verona Bouquet, $, available at Urban Stems

Milk Bar Strawberry Shortcake Cake

Budget: Under-$100
If you can't be there to bring her a fresh-baked cake in person, then have it delivered to her doorstep from the cake-making queen herself (aka Christina Tosi). This gift-worthy stunner is made fresh to order from layers of buttery vanilla cake delicately sandwiched together with sweet creme-fraiche frosting, crunchy milk crumbs, and tart Tristar strawberry jam.

Shop Milk Bar

Milk Bar Strawberry Shortcake Cake, $, available at Milk Bar

Mau House Oyster Bottle Opener

Budget: Under-$100
Oysters are often synonymous with beauty and strength — let this bronze oyster-shaped bottle opener with its luminous polished finish serve as a testament to your mom's.

Shop Coming Soon

Mau House Oyster Bottle Opener, $, available at Coming Soon

Anthropologie Mother's Day Beauty Blooms Gift Set

Budget: Under-$100
This pretty advent-style box does the surprise gifting for you, with its curated-special-for-Mom lineup of ten premium beauty goods — including everything from Sunday Riley to Living Proof and even a bonus packet of wildflower seeds for planting, too.

Shop Anthropologie

Multiple Brands Mother's Day Beauty Blooms Gift Set, $, available at Anthropologie

Wolfum Solid Birch Travel Backgammon

Budget: Under-$100
Parents everywhere are rejoicing the trendy return of boardgame classics — so, if she's exhausted all of her puzzling, treat her to a new challenge that when not in use serves as an artful decor piece. Each of Wolfum's solid birch backgammon boards is handcrafted in the U.S. and custom-printed with vibrant vintage-inspired textiles.

Shop Smithsonian Store

Wolfum Solid Birch Travel Backgammon, $, available at Smithsonian Store

The Met Store Russian Imperial Bee Pin

Budget: Under-$100
Bestow this charming pin, inspired by Russian jeweler Peter Carl Fabergé's famous design and exclusively made with the British Royal Collection, upon your very own Queen B.

Shop The Met Store

The MET Store Russian Imperial Bee Pin, $, available at The Met Store

Kiehls's Keep Calm Three-Piece Set

Budget: Under-$100
A deal on a deal, right this way. This value kit leaves skin clean, calm, and hydrated. It includes the soothing and cleansing trio of: Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil Herbal Concentrate, and Calendula Serum-Infused Water Cream.

Shop Saks Fifth Avenue

Kiehl's Since 1851 Keep Calm Three-Piece Set, $, available at Saks Fifth Avenue

Brightland Olive Oil The Artist Capsule

Budget: Under-$150
Some moms just want a trio of *Ina Garten voice* really good olive oil. This artful collection of California-farmed lemon, chili, and basil-infused bottles not only knocks that gift-wish out of the park, but it also delivers a give-back bonus too — matching each purchase with a 50-meal donation to Feeding America.

Shop Brightland

Brightland The Artist Capsule, $, available at Brightland

Rothy's The Sneaker

Budget: Under-$150
Fact: Moms love a sensible shoe. And this smart, comfortable shoe goes the extra mile by being sustainable too. Rothy's continues to strive for zero waste through the use of 3D knitting technology and handcrafted comfort, and they're donating 100,000 non-medical masks to COVID relief efforts too. Talk about a gift that does the most.

Shop Rothy's


Rothy's The Sneaker, Grey Camo, $, available at Rothy's

AeroGarden Harvest Elite 360 Garden System

Budget: Under-$150
Bring the garden indoors with this top-rated year-round herb and vegetable growing system. There's no soil, no mess, and features a can't-go-wrong energy-efficient LED light. It's one of the satisfying gifts you could give.

Shop Bed Bath & Beyond

AeroGarden Harvest Elite 360 Garden System, $, available at Bed Bath & Beyond

Repast Ravioli Making Gift Box

Budget: Under-$150
Handcrafted in California, this unique culinary gift box includes everything your mom (and her sous chef) will need to whip up an at-home ravioli feast — including a sustainable hardwood rolling pin, ravioli cutter, Round Pond Estate olive oil, Bob's Red Mill flour, and a wooden keepsake box.

Shop Repast

Repast Ravioli Making Gift Box, $, available at The Grommet

Dagne Dover Essentials Clutch Wallet

Budget: Under-$150

Dagne Dover handbags, backpacks, and wallets have proven to be crowd-pleasing gifts but this season, the company has truly stepped it up. Not only are they offering 25% off top sellers using the discount code MOMLOVE, they're also giving 10% of all proceeds to your choice of charity: CDC Foundation, Feeding America, and Save The Children. Plus, there's a section to add a gift note so mom will get extra love with her present in the mail.

Shop Dagne Dover

Dagne Dover Essentials Clutch Wallet, $, available at Dagne Dover

Kinto Brewer Stand Set

Budget: Under-$150
If she's into coffee, surprise her with a unique pour-over system that will brew her a craft cup that tastes just as good as it will look sitting pretty on her kitchen counter.

Shop Kinto

Kinto Brewer Stand Set, $, available at Need Supply Co

Cricut Joy

Budget: Under-$200

Crafty mamas know that the Cricut is the device for creating impeccable works of art with ease and precision. This compact version of the signature Cricut is perfect for personalizing a variety of materials ranging from DIY greeting cards, labels, and so much more.

Shop Cricut

Cricut Joy, $, available at Cricut

from refinery29