Shopping for Christmas gifts for Mom? The best gift is something personalized: something special and unique to her that she’ll cherish for years to come, or something that’s literally personalized, like a photo mug or a hooded blanket with her name on it. In any case, it’s the thought that counts—so think carefully and creatively when you’re shopping for Mom.
Think about what Mom enjoys; if she’s an avid reader, she’d love a personalized bookmark, or if she’s in the yoga studio a few days a week, a new yoga mat. Personalized gifts are also great for a parent who already has everything. If you need a few ideas to get the creativity flowing, read on to see our picks for the best unique gifts for Mom.
Key takeaways
- Help Mom indulge in self-care with a cozy personalized Christmas gift.
- Make Mom laugh and have some fun with a funny personalized gift or activity.
- Show Mom your love with a gift for the things she loves! Give her a personalized gift that compliments her hobbies.
- Gift Mom a personalized sentimental gift to fill her heart with love.
Self-care gifts for Mom
Some of the best Christmas gifts for Mom are gifts that help her indulge in some self-care. Pay her back just a fraction of all the care and comfort she’s given you over the years with a self-care gift that will leave Mom feeling energized and fresh.
Spa set
When it comes to self-care, a spa set is a classic. Gift Mom an all-in-one package of bath bombs, candles and face masks or build your own set and give Mom exactly what she’ll love. This is an awesome gift to pair with a cozy wearable blanket for a day of luxurious relaxation.
Blankets
Or maybe Mom prefers a regular blanket over a wearable one!
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You can personalize these with a custom image or piece of text, or simply give her a gift in her favorite color or pattern. Either way, she’s going to love it when she’s bundled up all snug and warm in her cozy Christmas gift.
Cozy wear
Cozy items like bathrobes, slippers, scarves and socks are other great choices to give Mom a cozy Christmas.
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Comfort foods
Enjoying good food and a warm drink is an act of self-care. Indulge Mom’s cravings this Christmas, whether she’s a chocolate lover or more of a savory foods fan who’ll appreciate a set of delectable spices.
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Fun gifts for Mom
Moms like to have fun too! Make Mom laugh and make Christmas fun with a silly, fun gift. You know your mother’s sense of humor best, so whether she’s into witty wordplay or hilarious visual gags, think about the best ways to make her laugh with a gift this holiday season.
Keep in mind that “fun” isn’t always synonymous with “funny.” If your mom is more of the “let’s do a fun activity” type, give her a gift like tickets to an amusement park or a fun new game. Just like you know your mother’s humor best, you know how she likes to play. Here are a few of our ideas for fun and funny gifts for Mom:
Funny personalized gifts
Personalized gifts can be silly and make Mom laugh! Give her something fun, like a hoodie or tote bag with a meme across the front or a set of punny salt and pepper shakers.
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Other funny gift ideas include tumblers and other drinkware with funny sayings written on them and calendars full of funny photos. In fact, any gift that can be personalized in a hilarious way—keep that in mind as you shop for the best unique gifts for Mom.
Fun outings
Make Mom’s gift an experience by taking her on a fun outing! Here are a few options to get the ideas started:
- Horseback riding
- Archery range
- Racetrack
- Sporting event
- Theatrical or musical performance
- Art gallery
One of the best things about gifting an experience, rather than a tangible item, is that it’s a way to create memories together. Bring the whole family or just do a you-and-Mom outing for some special bonding time.
Subscriptions for fun activities
Another way to gift Mom fun activities for Christmas is to give her a subscription for fun activities, like Once Upon a Book Club or the Jiggy puzzles membership.
Any gift in prank packaging
What do we mean by “prank packaging?” Imagine getting your mother a small gift, like a mug or a bag of her favorite coffee beans, and putting them in a wrapped box. Then, you put that box into a bigger wrapped box, and then put that into a larger box yet, so when you give Mom her gift, she first assumes she’s getting something in a large package… and then finds herself opening through a nesting doll of boxes to finally find her gift.
Or maybe you can wrap her gift in gag wrapping paper, like paper printed with a pattern of you making a funny face, and then wrap over that with normal-looking wrapping paper, so when she tears off the top layer, she’s greeted by your hilarious facial expression.
Gifts for moms with hobbies
What does your mom love best? (Besides you, of course).
Some of the best Christmas gifts for Mom are gifts that go with her hobbies. Think about Mom’s favorite things to do—is she a bicyclist? A big reader? A coffee connoisseur? Use her hobbies as a guideline to find the best way to celebrate Mom this holiday season. Here are a few of our favorite ideas:
Personalized mug for a coffee-loving Mom
A personalized mug is a great choice for Christmas (and not to mention Mother’s Day!). You can go with classic phrasing like “#1 Mom,” or you can go with something more personalized to your relationship, like a mug bearing your mother’s nickname or a beloved family photo. Take a look through all of VistaPrint’s custom mug offerings to find the perfect mug for your mama.
