42 best Mother’s Day gifts for 2023: Last-minute present ideas (2024)

We think this is the ultimate personalised gift, that will have most mums beaming from ear to ear. Whenever we’ve worn our necklace during testing, it’s been admired and several friends have asked us to give their husband a hint they’d like one too. What higher praise is there than that? The necklace is sterling silver, and you can opt for rose or yellow gold plating. We plumped for three rings, one in each colour. And you can choose what’s engraved on each ring, from names to meaningful dates. There’s also the option to choose from clear or black text finish, and you can pick the chain length too.

We were blown away by the quality of this necklace. It’s not been taken off since we received it. Our kids absolutely love it too, as it has their names engraved on it, so they feel special too. This is one gift that will have mums welling up when they open it.

Life Armour has created a series of supplements that tick every box for busy mums. This is their bestseller, and for good reason. The 100 per cent natural (and delicious-tasting) drops absorb quickly into your body, and are chock full of chamomile, lavender, passionflower and vitamin B6. These blends have been created alongside a GP and naturopath, to ensure they’re good quality and safe to take. When taking these drops, we found we unwound from a busy day quicker, and found it easy to rest and relax. In turn, this made us wake up feeling (and, dare we say, looking) more refreshed and ready to face a new day.

Read our full round-up of the best supplements

OK, so we are yet to meet a woman who isn’t a fan of stationery. Sending love to all you fellow papyrophiliacs out there. Anyway, Papier is home to stationery that’s seriously luxe but you won’t need to sell a kidney to purchase a notebook.

We reckon this gift set is going to be received well by anyone who likes putting pen to paper. The gift set includes a box of 20 personalised notecards and envelopes, along with a matching personalised hardback notebook. While we went for this monochrome jaguar set – the formal colours offset by the fun design – there are loads of amazing options to choose from. Papier has nailed both the on-trend colours and the more whimsical and traditional prints, so you’re sure to find a set that your mum will love.

When we surveyed mums vis-à-vis Mother’s Day gifts, one thing that came up time and again was the need for more sleep. While we can’t wave a magic wand and grant every mum a lie-in (trust us, if we could, we would), but this gift box is the next best thing. It’s a care package with loads of goodies to help you get a good night’s sleep. The clever team at Don’t Buy Her Flowers has curated all the very best sleep products – there’s a menu from which you can select what to put in your care package. There are beauty products, snacks and refreshments, clothes and accessories to choose from. Everything arrives packaged beautifully, so your mum will feel extra special. And everything in the box is full-size, which is pretty rare in a hamper these days.

In our package, we received Neal’s Yard aromatic foaming bath, which made our bathroom feel like a spa. There was also cashmere socks and a silk eye mask for the ultimate luxe sleep experience. Plus, there was some CBD oil to promote sleep and some absolutely delicious Teapigs lavender tea bags, which we’ll definitely be buying again when we’ve run out. This package would be a treat for any mum, and we think it’s such a thoughtful touch that you can add what you like to the care package, to tailor it to the recipient (and your budget).

Read our full round-up of the best sleep aids

Tutti Bambini’scozee range offers just what any first-time mum needs – comfort for their baby, easy-reach access and reassurance throughout the night. We were impressed by the rocking feature, which has been designed to help soothe little ones, for a better night’s sleep (it also gave our mum-muscles a well-deserved rest). Meanwhile, the handy storage compartment enabled us to keep essentials even closer, and we loved the easy option of changing the legs to wheels for transporting between rooms.

This gorgeous grey is sadly sold out but there’s a beautiful blue option (£149, Amazon.co.uk) at 19 per cent off, too.

As music-lovers, we find that, even though we have almost every bit of tech under the sun, we still struggle with being able to play music wherever we go. Well, with this Bluetooth speaker, that’s no longer an issue. It’s splashproof, so we were able to listen to Greg James during our morning shower, followed by a gong bath in the evening, and the sound quality was a vast improvement on our iPhone 13 max pro’s internal speaker. Should the speaker take a dip in the bath, it even floats (although you can’t keep it in there for too long).

Once summer is upon us, you can also take the speaker to the beach and park with you, or to your Airbnb. The design is discreet (it’s about the size of a large pencil case), and you can choose from four colour options. We found it’s incredibly easy to pair with our phone, so even digital novices can navigate using it.

