What to Get Your Mom for Mother's Day: 12 Last Minute Gift Ideas

What to Get Your Mom for Mother’s Day: 12 Last Minute Gift Ideas

By Brooklyn Magazine

This Sunday is Mother’s Day and while we’re totally, positively, absolutely sure you’ve already taken care of getting your mother (or mother-figure) a totally awesome present in time to greet her for brunch this weekend, just in case you’ve dropped the ball on this, we’ve got you covered with some pretty perfect ideas for last minute presents.

The Hobo Wallet: It’s virtually indestructible and has, like, 50 compartments for all sorts of MOM I NEED HELP stuff like Advil, tampons, etc. And it’s sleek and elegant! Also, it’s pricey, but not so unaffordable that it’s, you know, impossible to afford. It comes in all different colors and types of leather and the inside has a cute pattern, which is the sort of detail that mothers really appreciate. (And, ok, yes: We are also selling ourselves on buying a new one.)

Ceramics from Andrew Molleur: Let’s face it, moms love plants and plants need somewhere to live and grow and also, ceramics are very in right now. And one line that’s currently standing out to use comes courtesy of an architect turned ceramicist who is constructing some seriously wonderful pieces.

Screen Printed Tea Towels and Napkins: My Mom asks for tea towels every year. I don’t know what happens to them, but who am I to say she has too many? These would look great hanging up so go get some for your mom and make her happy.

Tickets to A Long Day’s Journey Into Night: We’d love to take our mom to see her contemporary Jessica Lange as one of the great Bad Mommies in American literature, Mary Tyrone, in the current Broadway production of A Long Day’s Journey Into Night. Classy and in no way biographically resonant!

Gemstone Stud Earrings: Fort Greene’s Feliz is a lovely store filled with many pretty things, but these studs combine the best of color and simplicity in one item. They add the perfect amount of subtle interest to any outfit, and are simply beautiful.

The Travelers Clutch: From Fleabags comes an extremely versatile pouch for going out, travel, or day-to-day wear, and is classically good looking. It is a hip yet understated fashion piece that your mom will be grateful for.

Engraved Travel Perfume: Whether you go for the hypnotic scent Rose Anonyme or Ambre Nue (both to die for) at Atelier Cologne, you can choose a luxury case, in your mom’s favorite color, with her initials, for any of the light yet lasting scents from the Parisian perfumer on Atlantic Avenue. It is just the right amount of over-the-top, so she’ll feel she deserves it (because she does).

Birdwatching: Look, whether you’re in a bustling metropolis like New York or some other idyllic haven in the middle of nowhere, there is one thing that remains a constant: there are birds there. If there aren’t, then the graceful rotation of that ecosystem is seriously in danger! Don’t fear though, a great activity to do with your mom is to take her birdwatching. Odds are, she is already into it and you just weren’t paying attention when she was detailing the blue jay she saw last week. Spending quality time together is always the best gift, so rustle up some binoculars and head out on an ornithological tour. Who knows, you might just end up liking it–and mom definitely will.

Spa Day at Aire Ancient Baths: Can you say “Mother’s Day, Party for Two?” Of course, you can. Treat your mom (and yourself???) to a thermal bath experience, plus a 30 minute massage (back, neck, shoulder, AND feet) from Aire Ancient Baths.

Brunch at Concord Hill: We were just talking to our mom on the phone the other day and when she mentioned her trip to Brooklyn next month (for the Northside Festival, duh), I told her I thought Concord Hill would be the perfect “mom and me” spot (sorry brothers and dad). Because it is. It’s charming and has a friendly vibe and is owned by two good friends, one of whom’s mother actually made the awesome salt holders for the table. So perfect. (Alternatively, if money were no object, we’d get her an unlimited gift card to her favorite casino. And a date with Regis Philbin.)

Coffee!!! (from Gimme Coffee): If your mom is anything like mine, she needs that fresh brewed cup of joe to kick off the day. Or, even if she doesn’t ascribe to the wonders of this caffeine fueled beverage, maybe a nudge in the right direction will introduce her to the wonders of a fresh mug in the morning? Grab her some fresh roasted beans from your local coffee shop and teach her how to make pour-over for a morning. The time spent, and the resulting product, will improve both of your lives.

Handmade Necklace from Brooklyn Charm: There are few things that moms love more than supporting local businesses. Actually, one of the only things they love more than ascribing to that sort of altruistic ethos is, well, you. So imagine how much she would love a necklace made for her with your own two hands? Head over to Brooklyn Charm to pick out a few little golden trinkets that signify something special to you guys, and whip up the perfect custom-made Mother’s Day gift in no time. She’ll love it even more when you tell it is local, too.

Bonus Present that Will Take Some time to Arrive but Will Be Totally Worth It: We’re just going to say it: Our mother would really like a mug from the Icelandic Phallological Museum, so if you’re also in possession of a Baby Boomer mom who likes dick jokes, this is the perfect gift.

Photos, from top to bottom: Maggie Shannon, Joan Marcus, and Jane Bruce