Guides
12 dope Mother’s Day gifts that won’t make mom regret having you
These are bound to keep making your mom smile long after the flowers wilt.
Mother’s Day is once again upon us, and this time it follows a particularly draining stretch of existence. That’s all the more reason to pamper the moms in your life with reckless abandon.
We’ve rounded up the best gifts for moms so you don’t disappoint yours once again.
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Look, the pandemic has been hard for everyone, but many moms were tasked with becoming Wonder Woman. Cooking, cleaning, teaching, and more time at home with no break from the rascals? Y’all the real MVPs and for your service, you deserve a glass of aromatic yet strong whiskey every so often to numb your mental and physical processes from breaking down due to stress. Wine is good, but for the darkest and longest of days, a small glass of Japanese whiskey helps you see the light through the clouds.
Life is short. Live in the moment and fill it up with memories, not a phone full of duplicate photos you’ll never look at. Do you need 84 photos of your partner or children when they did something silly? No. The Instax Mini 40 is perfect for capturing a moment into a one-of-a-kind print that you can put in your wallet, hang on your fridge, or give away as a gift/memento — we guarantee you’ll treasure the snapshot more than a pic on the ’gram. The retro design is pretty dope, too!
Getting hair products for the mom in your life could be tricky terrain, especially if you’re a layman or not especially qualified (or willing) to diagnose a lack of sheen or volume.
With Prose, a custom hair care brand based in New York City, what would otherwise be a no-fly zone in the world of gift-giving can actually be something really personal. Through a fairly thorough interviewing process (a series of prompts that can be answered online), Prose formulates customized, natural, shampoos, conditioners, and oils that micro-target the needs for your specific hair type and goals.
When we say that Prose is custom, we mean custom. Everything down to the scent can be tailored to your (or in the case your mom’s) liking, and the bottles even come with her name printed on them for good measure.
Whether you’re an avid runner or you just love to take walks around your neighborhood, you need a sneaker that’s going to be comfortable, easy to wear, and not too expensive. Those attributes are what has made Nike’s Air Pegasus line of running shoes one of its most popular, and its latest version is no exception.
With the new Pegasus 38, Nike has actually improved all those aspects and made the sneaker more comfortable than ever before, thanks to a softer, more breathable mesh material on the upper, a tongue with foam for extra padding, and an upgraded lacing system that lets you adjust the tightness (or looseness) to your liking. Those tweaks, along with the React cushioning on the midsole, make for an ideal everyday shoe for anyone who doesn’t need anything too flashy or expensive. And, again, if you don’t want to use them for racking up some running miles, well, they’re just as good for casual walks, too.
What makes the Pegasus 38 much more likable, on top of everything else, is that they’re only $120 — which makes them extremely accessible for your mom, my mom, or even your friend’s mom.
Jumpsuits rock. Everyone should own at least seven so that, should they so wish, they can do a full week of uninterrupted jumpsuiting. They’re versatile, comfortable, and as good for working from home as they are for wearing to the office (if that ever happens again). Plus, like a poncho, they’re natural mood elevators. Have you ever seen someone in a jumpsuit scowling? Nope, didn’t think so. Even better is a jumpsuit with pockets. This jumpsuit has six of them: Two on the booty, two in the regular spot, and two on the chest. That’s a lot of storage space. Mom might even be able to forgo a bag for a change. Now that’s what we call liberation. It comes in “standard” or “petite” various from XXS to XXL, it’s machine washable, and it’s also on sale.
If you like cocktails, you’ve probably seen Death and Co’s name around. Aside from being a fixture of Manhattan’s East Village for 15 years, it’s responsible for gems like the “Oaxaca Old Fashioned” (a split base of tequila and mezcal, agave, and Angostura bitters) and the “Naked and Famous” (Aperol, yellow chartreuse, mezcal, and lime juice).
