Mother's Day

19 Mother's Day Gifts For The Mom Who Wants To Get Back To Hosting

Without stressing about the state of her baseboards.

by Samantha Darby
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Hosting gatherings, parties, and dinners isn’t always as fun or natural as you’d expect it to be, especially for the moms who feel like they’re already struggling just to make things happen. But there are few things better than having a house full of people you love, so this Mother’s Day, I’m telling you to find some gifts for the mom who wants to get back to hosting, but isn’t exactly sure where to start.

You know that mom. Maybe she’s your wife or your grandma or your mother-in-law. Maybe she’d love to have you all over for a Sunday dinner, but lacks the space for everyone. Maybe your wife gets overwhelmed by the amount of prep work to have people over, so she just avoids it like the plague. All of that is totally fine, but if you know she’d really love to be the house where people show up on a Saturday for a cocktail and snack, this list of Mother’s Day gifts is just for her (and you). From pretty little things that get you excited about hosting to practical gifts that help with the entertainment (and space) issues of a party, these Mother’s Day gifts for hosting will help her feel confident the next time a neighbor drops by or there’s a birthday party. Maybe even throw in a house cleaning coupon or promise you’ll be in charge of vacuuming before everyone arrives, too.

1The cutest serving caddy

If the hosting mom in your life loves hosting people outside, she absolutely needs this resin rattan serving caddy from Walmart. It has a spot for napkins, plates, utensils, and all the other little things (like salt and pepper or condiments) that she needs to serve people outside. She can load this up, carry it out in one hand, and it makes clean-up a breeze, too. Plus how cute does it look sitting out on the table?

2The perfect ice bucket

Nobody wants to keep running to the fridge for more chilled bottles of wine, so grab the mom in your life this true chill modern ice bucket instead. This thing is huge and can hold several bottles of wine and plenty of ice, but the curve in the bucket also means you don’t have to worry about bottles toppling over the side as you slide them in and out to serve.

3The best outdoor cooler

Sure, loading up a rolling cooler with drinks works, too, but I love this StyleWell cooler for parties. It looks vintage and cool, but the rolling feature means you can move it wherever it needs to go for the party, and you can really load this thing up without worrying about running out. It’s also easy to clean and drian, and even has a bottle opener right on the side with a spot to catch the caps.

4A gorgeous set of glasses

You know what makes hosting really fun? Pretty things, like these art deco double old fashioned glasses. You can use these for everything from mocktails and cocktails to sparkling water, and they look so gorgeous sitting out on a bar cart or table.

5The sweetest coasters

Look, nobody wants to be a host panicking about water rings, so gift the hosting mom in your life these lovely scalloped tulip costers. These are so great for having all over the house for anybody’s drink, and you can even keep a stack on your bar cart so people know to grab one after making a drink. Plus they look so pretty!

6The perfect “I Still Have to Get Ready” robe

OK, I know a robe feels like an odd choice for a hostess gift, but this everyday robe from Copper Pearl is literally the perfect getting ready robe. It’s my go-to for the in-between time when I’ve showered, but I’m not ready to get dressed for my event yet because I still have to vacuum, cook, wrap gifts, whatever. This robe is so soft, but extremely light, and it also has incredible ties that are sewn into the robe so you never lose it, and it ties to the side, so you don’t have to worry about exposing yourself while you’re loading the dishwasher.

7A gorgeous tiered stand

Every host needs at least one tiered stand, and I love this marble and brass two-tier stand from West Elm. It’s just gorgeous, but still simple enough to go with any kind of holiday or party theme. And you can use it for mini appetizers, cupcakes, muffins at brunch — literally anything.

8A set of beautiful dip bowls

Everything you serve looks fancy and fun in miniature bowls, like this stacking dip bowl set. These are the perfect size for condiments, for toppings, for dips, whatever needs to go into a smaller bowl. And the stacking feature is so nice for storage.

9The perfect set of string lights

If you have any kind of outdoor space, you know how important lighting is. This set of LED outdoor cafe string lights is perfect, and can turn a deck or porch into a hosting oasis. Don’t let the LED in the title fool you — these are nice, warm lights that aren’t bright blue in color and going to burn your little eyeballs out. Get a couple of packs and string them up for the mom in your life so she can host her gatherings under the soft, warm twinkle.

10An outdoor movie projector and screen

Maybe the mom in your life hasn’t been super excited to host people for the big game or a movie night because of space, so why not gift her a projector and screen to take the fun outside? This projector is small and compact, and works via bluetooth or plugging your device directly in to show movies, TV shows, and games up on the 100” included screen. This is also a fun option if she wants to give kids a space during a gathering where they can watch their own movie in peace.

11The best bud vase

Sometimes having people over means quickly shoving everything in a closet, sure, but it can also mean a quick trip to grab a few flowers just to spruce some things up. And when you do that, you need this caterpillar bubble bud vase. It is such a great option for any and all kinds of tables or display areas, and it can really elevate a room. You can really have some fun with flower arrangements in this, too, or keep it simple.

12A beautiful floral cheeseboard

Pretty things make hosting so much fun, like this resin flower cheeseboard. You can customize the ones you want by choosing your colors and flowers, but no matter what, this is going to be a gorgeous statement piece that she can use at everything from parties and Easter to birthdays and backyard cookouts.

13A set of fancy cocktail napkins

I have always wanted to be the person who hands my guest a drink with a cocktail napkin, and now I can be with this fun set of embroidered hydrangea cocktail napkins. They’re so sweet and pretty, and it’s such a fun statement to make as a host that these are your napkins and this is your style.

14The perfect glass cake stand

Everyone needs a good cake stand, and this jupiter beaded glass cake stand from Pottery Barn is such a good one. It’s nice and big and sturdy for whatever you put on top, but the blue color and beaded design really elevates it and makes it a gorgeous part of any tablescape, too. Isn’t it nice when you can just make your cake or pie an actual centerpiece?

15The easiest charcuterie board

We all fancy ourselves a little... well... fancy. But making a charcuterie board can be tough to get right. This fun charcuterie board has gorgeous fonts and illustrations to help figure out exactly where — and what — to place for the best flavors. Gift her this with a couple of cheeses or jars of dips and jams to go with it.

16This sweet little appetizer plates

I don’t want you to gift the mom in you life a pack of paper plates for Mother’s Day, but getting her a couple of stacks of these tri-stripe melamine appetizer plates from Target is totally fine. Having a handful of these ready for snacks is perfect for hosting, and the melamine means they can go in and out of the house — or in the hands of little kids — without worrying about damage.

17The most darling ice cream dish

There is just something about serving desserts in a little fancy bowl, and I’m obsessed with this tulip ice cream dish. Gift her more than one of these, obviously, but they’re perfect for serving ice cream, trifles, pavlovas, really whatever she wants. And they’ll look so pretty in a cabinet or on a shelf.

18A space-saving bar cart

Bar carts are not only cute and fun to dress up for holidays, but they can also be a major lifesaver for small spaces and hosting gatherings. This Better Homes and Gardens bar cart from Walmart has tons of storage, including spots to keep bottles, and is so classy and great for matching any other home decor you have. I love being able to roll it around, and you can easily set it up with all of your drink supplies if you’re hurting for space in the house.

19A set of pretty board games

I love hosting friends for random dinner nights or drinks after a day at the pool, but one thing I really hate is when we all just get stuck in front of the TV. Having some fun games, like this gorgeous vintage board game collection that includes Clue, Yahtzee, Scrabble, and Monopoly, is a must. And since it looks like a set of books, storing them is easy peasy. Gift these to the hosting mom so she can pull them out whenever people are over for a quick game over coffee and dessert.