Last-Minute Gifts for Mom That She Won’t Suspect Were Last-Minute

Buying a gift for your mom—whoever you consider the maternal figure in your life to be—is tough. Especially if you, like me, have a mother whose third favorite sentence in the English language is, “But I don’t need anything!” So if you’re still scrambling to think of something special for the person who’s raised, cheered, and guided you, then scramble no more.

Surely, you know how to buy flowers and I’ll bet you know where to pick up your mom’s favorite bottle of wine, so here’s a list of last-minute presents that’ll have them say, “Oh! I never even thought of this!” Tell your moms we love them.

What to get the mom who insists she has it all? Something that will assist her in sitting back and enjoying it all. This outdoor wine table ($60) is convenient, portable, and with $20 one-day express shipping, will arrive just in time for Mother’s Day.

Is your mom a beach bum? This giant, oversized beach blanket ($29-$39) will be perfect for gathering all her favorite people (which, if she wants to include her kids that’s fine) in one spot for a little wine and cheese sunset picnic. It comes with stakes to keep it stuck in the sand so that the refreshing sea breeze doesn’t fuck anything up.

If your mom loves Jeni’s ice cream, she’ll be siked. And if she’s never heard of Jeni’s ice cream she’ll be delighted with a gift card ($25, $50, $75, or $100) that’ll let her browse and discover all of Jeni’s unexpected and out-of-this-world flavors. Where else in the world will she find a pint of Goat Cheese with Red Cherries or Sweet Cream Biscuits & Peach Jam ice cream? Nowhere.

I think the product description for The Nessie Family spoon/ladle/infuser set ($39.95) says it all: Your mom will have a blast “scooping, draining, and brewing with these mystical friends!”

On Nordstrom’s site, one satisfied customer gave this product five stars and commented: “If you enjoy hiking in the nature, this is a backpack must-have as you never know if there is any handsoap left in public toilets in the middle of nowhere somewhere up on the hills or forest.” Even if your mom doesn’t enjoy “hiking in the nature,” this fancy handcare gift set ($50) from everyone’s favorite-smelling French brand is still a five-star gift.

If your mom doesn’t already have her own indoor herb garden ($30), then what is she even doing? (Everything else, I know.) But people seem to really love this shit, so if your mom enjoys gardening and/or cooking, she’ll love this. (If she doesn’t, you can send it to me!)

Just a quick reminder that you don’t need to get anything big or fancy or pricey or basic—probably all your mom really wants is for you to get her a nice card that says, “Thanks for everything! I love you!” So get off your ass and go find a mailbox.

This is the puzzle gift to end all puzzle gifts: The 1500 Piece Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle Table ($79.99) is for the mom who does not fuck around when it comes to her puzzle time.

Bridge? Poker? Gin Rummy? Go Fish? If your mom’s a card mom, get her these snazzy Christian Lacroix Maison De Jeu Playing Cards Set ($35) and maybe she’ll finally teach you how to count cards—and then you can start winning some money to pay her back for everything she’s ever done for you.

These things are everywhere. They’re viral; they’re top-rated; they’re “pillow-like”; they’re your mom’s favorite gift of all time. There are a lot of different brands on Amazon, but the ones from the Cushionaire store ($24.99) seem to have the most five-star ratings. They come in 30 different colors and one Amazon customer wrote: “Ok wow these are like walking on a literal cloud!!” No one else is more deserving of getting to walk on air than moms.

The gift shops at art museums are the most overlooked spot to buy one-of-a-kind gifts and, especially, one-of-a-kind jewelry. Some of the pieces get really expensive but there are plenty of fantastic accessories in the $50-$200 price range, like the above Flower Bud necklace ($110) from the Pheonix Art Museum; the Dual Bobble earrings ($65) from the MoMA Design Store; and the Kinetic Orange Blue Shard Circle Necklace ($55) from the Art Institute of Chicago. These gifts might not arrive in time, but they’ll surely be worth the wait. (Or just run to an art museum in your area and check out their gift shop.)

Keep her connected to your life anywhere, all the time with this WiFi digital picture frame ($149).

