Moms are people, too. They love their kids but also have plenty of their own hobbies (cooking! running! gaming!), and they deserve gifts that honor them as people, not just as parents. Gifts for Mom shouldn’t be about giving her a vacuum or anything related to the stereotypical cleaning tasks of parenthood—a perfect gift for your mom will show that you know how she likes to spend the rest of her hours when she isn’t parenting.
This guide has fun gift ideas for all kinds of moms (and mothers-in-law!), whether it’s for Mother’s Day, Christmas, or a birthday.
Looking for actual mom gear to help your favorite mama out? We have guides on everything from breast pumps and strollers to the best baby gear for that first year. Don’t forget to check out our guides for coffee lovers, working from home, and being perpetually cold if you’re looking for something a little more specific.
Updated February 2025: We’ve added the Plum Paper Custom Notepads, Drybar The Double Shot Blow Dry Brush, and Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, and updated links and prices.
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Photograph: Brenda Stolyar
For the Reader Mom
Amazon Kindle (2024, 11th Generation)
Amazon has four new Kindles, refreshing the entire line in a bigger way than it ever has before. There are three updates to its existing lines with a new Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, and Kindle Scribe, plus the first-ever color Kindle, the Kindle Colorsoft (7/10, WIRED Recommends). And you know what Mom wants? A new Kindle, probably. If you know a mom who loves to color code her notes, she might love an upgrade to the Colorsoft, which allows for colorful highlights as she reads.
If she doesn’t need an all-new Kindle, I love using the Lamicall Tablet Holder ($26) to hold up my Kindle for me as I read. I have wrists cysts (nicknamed Mommy’s Wrist cysts!) that usually make it painful to hold even a lightweight Kindle up for too long, but this handy holder takes that pain away. It latches onto nearby tables or furniture, or you can gift the floor stand ($70) version.
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Photograph: Nena Farrell
For the Sleepy Mom
Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300
Being a mom requires a lot of energy, which makes a good night’s sleep pretty essential. I test tons of sleep gear, from mattresses and sheets to sound machines, but my biggest necessity for a good night’s sleep—and waking up without feeling like the walking dead—is a sunrise alarm clock. A sunrise clock will gently rouse you from sleep by slowly brightening over the course of a set time (think 20 or 30 minutes) and playing gentle music once it’s brightened. The best ones also have a bedtime routine, letting be lulled to sleep by a dimming light and sounds of your choice. There are a lot of great sunrise alarms out there, but the Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300 is my giftable go-to with its sleek shape, fabric base, bright light you can use as a bedside lamp, and wind-down and wake-up routines. It’s not too expensive, either, compared to others that have the same features for more. The only downside is that it only tells military time.
Best for sound: The Hatch Restore 2 ($170) is similar to both Lumie models, but has more sounds and an app to control your routines. I love the Hatch Restore for falling asleep, but it’s not quite bright enough to make me wake up like the Lumie sunrise alarms are.
