Swoon
17 Irresistible Gifts For Moms Who Say They Don’t Want Anything
Spoiler alert: her kids aren’t actually the only gift she needs.
When you hear about a mom who “has it all,” you probably picture some mythical mother who manages to succeed at work, marriage, friendship, and motherhood and still has time for her own passions. This woman doesn’t exist, of course, but moms who have everything in the literal sense exist in droves, and chances are you know one. That’s why you’re here, right?
On this list, you’ll find gifts for moms who have everything or worse, who insist they don’t need anything for the holidays. What do you buy people who can and do buy themselves whatever they want or need? Well, we thought about it so you don’t have to. Maybe it’s something they don’t know is an essential until they have it (a sunscreen and skincare duo, perhaps, or an LED lantern), or it’s some small luxury that elevates her life just a little bit, like a car scent that’s actually sophisticated or a pre-arranged charcuterie board that gives her the gift of cheese and saved time.
Whether you’re shopping for your spouse, friend, your sister, your own mom (or, um, yourself), we’ve got you covered with unexpectedly essential gifts that are always welcome, even when she has everything she needs, or says spending time with her family is all she wants (she can save that kind of gratitude for Thanksgiving).
1An ice cream subscription
She actually doesn’t have “everything” if she’s not a member of an ice cream subscription. This isn’t just any ice cream either — it’s Jenis, a personal fave that’s super smooth with fun flavors you won’t find elsewhere. Each month, she’ll get four pints delivered to her door, and shipments often include new flavors that aren’t yet publicly available. Now she just needs to figure out how to hide the pints from her family.
2A keepsake necklace
In the age of layered necklaces, she can always use another delicate chain to add to her stack. Beyond being chic (can’t go wrong with a gold and diamond pairing), this locket by Monica Rich Kosann has sentimental value that she’ll love. This one’s a half-locket, meaning there’s room for just one special photo, and there’s no tiny clasp to have to undo to see the photo. All she has to do is simply turn the pendant around to fawn over a sentimental pic, whether it’s an image of her kids, a first ultrasound shot, a photo from your wedding, or the dog (hey, whatever works). She’ll love having her cherished things close to her heart. The designer has necklaces at varying price points, and there’s a “locket bar” on the website, which guides you through uploading and printing a photo that will fit perfectly inside.
3A rainbow vase
The beautiful thing about a mom who has it all, or worse, “doesn’t need anything,” is that you can get her anything. Home decor is a safe option if you know her taste, because having multiple vases (or coasters or candlesticks) is actually a good thing. This gorgeous yet playful bowl vase is ceramic and designed by Justina Blakeney exclusively for Jungalow.
4A fancy cotton tote
Whether schlepping groceries home or toting around the ten rocks her kid needs to take home from the playground, this roomy and durable tote is perfect for the mom who has it all. Reminiscent of chic sun umbrellas, the black and white stripe cotton is timeless (but there are other options too, if color is more her speed). These are handcrafted by refugees in Italy.
5An initial necklace
Jewelry is one of those things moms can always have more of, especially with a simple and stackable necklace (though it also looks great on its own). Choose her initial or the first letter of her kids’ name— if she has more than one child, these gold-dipped necklaces look cool layered. Ten Wilde also has really great rings, but a necklace is the safest bet if you don’t know her specific ring size.
6A fancy & festive charcuterie board
This charcuterie board is over the top in the best way. It comes just about assembled (all she’ll have to do is unwrap some plastic wrap). Not only are you giving her the best gift—snacks— but you’re also taking something off her plate for all the holiday entertaining. This looks super impressive (I mean, there’s cheese shaped like a gingerbread man), and it ships free overnight. The price shown here is for a medium board that easily serves five to six hungry people.
7A “Barkin” bag
If she already has a small faux Birkin bag to conceal her dog’s poop bags, then color me stunned (and give up your search for a gift now). This cute accessory is made from actual high-quality leather (lol), and it comes with brass and gold hardware. Just pop the waste bag rolls inside where there’s a hole in the bottom of the bag so they can easily be accessed while walking. This comes in great colors (cherry red, taupe olive, and bright green, to name a few), and there’s a hook where it can attach to the leash. Who would have thought picking up poop would be so glam?
8A Set Of Five Chocolate Bars
There’s no such thing as too much chocolate, especially when it comes packed in the chicest green croc-embossed keepsake box, a cool gift in and of itself.
Included are five limited-edition holiday flavors: peppermint bark, cinnamon toast, bourbon pecan pie, sticky toffee, and apple pie. What could be better?
9A flower subscription
You know what goes well with a vase? A flower subscription. With Farmgirl Flowers, you have the option to choose a delivery cadence (every week, every two weeks, or monthly) plus how long you’d like the subscription to last. This bouquet is the smallest option, with around 15 stems each, but there are larger ones too. Mom may have it all, but gorgeous flowers that come straight to her door are always welcome.
