Wondering what to get for the special mom in your life? My number one tip for choosing gifts this Mother’s Day is to tune into the love language of the mother you are celebrating. By doing so you can turn this occasion into a special and loving day rather than a stressful event where she feels like an afterthought. It is easy to get swept up by the marketing, the brightly colored cards, the generic gifts, etc but what if you become intentional about what the mother you are celebrating would like? Is their love language acts of service, words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, or receiving gifts? You don’t have to just pick one if you aren’t sure- most people have both primary and secondary love languages that help them to feel cherished and fulfilled.

A wise friend of ours said he sticks with a threefold formula: something sentimental, something she wants, something she needs. Last year he had a photo of his wife and child painted in watercolor, he bought her a sweater she loved and spent the day doing all the chores so she could rest. It was a great success!

So here are some thoughtful Mother’s Day Gift Ideas. I have included a range of budgets and gift ideas that are suitable for any mothers you are celebrating in your life: grandmothers, mothers-in-laws, etc. I have chosen a few ideas for every love language.

Words of Affirmation:

This mother loves to read and hear encouraging, loving, and heartfelt words.

1. A piece of sentimental artwork. It is easier than ever now to commission a piece of artwork (like on Etsy) that has a special meaning. Choosing a special photo and having it painted by an illustrator is a lovely personal way of celebrating a mother. A note or letter explaining why it means so much to you is a great way of helping someone whose love language is words of affirmation to feel loved. You can also totally DIY this or have your little ones make something special! Pinterest is your friend.

2. Continuing with the artwork theme – a family print of all the words and phrases that celebrate who she is as a mother, lyrics to a special song, etc. Lots of sellers on Etsy will help you to use words you have selected to create a print.

3. A beautiful notebook that you have written notes and letters in already and continue to fill up throughout the year of motherhood.

acts of service

This mother feels loved when you are intentional and thoughtful about things you can do to lighten the load.

1. Gift cards for a cleaning service or meal preparation service or any service that helps to lighten the load that is placed on the mother is a lovely way to say – ‘I see what you are doing and I want to help’.

2. Motherhood is draining and trying to navigate infant sleep whilst being extremely exhausted yourself feels like a minefield. How about gifting one of the infant sleep courses and allocating time for implementing it? For those whose love language is acts of service, this is a thoughtful way of lightening some of the mental load that mothers tend to carry. If sleep isn’t your main issue, think of another part of parenting that may be tough and grab a course, sign up for a workshop, etc. so she can see you’re in this together.

3. On Mother’s Day itself, doing the childcare and chores is a great way of showing your commitment to her love language. My partner took our 3-year-old daughter out for an early morning walk and made us all breakfast so I could have a lie-in!

Quality Time

Personal, present, and intentional attention allow this mother to feel loved.

1. For those mothers whose love language is quality time – a family or couples day out to their favorite place is a wonderful way to show your appreciation. Going one step further – a membership for a local attraction such as a zoo, museum, etc, and scheduling days when you will spend quality time together ensures their cup will continue to be filled throughout the year.

2. A gift card for a meal together. Time for just the two of you to celebrate and connect and pay careful loving attention to the mother you are celebrating. This could be a special date night at a restaurant or even just a luxe take-out meal at home with her favorite drinks and treats to go with it if you’re not ready to leave your baby quite yet.

3. An adventure challenge book or “bucket list” that has ideas for both couples and families to complete activities together is a great way of scheduling quality time together.

physical touch

Physical connection such as holding hands, snuggling up, cuddling and sensory input helps this mother to feel loved.

1. For those mothers whose cups are filled by physical touch a certificate for a sensory experience such as a massage specific for mothers, would be a great gift to receive.

2. A basket full of her favorite things for an at-home spa experience. Face mask, foot scrub, dry brush, face cream, back massager, haircare products etc. All the things stimulate and appeal to her sense of touch.

3. A set of loungewear. My personal favorites are made of bamboo! Nothing can beat the feeling of soft, snuggly, cozy clothes to relax in. Code HEYSLEEPYBABY60OFF for my favorite, Cozy Earth!

Receiving Gifts

Thoughtful presents let this mother feel loved – they are a tangible reminder that you were thinking of her.

1. A piece of jewelry that has a specific meaning to it. For example, the mother has had her eye on it for a while, you thought of them as soon as you saw it, or it has engravings or the children’s names within it. This is a wonderful present for those that love to receive gifts but also like to celebrate the emotional connection of Mother’s Day.

2. A book of poetry celebrating the emotional journey that is motherhood is a beautiful gift to receive. I would recommend either Emma Heapy’s or Jessica Urlichs’s books as both capture the up-and-down reality of life as a mother, especially in the early years.

3. A beautiful bouquet of flowers designed specifically with the flowers and colors the mother likes. It’s a heartfelt and thoughtful gift and a wonderful time of year to receive a bouquet as most flowers are in bloom. Bonus points if the flowers have sentimental value, like what she carried on her wedding day or the birth month flower of her baby.

Using love languages to guide your choice of gift is a great way of ensuring that the mother you are celebrating feels cherished, appreciated, thought about, and loved. Good luck!

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