The best sentimental Mother's Day gifts

The best gifts are the ones that mean something.
By Dylan Haas and Kaitlyn McInnis  on 
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mother's day gifts
Give Mom a gift she can cherish for years to come. Credit: mashable photo composite

Moms: We owe them the world. After all, they gave us one. Literally.

There are a lot of ways to show your mom how much you love them on Mother's Day, but nothing hits quite like a gift that's truly sentimental. You know, a gift that really means something. One that will cause your mom to get a little misty with just one look. (Gifting is the only time you should be making your mom cry, by the way. No sad tears here.)

That's a tall order, though. A sentimental gift requires creativity as well as earnestness, and not everyone is a gifted gift-giver. But we are, and if you need some ideas, we've got you covered.

Below you'll find sentimental Mother's Day gift options that will have your mom saying "awwww, kiddo" for years to come.

A family recipe cutting board
Credit: UNCOMMONGOODS

A family recipe cutting board

Best For The Home Chef

Does your mom have a signature recipe that you grew up on? Get it printed on this custom cutting board and let her know how much that meal means to you.
A set of Friendship Lamps
Credit: FRIENDSHIP LAMPS

A set of Friendship Lamps

Best For A Long-distance "i Love You"

Whether your mom lives across the country or simply across town, this set of two long-distance lamps is sure to tickle her fancy. You keep one, she keeps one, and the two of you can come up with your own color-coded language.
Buying Options
$199 from AMAZON
A flexible flower subscription
Credit: THE BOUQS CO.

A flexible flower subscription

Best Classic Mother's Day Gift

Maybe flowers are a cliché gift, but only if you give them once. With a subscription to The Bouqs, you can ensure that she gets a new set of blooms every month. How's that for cliché? 
A Polaroid camera
Credit: POLAROID

A Polaroid camera

Best For The Nostalgic Mom

Nothing captures a good memory quite like an instant photo. Give her the opportunity to take as many as she desires with this great Polaroid camera so she can remember every happy moment going forward.
Buying Options
$99.99 from POLAROID

A sentimental (but subtle) bracelet

Best For The Chill Mom

So your mom is way too cool to wear any mushy jewelry or home decor items… that doesn’t mean you have to forego getting her a sentimental gift. This casual, cool cuff bracelet is inscribed with a sweet sentiment, but it’s only visible once she actually takes the bracelet off.
Buying Options
$11.96 from AMAZON Amazon Prime
A personalized family print
Credit: UNCOMMONGOODS

A personalized family print

Best For The Mom Who Needs Some Art

A unique, customized print of your family will remind your mom that you'll always be there for her — even when you're far apart.

A Kindle Oasis

Best For The Bookworm

Is your mom an avid reader? Get her a Kindle ereader so she can dive into any book she wants at any time. To make it more sentimental, download a few of her favorite reads, as well as some you'd like her to check out. 

A ceramic jewelry dish

Best For The Jewelry Collector

This pretty little jewelry catchall will allow her to keep all her daily necklaces and earrings in one spot. Plus, each time she looks down to grab a piece of jewelry, she’ll think of you.
Buying Options
$15.99 from AMAZON Amazon Prime

A custom garden tool basket

Best For The Gardener

Every gardener needs a trusty set of tools, so make sure that her kit is uniquely hers with this personalized basket of equipment.
Buying Options
$64.39 from ETSY
A personalized calendar
Credit: ARTIFACT UPRISING

A personalized calendar

Best For The Mom Who Plans

If your mom is the organized, plan-ahead type, consider getting this calendar that you can fill with photos of your choosing. Just make sure she doesn't peek ahead. It'll ruin the surprise. 
A birth month flower candle
Credit: UNCOMMONGOODS

A birth month flower candle

Best For The Candle-obsessed Mom

Candles aren't all that sentimental — that is, until you get her one that matches her birth month. Now that's thoughtful. 
A baby handprint/footprint keepsake kit
Credit: KEABABIES