Moms deserve a chic new tote for summer. I, personally, would get this Knott Colorblocked Commuter Bag (originally $348 but $243 with code) for my mom but, obviously, it’s Kate Spade—whatever color, size, or style your mom prefers, you can find something. (And save with their current Mother’s Day code!)

So yes, you’re going to get your mom a cookbook BUT with the caveat that this cookbook is your cookbook...meaning that she gets to ask you to cook her anything from said book. (I recommend Carla Lalli Music’s That Sounds So Good, $20 at Amazon.) You can decide for yourself the terms and length of this gift (arrangement) but it’s all about doing something nice for the woman who’s done everything for you.

Does your mom love her Pandora? Does she not understand that she can listen without ads? Make her day better, every single day, with the $9.99 a month (and 60 days free!) Pandora Premium Subscription.

The formation of crystals in the Enkrio Storm Glass Weather Predictor ($26.98) lets you know if it’s warm, snowing, storming, or rainy outside. Of course, she can always look at her phone or out the window...but why pass up the chance to have this unique conversation starter?

If you still need some last-minute flower delivery, UrbanStems is accepting orders through Saturday and offering a 15% off Mother’s Day code. Mom will never know you barely got them in time.

This crazy affordable Cast Iron Covered Dutch Oven (currently on sale for $48.72) comes in 12 colors and is basking in tens of thousands five-star reviews.

The Mother of all Mothers is on tour in the U.S. and Canada this summer (and the U.K. in September!) Find a tour date near you and your mom and take her out for a fun night that will impress her much.

I cannot overstate how fucking incredible these things are. If you have a mom who loves the beach but curses the skies on those windy, chilly days, you can stop scrolling now and just hit purchase. The one pictured is $74.99 but this one, while smaller, is cheaper ($29.33) and just as effective. Either is a great option! I have frequently been the only one on a beach because I had one of these, which always makes me feel like the smartest person in the world. What better gift is there to give?

If this tabletop Meyer Lemon Tree from The Magnolia Company ($88.95 to $122.95) doesn’t scream “Perfect Mother’s Day Gift” then maybe your mom really does have it all. And good for her!

Do not, I repeat, do NOT suggest that she’s forgetful, always misplaces her keys, or can never seem to find anything ever. Just tell her you got her the Key Ring Finder ($16.99) because you want her to be able to responsibly lose her shit, without worrying about losing anything else.

These colorful, comfortable, sustainable (!!!) shoes will quickly become your mom’s go-to shoe brand if they aren’t already. As one of my co-workers said, her mom “has her walking Rothys, her dress up Rothys, her client Rothys.” Get her a gift card ($50 and up) so she can choose the perfect pair for herself.

Moms love containers and yours probably hasn’t bought new Tupperware in over a decade. Give her the gift of practicality with these snazzy and aesthetically-pleasing containers ($109 for the 44-piece set.) Grilling and cook-out season is upon us, baby!

I’ll bet you $50 that the Pineapple Corer ($12.98) is the one crazy and random kitchen gadget that your mom doesn’t have.

Colorful glassware? Gardens? Pretty birds? This Hummingbird Feeder ($26.99) has all a suburban mom’s favorite things.

It wouldn’t be a gift guide, and it certainly wouldn’t be a Mother’s Day gift guide, without at least one subscription box suggestion. And I hate to keep harping on the time of year but summer is nearly here so...it’s the best time for a Book of the Month subscription, particularly if your mom is picky and trying to select a book for her makes you want to scream. The plans are $59.99 for 3 months, $99.99 for 6 months, and $199.99 for 12 months, and they have a script to help you explain to Mom exactly how it works.

And if you know your mom loves romance novels, but really, really don’t want to be selecting those books for her, the Read, Romance, Repeat subscription box ($44) from The Ripped Bodice bookstore in Los Angeles is exactly what you both are looking for.

The Spa Finder gift card ($50 and up) is accepted at thousands of locations across the U.S., and it never expires. So she can find a spa near home, on her next trip, or when she finally runs away from it all. (Just kidding.)

I asked my best friend, who’s a loving, incredible, wonderful mother of two perfect boys, what she actually wanted. And this is what she said!