Read our full round-up of the best Bluetooth speakers

LED face masks are having a moment in the beauty world. These reusable masks strap on to your head and blast your face with red and near-infrared LEDs. Celebs and influencers are all over them, and we think for a super high-end gift, this would tick so many mums’ boxes.

This particular mask is designed to target wrinkles and fine lines. It’s clinically proven to trigger cellular renewal, which will lift users’ complexion. The Light Salon mask will help lift skin of all ages, particularly those who are perimenopausal and have sun damage and pigmentation.

We found this mask had a transformative effect on our complexion. After just one use (you’re meant to use it for 10 minutes a day for four weeks, then sporadically after that), our skin looked dewier and we shed that winter grey tone that seemed to visit us every January. After four weeks of using it, we were getting compliments on our skin’s radiance and we felt that our skin looked plumper and that our wrinkles were less prominent. The mask is comfortable to wear, and shuts off automatically after 10 minutes. This has been a total game-changer in our beauty routine.

Read our full round-up of the best LED face masks

Woah, this set is truly a treat. A super-fancy, double-layer box comes loaded with 10 different bath and shower oils, and a little menu to guide you through what’s going to suit your mood. There’s an oil for pretty much any situation. The deep relax oil had us feeling zen and ready for a really good night’s sleep, while the revive morning oil put us in a much brighter frame of mind for the working day ahead (which wasn’t all testing bath oils, sadly).

Aromatherapy Associates is the brand for aromatherapy oils. The team behind them have 30 years of experience, and has clearly poured every moment of their experience into creating a high-end product that feels like such a treat. Each time we poured a small amount into our hot baths, it felt like a moment of pure indulgence and a promise to take some time for ourselves. Having this on our dressing table looks fancy, but it also reminds us, even in the hectic moments, that we can treat ourselves to a lovely bath later.

We’re sipping tea from this joyful mug as we write this piece. So, a “mum” mug can be cliché for Mother’s Day, but we loved this sweet option from Next. The florals are just the right balance of pretty without being chintzy, and it’s a great size for a nice large cuppa. It washes well in the dishwasher with no hint of fading. And while it says “Mum” on it, it’s fairly subtle and, dare we say it, classy. We think this is a great buy for kids to treat their mum – especially if it’s handed over with a hot drink inside.

Unfortunately this floral design, while groundbreaking for spring, is currently sold out. Since Mother’s Day is just round the corner, we’ve found this more minimalist design (£8, Next.co.uk) as an alternative. With the perfect appreciation message, this is sure to put a smile on any mum or mum figure’s face.

Launched for Valentine’s Day, we think this cute-as-a-button (and limited-edition) heart design lipstick would be fab for a Mother’s Day gift too. If your mum is anything like us, they will have a wide range of MAC lipsticks, mostly in the same black case. This will make their fave stand out from the crowd.

MAC is doing this design in a range of shades, but relentlessly red is one of our all-time favourites. The vibrant coral red is the perfect pinky-red hue that works just as well on a school run as it does on a date night. We’ve had so many compliments wearing it, and recommend it to everyone. It also has insane staying power, lasting all day and night, with very little reapplication necessary.

Read our full round-up of the best red lipsticks

Mother’s Day is often about flowers, but we always find a vase is actually a better gift. Don’t get us wrong, flowers are lovely but they don’t last forever. This vase, however, looks splendid whether it has flowers in it or not. We loved the contrast between the shiny yellow glaze and the matte white unglazed stripes. At 38cm, it’s a fab height for showing off on your shelves – it has an immediate impact.

The neck opening is fairly small, but we found it held a small bunch of blooms well and looked absolutely brilliant with dried flowers. We were utterly thrilled with this vase. It feels like a drop of lemony sunshine on our bookcase.

We pondered long and hard whether to include an air fryer – the appliance du jour – in this round-up. Was it a gift mums would be delighted with, or would it seem a bit regressive to give a woman a kitchen appliance? Well, we surveyed mums and every single one said they’d be delighted with an air fryer – so, here we are.

This Ninja foodi is brilliant for busy families. You can fit a lot of food in the two drawers, and each can be set for different times and temperatures. You also have the option to sync the drawers, so everything is ready at the same time.

