Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and people are scouring stores and the internet for the perfect gift. You can’t go wrong with buying her favorite flowers or treating her to a day at the spa.
You don’t necessarily have to get her something pricey and fancy. As you’ll see from these photos, some of the most appreciated gifts are simple and tug on the heartstrings because of their meaning and symbolism.
This list is part of Bored Panda’s series of articles celebrating Mother’s Day. To all the awesome moms out there, this one’s for you. And if you’re one of those still lost on what to give as a gift, feel free to pick up some ideas.
#1 My First Ever Mother’s Day Gift. I’m A New Stepmom
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#2 Finally Finished My Mother's Day Gift
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#3 I Embroidered My Mom's Dog For Her For Mother’s Day
Image credits: Wife4life112210
The flower business is booming every May. In 2019, fresh-cut flowers accounted for 80% of purchases on Mother’s Day in the United States. Outdoor bedding and garden plants come in second place at 40%.
Florist supplier Fifty Flowers ranked the top Mother’s Day flowers and their meanings. Roses, which remain everyone’s favorite, symbolize elegance and appreciation. Carnations, on the other hand, denote beauty, while peonies embody prosperity and good fortune.
#4 Persian Tiles Blanket, Completed Just In Time For Mother’s Day, And Kitty-Approved
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#5 My Brother (14) Told Me He Was Making My Mom A Cutting Board For Mother's Day. Both She And I Were Very Impressed
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#6 My Aunt Recently Died. I Made A Clock Using Her Most Worn Watches. Gifted To My Mom For Mother's Day
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#7 I Started This Swing Arbor Project On Mother's Day As A Gift To My Mom And Finished It A Week Ago
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#8 Instead Of Buying An Expensive Bouquet Of Flowers For Mother's Day, I Made This Instead For My Mom
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#9 Flower Arrangement I Made For My Mother On Mother's Day
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Indeed, flowers have been a go-to gift option since the early days of Mother’s Day celebrations. But back in the day, children were more hands-on when giving gifts.
London’s Appleyard Flowers shared that traditional British practices involved baking a simnel cake, a light fruit cake with almond paste and marzipan balls. Children offered it to their mothers for what is called Mothering Sunday (a.k.a Refreshment Sunday), which happens on the fourth Sunday of Lent.
#10 She’s Going To Be Spoiled
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#11 Made This For Mother’s Day. It’s My First Time Trying Faces Rather Than Leaving It Blank
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#12 I Made My Mom A Paper Cut Version Of Her Wedding Bouquet For Mother's Day
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#13 A Cutting Board I Made For My Mom For Mother's Day. Made From Black Walnut, Sapelli, And Oak. I'm 14
Image credits: Old_anvil_forging
#14 Embroidered Apron I Did For Mother’s Day! It Has Grains (Wheat, Millet, Oat, And Rice) For Her To Wear While Bread Baking
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#15 I’m A Broke University Student So I Couldn’t Send My Mom To A Spa For Mother’s Day, But I Brought A Bit Of The Spa To Her! I’m A Beginner And Really Pleased With How This Turned Out
Image credits: Fine_Scene9506
If you prefer a Mother’s Day gift that will last more than a week, you can go the practical route. Kristen McGrath, editor of the cashback website Retail Me Not, shared some suggestions that won’t break the bank.
"Whether you're shopping for mom or shopping for yourself, you can save on things like photo books, home goods, and beauty products. There's a lot of things that are on sale for Mother's Day that you might want to snap up yourself."
#16 I Bought My Mom A Succulent For Mother's Day A Year Ago, And It Has Flowered
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#17 My Daughter's Mother’s Day Gift
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#18 Either She Will Love It Or I'm Dead
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#19 My Friend Bought Me This For Mother's Day. Probably The Best Book
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#20 I Made My Mom A Thing For Mother's Day
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#21 Late Mother's Day Gift, Madeline, Acrylic Paint
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But what do moms really want on this special day? According to survey responses, it’s not something you’ll find in a flower store or any gift shop: free time.
Mothers live busy lives, and it goes without saying. But if we’re looking at specific numbers, a 2018 study revealed that working moms render around 98 hours weekly. That’s equivalent to two and a half full-time jobs.
So, when asked what they want for Mother’s Day, 58% of survey respondents want to be able to “drop everything.” 42% simply want to enjoy a good book, while 11% prefer to do some form of mindfulness exercise.