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Athletic apparel or equipment
If Mom is a sports lover, or even just a gym lover, personalized athletic apparel or equipment can be among the best Christmas gifts for Mom. Give her a personalized sports jersey with her number on it or, if joggers are more her speed, a comfy pair of jogging leggings.
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Alternatively, good gifts for athlete moms include gym bags, water bottles, golf clubs, or even equipment like boxing gloves or a yoga mat. When Mom is working out with something you gave her, she’ll feel stronger and run faster on all that love.
Garden kits
Garden kits are the perfect Christmas gift for a mom with a green thumb. You can gift her a mini herb garden, a rose bush or any other self-contained plant kit that will flourish and bloom.
Other great gifts for gardener moms include gardening gloves and personalized garden tools.
Journals
If Mom is a writer, give her a personalized journal she’ll look forward to filling with all her thoughts in the year to come!
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If a traditional journal isn’t quite Mom’s favorite choice, think about other ways you can give a gift with a similar sentiment. You can give her a photo album or a journal full of prompts, so she can explore her ideas and push her writing skills further.
Art supplies
If Mom is more of a visual artist than a writer, some of the best personalized Christmas gifts for Mom are art supplies! Whichever medium she likes best, there’s nothing better than a brand-new set of paints, pencils or pastels. Maybe she’d like a new pen.
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Similar to the journal idea, consider giving mom a new sketchbook or set of canvases for Christmas. Any gift that allows her to flex her creative muscles is a gift she’ll be sure to love.
Personalized bookmarks or stickers for book lovers
Maybe Mom is a big reader. If this is the case, there are two awesome, personalized ways to feed her reading habit this holiday season: bookmarks and stickers.
Give mom a set of personalized bookmarks so every time she opens a book, she’s greeted by your smiling face or a shared favorite quote. These can be as sentimental or silly as you’d like—you know your mother best!
Or, if Mom is the proud keeper of a large personal library, stickers can be a great choice. We mean the kind of stickers that go inside a book cover and say “This book belongs to ______” or a variation of this verbiage. This way, she can ensure every book she lends out makes its way back to her library.
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Sentimental gifts for Mom
Sometimes, the best personalized Christmas gifts for Mom are sentimental gifts that tug at her heartstrings and might make her tear up. Think of things like sweet poems, treasured family photographs and keepsakes she’ll cherish forever.
With sentimental gifts, it can be easy to go the DIY route. For example, if you’re a songwriter, perhaps you can write and record an original song for Mom. Or if you’re a gardener, you can grow a bouquet of roses to present on Christmas. Another way to give Mom a sentimental gift is to have a personalized present created, like engraved jewelry or an embroidered wallet.
Think about the kinds of gifts that your mother will find special. These are the ideal choices for a sentimental gift.
Framed poem
A framed poem can be a lovely piece of wall art to give Mom this Christmas. You can find a sweet sentimental poem to frame for her, or if you’re the poetic type, you can write one yourself. Don’t worry too much about writing the “perfect” poem—to Mom, all of your writing is perfect.
Similarly, you can give Mom a framed quote or verse that speaks to your relationship.
As you choose the perfect poem or quote to gift Mom, think about the material that would fit her style best. You can give her a classic framed print, or you can choose a custom piece of wooden, metal or acrylic wall art. Maybe the best personalized wall art gift for Mom is a multi-panel piece that combines a poem with complementary imagery.
Family photo
A family photo is another sentimental Christmas gift for Mom. You can have an old photo restored, such as a photo of Mom with her parents or from the early years of your family. Or take a new photo to gift, either yourself or by a professional photographer. Maybe a gift card to have a family portrait session done is the best choice for Mom this Christmas!
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Just like with the framed poem, think about the right material for your photo gift. You can have a photo printed on wood, acrylic or metal, or onto multiple panels that create a diptych or triptych effect.
Jewelry
Jewelry is a traditional gift for mothers for a good reason. It’s timeless, it’s beautiful and it’s pretty indestructible. It can also be personalized in a variety of beautiful ways.
Have your name engraved on a piece of jewelry for Mom. Or you can have a piece crafted with your birthstone. Think about the kinds of jewelry your mother wears most often and craft something that fits her style.
Personalized ornament
Some of the best personalized Christmas gifts for Mom are personalized ornaments! After all, it is Christmas, so why not give Mom something that’s not only personalized, but themed to the season?
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The best Christmas gift ideas for Mom come from the heart
With a holiday gift guide like this, shopping for Mom will be a piece of cake! But what about other members of your family, like Dad?
We’ve got you covered. Check out our list of the Best Gifts for Dad to find the perfect way to tell Dad you care this Christmas.
A lot of the best Christmas gifts for Mom are also great gifts for Dad—mostly because personalized gifts tend to be the most special gifts for parents and other close loved ones. As you shop for Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa and the rest of the family this holiday season, check out our selection of personalized photo gifts.