There are six cooking functions, including max crispy – great for chips – and dehydrate, which allows you to make things such as banana chips and jerky (show us a mum who doesn’t need more snack options for their kids). The air fryer is incredibly easy to use, speeds up almost every dinner time, and is energy efficient. We’re a total convert.

Read our full round-up of the best air fryers

What modern mum doesn’t struggle to keep track of their busy day-to-day life? This desk planner is excellent for helping to keep the mental load from descending into total overwhelm. The tear-off pad features daily boxes on which to write events, lists and goals – there’s even one for the weekend, as mums’ jobs never end.

We liked that, along the bottom, there are boxes for “Don’t forget” (would there ever be a box big enough for everything mums need to remember?), “Things I’m proud of” and “Notes for next week”. The quality of the pad is really good – the paper stock is clearly premium and lovely to write on – while the clear design made us feel motivated and organised.

Pyjamas are such a great gift, whatever the occasion. Who doesn’t love donning a new PJ set and slipping into bed? This set from Hush is made from 96 per cent cotton, four per cent elastane, and they feel incredibly soft, stretchy and comfortable. We were so impressed with them the first time we put them on, and now it feels like a treat every time they come up in rotation for bedwear. The drawstring elasticated waist means the trousers never fall down, and the tapered leg stops cold chills getting in. We’re not sure we could ever go back to any other brand of pyjamas now.

If animal print isn’t your mum’s style, there are a few other subtler prints available. The sizing is also very inclusive – we love to see it.

Wearers of “mum buns” everywhere will appreciate these luxe scrunchies. They’re made from 100 per cent silk, which helps keep hair hydrated and shiny. What’s also great is they’re meant to keep hair kink free, so you can tie your hair up for cooking/the kids’ bedtime/cleaning, and then unfurl it again without it losing its shape.

We found these scrunchies to have the perfect amount of elastication – even for very thick, long hair. They held a bun securely all day long. Although our hair wasn’t kept totally kink-free, it did feel less dry and frazzled when we finally released it from the bun-like vice we’d created. Scrunchies might not seem like an obvious present, but we think they make a thoughtful, unexpected gift that will give mums a bit of a lift in the mundane process of scraping back their hair.

Every time we lit this candle, visitors asked what it was and made a note. It’s the perfect scent for daytime, if you love fresh, citrusy scents with a healthy dose of sunshine. Each of the three scents has been chosen to help balance your mood, uplift, calm and soothe. What mum doesn’t need a bit of that in her life? The hand-poured candle has two wicks, so it feels quite boujie too. We loved that it came in a chic sherbet-coloured ceramic container, which will be ideal to reuse after the candle’s burnt down. This is a candle we will be rebuying and asking for every birthday and Christmas going forward.

Read our full round-up of the best scented candles

What bookworm doesn’t want another novel landing on their doormat every month? Rare Birds Books does just that. You can choose from a three-, six- or 12-month subscription (one book per month), and you can select a mystery title from two cryptic blurbs. You’re then sent your book all lovingly wrapped up.

Once you’ve read your new tome, there are book clubs in Rare Birds’ membership area, where you can go to discuss that month’s read. What we particularly loved about Rare Birds Books is that it champions female authors, and helps people discover books they wouldn’t have read otherwise. We have massively enjoyed our selections – and we are usually quite choosy when it comes to books.

Read our full round-up of the best book subscription boxes

Ubiquitous on Instagram, we were keen to give the always pan a spin. We’ll tell you up front, we were not disappointed. It’s an incredibly versatile pan. The ceramic non-stick surface meant we barely needed to use any oil in cooking, whether we were frying eggs or cooking steaks. It comes with a basket for steaming too, which means we could get rid of our other (frankly massive) steamer. So, a big tick on space saving. The always pan also comes with a wooden spatula, which fits perfectly on the pan – a design feature we loved – and the matching lid allows you to keep the spoon in place.

The pan is lightweight yet feels durable, and is aesthetically pleasing – it comes in a range of modern colours with a matching lid. Although you should always think carefully about whether to give a woman a gift such as pots and pans, we think this will be a huge hit.

Read our full round-up of the best non-stick frying pans

Which mum doesn’t love to unwrap those cream-and-black Jo Malone boxes? The brand’s limited-edition Mother’s Day roses collection includes this rose blush cologne. While we’re fans of JM’s red roses, it’s quite heady, whereas rose blush is softer, gentler, more modern and perhaps a touch more youthful. As well as a top note of those jammy rose petals, there’s also a vibrant green basil scent, which provides some light relief.