#22 This Candle I Got For Mother's Day
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#23 Mother's Day Gift For My Nan. Her Favorite Flowers Are Irises
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#24 My Mother's Day Present! I Love Her Already
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#25 Finally Finished My Mother's Day Gift! 5th Ever Quilt, Very Happy With It
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#26 I Painted My Mom For Mother's Day
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#27 I Embroidered This Photo As A Mother’s Day Gift For My Mom. It’s Written "Mommy Is Strong!" In Portuguese
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#28 A Talented Daughter
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#29 Made My Mom This Floral Heart Magnet For Mother's Day
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With different world cultures come various practices, including the celebration of Mother’s Day. In Peru, people also honor moms, grandmothers, and sisters who have passed on, as many countries do on the Day of the Dead. And they share food and drinks while they’re at it.
Thailand, on the other hand, does it differently. For one, Thai people commemorate their mothers on August 12th, which is also the birthday of their former queen Sikirit. It is also a national holiday where children pay homage to their moms during school presentations.
#30 These Answers From My 3-Year-Old Made Me Laugh And Cry
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#31 A Friend Of Mine Got His Mother A Bunch Of Flours For Mother's Day. That's Not A Typo
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#32 Made A Cake For My Mom For Mother's Day
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#33 My Husband Got Me A Bouquet Of Mushrooms For Mother's Day
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#34 Nothing Fancy. Wife Requested A Potting Cart For Mother's Day
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#35 Finished My Mother’s Day Gift Just In Time
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#36 My Mother’s Day Present From My Husband, Who Makes Lovely Wooden Pens (Usually). Anyone Else Enjoy Getting Crochet-Related Gifts?
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#37 I Hope My Mom Likes What I Made Her For Mother's Day
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#38 Mother's Day Gift. It Was A Lot Of Work, But Totally Worth It
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#39 I Painted This Watercolor For A Mother’s Day Gift
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#40 Mother’s Day Gifts I Made For My Mom And 3 Sisters
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Like Thailand, France does not celebrate Mother’s Day like the rest of the world. Instead, it takes place on the last Sunday of the month unless it falls on the same day as the Christian Holiday of Pentecost. In this case, Mother’s Day moves to the first Sunday of June.
France’s gift-giving tradition for Mother’s Day began in 1920 when the French government gave medals to mothers of large families as a show of gratitude for those who helped rebuild the population. It has since evolved into flower-shaped cakes.
#41 I Crocheted A Monarch Butterfly Shawl For My Mom For Mother's Day, Modeled By My Daughter
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#42 Mother's Day Gift. First Time Doing A Lace Effect
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#43 Microwave-Dried Flowers From My Garden. Mother's Day Gift
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#44 My Four-Year-Old Just Gave Me This For Mother’s Day. Everything Is Totally True
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#45 For Mother’s Day, I Asked My Husband To Make A Bloody Mary With An Unhinged-Looking, Over The Top Lattice Of Garnishes. The Man Delivered
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Like most countries worldwide, Ethiopia commemorates Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May. However, their celebration lasts three days and is accompanied by a feast called “Antrosht.”
Since Mother’s Day in Ethiopia also marks the end of the rainy season, people find immense joy in going home with their families once the weather clears. From there, they prepare large meals and share good memories together.
#46 Mother's Day Gift. I Like Gifts Like This Better
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#47 I Made This Arraignment And Plant Stand For My Mother's Day Gift. The Plant Stand Is Made With Pallet Wood. I Did It Without Any Screws, Only Dowels And Glue
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#48 I'm Beyond Proud Of The Card I've Made For My Mom For Mother's Day. This Is The Nutmeg Company's Pop-Up Lighthouse Bay Greeting Card
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#49 I'm So Excited To Use My Mother's Day Coupon For A Year Of Snagls And Greld Chees
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Italy prioritizes providing mothers with much-needed respite. “Festa della Mamma” occurs on the second Sunday of May, and children give roses and write poems for their mothers.
However, there is a special emphasis on relieving moms from any of their duties that day. Instead, family members cook meals and ensure the house is in order. Some take it a step further and treat mom to a day of pampering.
#50 What A Unique Gift
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#51 [fo] Mother’s Day Gift! First Time Doing A Lace Effect
#52 [fo] I'm Beyond Proud Of The Card I've Made For My Mum For Mother's Day Tomorrow (UK)
Regardless of the region in the world, all mothers would agree that the best way to spend Mother’s Day is with family. Louisa Kamps, a staffer for Oprah Daily, has a simple request: for her husband to either cook a meal or arrange a meal at a restaurant.
“I don’t want to arrange any of it—I want to be surprised by something new. Mostly, I would like to have the kind of loose conversation that flows over a good meal, with no one hurrying to get anywhere. Short of this, I would like tulips.”