A baby handprint/footprint keepsake kit

Best For The New Grandma

Shopping for a new grandma? The sentimental route just got a whole lot easier. This baby handprint keepsake kit allows you to get your newborn to do most of the work. Just dip their hands or feet into the cast and you’re left with a priceless gift.
Buying Options
$18.96 from AMAZON Amazon Prime

Mother/child necklace

Best For Moms Who Like Simple Jewelry

We all know those mothers and kids who act more like best friends than parent and child. If you’re lucky enough to have that relationship with your mom, know that it really is something to cherish. This interlocking necklace offers a creative interpretation of that relationship; plus, it's simple enough to wear every day.
Buying Options
$41 from AMAZON Amazon Prime
A set of journals
Credit: ANTHROPOLOGIE

A set of journals

Best For The Writer Mom

Give your mom the opportunity to spill her feelings into this set of beautiful notebooks. If you're feeling ambitious, fill one of them up with your favorite memories together before you gift it.
A necklace with your siblings' names
Credit: AJ'S COLLECTION

A necklace with your siblings' names

Best For Getting The Siblings Together

Looking for a great gift that gets all the siblings involved? This personalized necklace allows you to engrave all your siblings' names in one spot, so Mom can proudly flaunt all her kids on one delicate chain.
Buying Options
See Details
A sleek desktop photo calendar
Credit: ARTIFACT UPRISING

A sleek desktop photo calendar

Best For Sprucing Up Her Home Office

If you mom is still working from home, helping her add some pretty little extras to the home office is probably a good idea. This personalized desktop calendar from Artifact Uprising is extremely design-savvy and allows for a tasteful way to display sentimental photos.
Buying Options
See Details
A responsible adult lunch set
Credit: BESPOKE POST

A responsible adult lunch set

Best For The Busy Mom

Did mom pack your lunch every day before you went off to school? Time to return the favor. Pick up this aesthetically pleasing lunch kit, and make her favorite lunch before she sets off for the day.

A cross-stitch kit

Best For The Diy Mom

If your mom is constantly on the hunt for new crafts, consider a fun cross-stitch kit. There are plenty of designs to choose from, some with humorous messages, and some more meaningful. Get her one that matches her personality to show her that you care.
Buying Options
$19 from ETSY
'One Line a Day' journal
Credit: CHRONICLE BOOKS

'One Line a Day' journal

Best For The Personal Development Fan

Does she want to journal, but struggle to find the time? The One Line a Day Journal will help her make a habit of jotting down the best part of her day — without a huge time commitment.
Buying Options
$13.52 from AMAZON Amazon Prime
A monogrammed eye mask
Credit: LEATHEROLOGY

A monogrammed eye mask

For The Mom Who Needs Some Shut-eye

Hard-working moms deserve a good night's sleep. Add some much-needed fashion to her slumber with an eye mask that's just for her.
Top Shelf family memory jar
Credit: TOP SHELF

Top Shelf family memory jar

Best Diy Gift

Whether it’s funny inside jokes, travel stories, or quotes and sayings, this family memory jar comes with everything you need to write out the little tidbits that make your relationship with your mom so special. It comes with a pen and pre-rolled scrolls, so all you have to do is fill in the memories.
Buying Options
$30.74 from AMAZON Amazon Prime
UrbanStems jade succulent
Credit: URBANSTEMS

UrbanStems jade succulent

Best For The Mom With The Green Thumb

Flowers are great, but a jade succulent in a lucky planter is a whole different level of thoughtful. The small plant is expertly planted in a ceramic elephant-shaped planter, which not only looks adorable but actually ensures that her plant will drain properly and remain healthy for years to come.
Buying Options
$55 from URBANSTEMS

A custom pet portrait

Best For The Pet Mom

If your mom likes the family pet more than you (just kidding), immortalize their cute little face with this custom portrait so she can admire them even more.
Buying Options
$25 from ETSY
A Gravity Blanket + Calm bundle
Credit: GRAVITY