10A duo of honey
This duo of beautiful raw, unfiltered honey is sourced from family-owned apiaries (that’s a bee yard) in both California and Kauai. Almost (but not quite) too pretty to touch, the sunset-hued honey duo each has a distinct flavor profile: The purple one is from wild Hawaiian sources like hibiscus, eucalyptus, coffee trees, papaya trees, passion flowers, guava flowers, and the orange-hued California-made honey is imbued with a citrus finish.
Plus, my doctor just told me that she thinks honey is the best cough suppressant, so mom will be reaching for this honey to keep her family cough-free this winter.
11A car scent
She spends a lot of time in the car, so she’ll want it to smell good, and this car freshener from Drift is the answer. A far cry from those sad scented, hanging trees, this set comes with three fresheners — Amber, which smells like, well, amber, but also rain and lavender; Grove, which is citrusy and fresh; and Cabana which smells beachy with hints of sea salt and coconut. There’s also a visor clip that the chic stone diffusers snap onto.
Since she can’t light a candle in the car, this is just as good as that freshly-lit-candle-in-a-clean-house feeling (especially if you vacuum all the crumbs out of her car as part of the gift).
12A sunscreen serum
With SPF 50, this tinted serum is both sunscreen and skincare. In addition to zinc oxide, which acts as a mineral sunscreen, this lightweight yet nourishing product also has natural ingredients like hydrating tremella mushroom, niacinamide to help shrink pores, and sunflower, which softens the skin. It’s available in three universally flattering tints, and it’s water-resistant (which is great for swimming and sweating but means it should be applied to dry skin).
13An heirloom for the coffee table
For the mom who really loves Christmas, this beautiful book is a true celebration of the holiday. From the historical origins of the advent and the nativity, to explorations of gift giving, carol singing, and classic Christmas films, The Christmas Book highlights festive traditions from many different cultures all over the world. Art and stories include work by Sandro Botticelli, Grandma Moses, Beatrix Potter, Andy Warhol, Sam Bilton, Dolph Gotelli, David Trigg, and many more.
14A set of wellness patches
If she already dabbles in or is simply curious about the magical effects of adaptogens, instead of taking a pill, all she’ll have to do is slap one of these four patches onto an area where the skin is thin and veiny, like the forearm. The exact ingredients vary depending on what the patch is meant for— for example, Sleep, Pls has melatonin in it, and Energy, Pls has vitamin D and B12— but they all have hemp extract as part of their magic.
I opted for the Relief, Pls patch on day three of a wedding weekend (the night of the actual wedding), and it kicked my champagne and jet lag headache. If she’s not into CBD, there are other adaptogen-infused patches that don’t contain hemp.
15A buzzy drink with no alcohol
The weed mom or the one who’s done with wine will appreciate this aesthetic and buzzy drink. Each drink has two milligrams of THC and four milligrams of CBD, which isn’t enough to make her feel high (so she won’t feel weird at a party with strangers), but instead, it imparts a nice relaxing floaty feeling that’ll get her loose without going overboard or waking up needing to chug water. Cranberry sage is their festive seasonal flavor, but the other flavors (grapefruit rosemary, lemon lavender, or blood orange cardamom) are all a treat.
16A lantern she can use anywhere
Not just for moms who like camping, this rechargeable LED lantern is one of those things she won’t realize she was missing until she has it. Kids want to play in the yard after dark? Check. Parent of a newborn? The red light setting won't disrupt her or the baby’s circadian rhythm during those middle-of-the-night feeding sessions. It also happens to be my one-year-old’s favorite toy, the one I bust out when things are dire.
17A luxe hemp skincare duo
Small but mighty, this powerful little duo contains two Muri Lelu products: Bloomrise Sativa Serum, which is used before bed, and Mauvaise Herbe Indica Oil, a super hydrating oil that’s meant to be used before bed. Full-flower hemp extract is paired with other botanical extracts for a luxe product that smells great (not at all like weed, which is the case in some other hemp products I’ve tried). These are half-sized (15ml) bottles, which is a great way for a mom who has a ton of skincare to try out something new. Trust me when I say that I’ve sampled a lot of beauty products, and while all skin is different, this duo is my absolute fave.
18An elegant candle
Yes, she probably has a lot of candles, but she doesn’t have this candle (and if she does, she’ll welcome another). Apollo Candles has several luxe Italy-inspired scents to choose from, and they’ll take her on a scent journey to a Tuscan garden brimming with tomatoes, the fresh mountain air of the Dolomites, buttery Florentine leather, or a Tuscan bonfire with notes of clove, apple, and cedarwood. But why is a candle nearly $80? Well, the vessel is a Riedel crystal rocks glass — fancy.
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