Mothers work hard all year, and they deserve a great gift for mom. Whether she works outside of the home, runs her own business from home, tends to the home and kids, arranges the daily schedules, or quite possibly a mix of all the above, every mom deserves a break now and then. Rather than give her a box of chocolates, a card, and homemade coupons (though all are appreciated!) consider getting a gift that will help (and encourage!) her to relax and re-energize.
Gifts that encourage self-care
The most obvious, cliched gift for mom is a foot massager. But you can kick things up a notch by getting her a different kind of massager, like a Shiatsu massager or eye massager, depending on the area of the body she often says gives her pain. If she’s always kinking her neck and rubbing her shoulders, a Shiatsu massager that goes around the neck will be a welcome gift. She can wear it while relaxing and watching TV or reading a book to get some relief.
Eye massagers are great for when she has time for an afternoon nap, or before bed. If mom is a workout buff, look into a handheld and percussive massager. She can take it with her and use everywhere. These are designed to target various problem areas based on what muscles she has strained that week.
To help encourage mom to get a good night’s sleep, consider a sound machine or sleep tech device. White noise isn’t just for babies. For some adults, it can help you sleep better and fall asleep more quickly. Mom will appreciate having this on her nightstand to shut out the world and catch some quality ZZZs whenever she needs to rejuvenate her body and mind.
Self-care is about a lot more, though. The one thing I always include on gift lists for moms is Dyson hair care products. The reason is that they are far more expensive than your typical blow dryer or hair straightener, which means a selfless mom will never spend that much on herself. But the design is chic and the products work wonderfully thanks to Dyson technology that ensures no heat damage to your hair. They also get the job done quickly and effectively, which any busy mom can appreciate. It’s a total treat for a mom who is in dire need of an upgrade to the ancient blow dryer she has been using for a decade.
The Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler is a good all-in-one tool that curls, waves, styles, volumizes, and smoothes hair so mom can look for best. Hint: save a bit more if you choose from the official Dyson outlet on the Best Buy site, which includes refurbished products as well.
Gifts for mom to enjoy quiet “me” time
One of the things I value as a busy mother is “me” time. I’ll take it whenever I can get it. That usually comes in the form of workouts in my home gym and quiet trail walks on weekend mornings. There’s nothing like being in the fresh air with my true wireless earbuds and a great playlist. Truly wireless earbuds are the most convenient option.
I have tried numerous pairs this year and have a few favourites. One in particular that I think moms will love is the Shokz OpenFit OpenEar true wireless earbuds. Rather than plug in your ears, they sit overtop the ears with earhooks that comfortably wrap around the lobes. This makes them comfortable to wear for long periods of time and secure, even during rigorous workouts. My friend took my recommendation and bought a pair to use during the workday at home. She has lots of Zoom calls and find standard wireless buds irritate her ears, so these worked beautifully. You will lose some noise cancellation since your eardrums aren’t totally blocked. But these are still great for wearing while going for a run or, like me, a serene trail walk.
If mom uses an iPhone, you’re better off opting for a different pair, like the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation). They offer seamless pairing with the mobile device along with premium features like noise cancellation, dynamic head tracking, and a MagSafe charging case. With Siri integration, she can use her voice to control playback, answer calls, hear incoming messages read aloud, and more. The brand new version released this year includes greater dust resistance and now incorporates USB-C charging. If she already has a pair, consider this stylish Kate Spade case for them that she can clip to her purse or backpack.
If mom goes for runs, not walks (maybe she’s training for a 5K marathon?) look into something more specifically tailored to workouts, like the Shokz OpenMove bone conduction Bluetooth headphones. My friend, who runs 10K every day, has a pair and swears by these. If you prefer the traditional in-ear design, the JBL Vibe 200TWS offers signature JBL sound but won’t break the bank. Plus, you’ll get superior noise cancelling, great for outdoor activities.
“Me” time is also about quiet time indoors. For this, consider grabbing mom an eReader like the new Kobo Clara 2E, which is fully waterproof so she can use it in the pool or while having an Epsom salts bath. It even has a dark mode and ComfortLight Pro setting for easily reading in any setting, whether it’s outside on a sunny day or in bed at night with the lights out.
Gifts to motivate mom
Some moms will appreciate gifts that motivate them, It might be to exercise more, eat healthier, or pursue a particular passion.
On the exercise end, or for overall health and wellness, you can’t go wrong with a fitness tracker or smartwatch. For a mom who isn’t looking for something big and bulky on her wrist, the Fitbit Luxe is the ideal option. It looks like a bracelet but the tiny screen reports important stats, like daily steps, 24/7 heart rate, detailed sleep analysis workout summaries, incoming messages, and more. Plus, it works with the Fitbit app. I find that Fitbit offers the best sleep tracking around, so if mom is looking to monitor her sleep duration and quality, she’ll appreciate a Fitbit device. Of course they track workouts and other health and wellness metrics as well.
Of course every iPhone user covets an Apple Watch and the latest Series 9 model would be perfect for the mom on your list. She might not even express wanting one, but after setting it up and seeing what it can do, she’ll be in awe. I started using one this year and I can’t imagine living without it. It tracks my workouts, delivers notifications, and I even use Apple Wallet on my wrist to pay for items like a cappuccino at the local cafe or even groceries. Being able to review her daily stats will motivate mom to close those rings (and keep up with friends she can compete with in the app). She can set her move, exercise, and stand goals and work towards achieving them. The version with the Starlight aluminum band is lovely.
Tip: if you’re on a tighter budget, consider the Series 8 Apple Watch. It has most of the same features as the Series 9 and is compatible with the latest OS update, but sells for slightly less.
If mom has been on a health kick of late, looking to eat better and feel better, a small appliance like a personal blender is a good choice. One will make it simple for her to prep delicious and healthy smoothies, protein shakes, homemade dips, even a batch of tofu avocado chocolate pudding when she has an inkling for something sweet (it’s really a thing, and it’s delicious!)
The KitchenAid Blender with Personal Blending Jar combines the best of both worlds since it includes both a full-sized blender for when she’s making larger batches and a personal blending jar that even has a lid so she can take it with her on the go. But there’s a wide selection of single-serving personal blenders to consider if you want something small and simple.
Gifts that make mom’s life easier
Anything that can make mom’s life easier is worth considering. One of my favourite small appliances is the Instant Pot, and combined with the Air Fryer Lid, it’s the one I use most often. I make hot school lunches for my son in it each morning, cook things like potatoes and corn on the cob for side dishes, fry up homemade fried chicken legs, slow cook flank steak for Taco Tuesdays, and even get creative from time to time with a variety of dishes.
If mom doesn’t have one yet, she’ll be thanking you once she gets over the Instant Pot learning hump and starts cooking up a storm in a fraction of the time. See our detailed Instant Pot buying guide to find the right model for the mom on your list.
If mom hasn’t gotten on the smart home bandwagon yet, help her get started. It’s about more than just cool factor: a smart home can offer tremendous convenience. There are several smart home gadgets that can make mom’s life a little easier. From a smart display she can use to manage her daily tasks, reminders, and calendar events and get answers to voice queries, to a smart thermostat, smart lighting, or even video doorbell.
She’ll appreciate that she can control it all from a single smartphone app or even voice commands using Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri. Mom will love being able to have everything literally at her fingertips. Don’t forget to set it all up for her.
Help mom rejuvenate and recover
Moms are, by nature, multitasking creatures. We take on a lot, but love doing it even if it means burnout and the need for recovery time. Help give mom that recovery time she so desperately needs with a gift that will entertain, motivate, inspire, and make her life easier.
Check out a wide selection of gifts for mom at Best Buy Online.