A Gravity Blanket + Calm bundle

Best For The Stressed Mom

Being a parent can be stressful. Help here chill out with this weighted blanket that comes paired with a meditation app, then watch as the tension eases out of her shoulders.
Buying Options
$320 from GRAVITY
Some pressed glass frames
Credit: ANTHROPOLOGIE

Some pressed glass frames

Best For The Photo Collector

Does mom have more photos of you than she knows what to do with? Give her a way to display them — we promise she'll be happy to plaster your baby pictures all over the house.
A batch of handwritten letters
Credit: CHRONICLE BOOKS

A batch of handwritten letters

Best For Writers And Readers

You’ll have to plan ahead for this one—but it’ll be worth it, trust us. Letters to My Mom comes with a dozen decorated writing prompts that will allow you to express memories, thoughts and feelings, and other little slices of life for mom to read and keep forever. The pre-written prompts make it easy to fill out — even if you don’t consider yourself a natural writer.
Buying Options
$13.34 from AMAZON Amazon Prime
Custom socks
Credit: UNCOMMONGOODS

Custom socks

Best For The Mom With Cold Feet

What's more fancy than having a personalized pair of socks? Have her kick back in style this Mother's Day with this super comfortable five-pair bundle with a message of your choosing.
A map coaster set
Credit: UNCOMMONGOODS

A map coaster set

Best For Avid Travelers

Does your mom have a favorite place in the world? Get it printed on these coasters so she can see it every single day, whether it's where your family grew up, her dream vacation spot, or anywhere else you think she'd love to be.
A Montage video
Credit: MONTAGE

A Montage video

Best Gift From The Whole Family

Sure, Zoom celebrations are fine and well — but a Montage Video will come as a surprising keepsake that they’ll be able to replay forever. The trendy new digital gift allows you to pull together all your family to send messages and visuals that will be spliced together into a cute little video.
Buying Options
See Details
Homesick scented candles
Credit: HOMESICK

Homesick scented candles

Best For Evoking Memories

Whether she’s longing for her favorite bookstore or for the streets of Paris, these Homesick scented candles are sure to evoke tender memories of her hometown or favorite place to travel.
Buying Options
$34.99 from AMAZON Amazon Prime
A personalized yarn bowl
Credit: UNCOMMONGOODS

A personalized yarn bowl

Best For The Mom Who Knits

Plenty of people still love to knit. If your mom is one of those people, cap off her knitting setup with a custom yarn bowl with her name on it. Knitting just doesn't get any cooler than that. 
A custom coffee infuser
Credit: UNCOMMONGOODS

A custom coffee infuser

Best For The Coffee Connoisseur

Get your mom her caffeine fix with a twist — coat this mini oak barrel with the included bourbon essence, and her coffee beans will age with a sweet whiskey flavor. You can get her name put on the barrel, too.

A cute throw pillow cover

Best For The Home Decor Fan

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been out on your own… Mom’s house is always going to be home. These cheeky “Home is Wherever Mom is” throw pillow covers express just that in an elegant, modern farmhouse style.
Buying Options
See Details

An Airbnb gift card

Best For The Mom Who's Itching To Travel

Whether she’s had to cancel bucket list trips due to the pandemic or the two of you have been planning a little road trip once you’ve both gotten the vaccine, an Airbnb Gift Card will allow her to start dreaming of all the travel possibilities as the world begins to open up again.
Buying Options
See Details
author photo
Dylan Haas
Lead Shopping Reporter

Dylan Haas is a Lead Shopping Reporter for Mashable, where he covers all things gaming, pets, fitness, sleep, and shopping events like Black Friday and Prime Day. Before joining the team at Mashable, Dylan received a B.A. in Communications from Pace University and contributed to publications like Paste Magazine, Bandsintown, and others following a brief stint as a marketing and management assistant in the music industry.

When he's not writing or testing products, you can find Dylan playing lots of video games, working out, spending time with loved ones (especially his dog, Stevie), or watching reality TV. Follow him on X at @iamdylanhaas, or send him an email at [email protected].

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