This particular perfume comes in 50ml, and has a limited-edition label. We think mums young and old will absolutely love this gorgeous, floral-yet-modern scent. It’s like a bunch of roses, but so much better.

Read our full round-up of the best Jo Malone fragrances

As big fans of a red-and-pink colour clash, this animal print spoke to us immediately. It brightens up any outfit, even on a grey British day (the scarf teams well with the relentlessly red lippy on this list, too). It’s incredibly soft and lightweight, as well as large – it’s got loads of uses, from breastfeeding cover to use as a head scarf. We mention this in particular as, with every one of these scarves bought, Scamp & Dude will donate another to a woman starting chemotherapy cancer treatment in the UK. The aim is to donate a scarf to every woman going through chemo this year. Knowing you’re essentially giving two gifts elevates this scarf to something very special indeed.

Not a fan of pink and red? There are other colourways available.

This comes with a warning: if you’re giving this as a gift, you need to make it very clear that the recipient is not expected to do the cooking. But they will end up with one of the best roasts they’ve ever eaten. The box includes a half leg of lamb, loads of goose-fat roast potatoes, mint sauce, Yorkshire pudding mix and some chicken stock for gravy. There’s enough for a family of four for sure. The lamb we received was incredibly good quality, and all the trimmings cooked beautifully (we really need to get Farmison’s Yorkshire pudding recipe). This is a great gift for mums who can’t or don’t want to go out for lunch on Mother’s Day.

Read our full round-up of the best recipe boxes and food delivery subscriptions

Reportedly the vineyard that supplied Wills and Kate with wine at their wedding reception, Chapel Down is a big name in English wine, and for good reason – it makes incredibly good, sophisticated wines, not least its sparkling range. This English rose is beautifully delicate and refined, with notes of strawberry and redcurrant. We hugely enjoyed this light, sparkling wine, and even more so due to the fact it’s made in the UK, so doesn’t have as big a carbon footprint as imported options. This feminine fizz is perfect for Mother’s Day – pop it before lunch for an effervescent Sunday morning.

Read our full round-up of the best English sparkling wine

When you become a mum your cherished handbags, that once perfectly accessorised your outfit, get tossed to one side. You innevitably make room for a much more practical rucksack to comfortably carry all of the essential changing items to make life easier for you and your baby. Thankfully, the black faux-leather design of this Mamas & Papas backpack means we didn’t have to completely sacfrifice style on our days out. We were impressed by the bag’s large storage space, including six zipped compartments and three insulated bottle holders for storing baby’s milk (plus, our coffee).

Plus, it comes with a changing mat included, which is easy to wipe clean and pack away neatly, as it’s not thick or bulky. While the straps are easily adjustable for carrying on your back, we preferred to fit it neatly under the pushchair, for extra comfort on walks.

You don’t need to book an expensive spa break to treat your loved one to some self-care time. These self-heating eye masks are perfect for a non-stop mum who needs to relax after the school run, or a new mum who deserves some post-partum pamper time. They could also be a welcome addition to a mum-to-be’s hospital bag.

The multi-pack means they have the perfect excuse to put their feet up not once but five times. We loved that these eye masks came with soft loops to go around your ears, for extra comfort, and to help keep them in place. The masks were so soft on our eyes, too – it felt like we’d placed warm velvet across our face. We would highly recommend buying a pack for your loved one – and yourself.

We love this letterbox gift idea because it gives you the control of personalising your selection of three, six or nine co*cktails to suit your mum’s favourite flavours (and you can throw in one for yourself). There are non-alcoholic boxes on offer too.

If you’re a last-minute shopper, you’ll be pleased to hear these gifts are available for next-day delivery. It’s not too late to make your mum smile and raise a co*cktail (or six) to her this Mother’s Day.

There are popular classics such as espresso martinis, daiquiris and margaritas, as well as something a little different such as a gimlet, lemongrass citrus or a boulevardier. We had a taste test with our own mums and it was the negroni that came out on top, with the cosmopolitan a strong runner up.

All you need is ice and a slice. Well, the slice is totally optional and a nice glass will help too, but is it even a co*cktail without a pretty garnish on top?