Its first book, Modern Classic Cocktails, is great, but even better (and more recent) is Cocktail Codex, which makes the bold assertion there are essentially only six, fundamental cocktail recipes: the old-fashioned, martini, daiquiri, sidecar, whisky highball, and the flip. It then picks them apart with surgical detail and precision so that you, the home mixologist, can wow your guests — or yourself — with fresh takes on classics, or creations of your own that won’t have people pouring them into the pot plants when you’re not looking. It’s also a great excuse to restock the bar cart with staples, and more exotic options like the “Paper Plane” essential ingredient, Amaro Nonino.
Most moms are busy as hell. Why not get those busy moms a productivity tool that will not only help them get stuff done but also delight them with every encounter. Yes, we're talking about KBDfans' Tofu65 68-key mechanical keyboard (we recommend the acrylic case to show off the gorgeous LED lighting, and the brass plate... because brass is cool).
This size keyboard is perfect even on petite desks, and you can customize the hell out of its function layers for added oomph. You can configure these pre-built models with any kind of switches you like, but our money is on the Tealios variety — and not just because they're Tiffany-blue. With smooth, clicky, and swift downpress action, the mom in your life will be hard-pressed to find a better work partner.
Pictures on your phone are cool — but physical pictures you can throw on the fridge or put on your desk are even cooler. Enter the Instax SP-3 mobile printer. Basically, if you love Fujifilm's Instax cameras and their Polaroid-like images, but don't have the energy to carry around a second camera with you all the time, this thing is the perfect companion to your smartphone. Just connect it to an iPhone or Android device, download the (somewhat clunky) software, and start making your virtual photos real.
The quality of the prints is completely on par with images right out of one of Fuji's Instax cameras — in fact, it takes the exact same film — but the ease of use with a phone makes this a game-changer.
No. 7 Sub is one of the greatest New York sandwich shops of all time. Its founder Tyler Kord decided to take his absolutely bonkers approach to making food and put it down in a book. The resulting work is a masterpiece of unexpected gastronomic twists and turns that will have even the savviest chef questioning their belief systems and cooking foundations. We can't say that every mom loves a good sandwich, but this is the kind of book that could turn anyone's opinion around on the possibilities of a bunch of stuff crammed between two pieces of bread. "Fuck a lobster roll," Kord says as he begins a diatribe about New York's answer to the coastal classic — and it only gets more nuts from there. Your mom will thank you... between bites.
Sometimes, a half-assed shoulder rub from your begrudging partner just isn’t enough. Moms do a lot — seriously, y’all are amazing — and carry a lot of tension as a result. This ball-shaped vibrating massage roller is the perfect antidote. It vibrates at three different strengths and can be used in conjunction with oils (like a soothing CBD blend) to roll out achy muscles, from the arches of your feet to the base of your neck. Therabody’s devices pair up with an app that has all the guided sessions you could ask for, so there’s no fretting over how to correctly hit all the spots. Wave Solo is a thoughtful, practical way to add a little self-care into your mom’s routine.
There’s no better gift than a good night’s rest — something mothers are constantly giving up for their children — and this Casper pillow is your best bet. Regular pillows are filled with down — a luxurious, but hot, option. Casper’s design counters this with its down-like filling, giving you the same plush feel while also keeping you cool throughout the night.
Acting as two pillows in one, the bedding boasts a firm inner pillow surrounded by a soft faux-down filling to give off that just-right feeling. The pillow-in-pillow technology prevents clumping too, so sleepers don’t have to worry about neck pain or waking up in the middle of the night to fluff their pillow. Get you a pillow that can do both, and more.
Weed moms, we see you. If an evening toke is your mom’s vibe, you can’t go wrong with one of Vessel’s vapes. The Compass, which we recently reviewed, is the perfect combination of discretion and power without breaking the bank. It’s beautifully sleek and more understated than some of the other offerings out there, and just feels good in your hand. Most importantly, it delivers a smooth hit. Moms, it’s time to kick back.
