Mom may easily be the hardest family member to get Christmas gift ideas for. After all, moms tend to be the ones doing 95% of the Christmas shopping for everyone else, and have the tendency to sacrifice their own needs and wants in favor of their family.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve asked my mom what she wants for Christmas, only to be at square one because she really didn’t know.
Now that I’m a mom myself, I understand the struggle to think up Christmas gift ideas for myself whenever someone asks me what I want.
Honestly? I don’t really know what I want. I spend the majority of my time taking care of my family, and I’m still working on making time for myself and taking care of myself as much as I need to.
Because really, if mom isn’t taking care of herself, then the rest of the family will suffer–or at least not thrive as much as they could be. To help you out, either as a mom trying to think of ideas to give to others, or as someone trying to buy for a mom, I’m going to share with you a few ideas for Christmas gifts. And if you think of something else a mom would like, share it with me in the comments below!
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Christmas Gift Ideas for Mom
The following are some basic gift ideas for moms. You might also check out my new, updated post containing tons of unique gift ideas that moms are sure to love!
Candle
Most women, let alone moms, like candles. These make great gifts for moms.
The only tricky part of this gift is finding out what scent she likes best. If you don’t already know what scent she would like, try looking at the other candles she has around.
Are they flowery scents? Woodsy scents? Citrusy? Whatever it may be, try sticking to something similar to the ones she already has around. Or, if you see one is getting low, you could get that exact scent and surprise her with a refill of one she obviously already uses!
Personally, my favorite scents are vanilla, cinnamon, and lemon.
Pro Tip: Lemon or citrus scented candles make the house smell like it’s been freshly cleaned. This can boost mom’s mood, especially when it’s been a busy week and the house didn’t get cleaned!
Massager
Being a mom is both physically and mentally exhausting. Just about any mom would love a massage to help ease the stress and relax sore muscles.
Personally, I’m a big fan of Shitsu massagers. While some are designed to be neck massagers, some can be used on other body parts such as the back, shoulders, legs, and feet.
While I don’t own one myself (yet!), this is the one I’m hoping to get for Christmas this year.
I was gifted this Shitsu massager for Christmas last year, I loved having it!
Spa Gift Card
I think there are very few women in the world who would give up a chance to go to a spa. Let’s be honest.
A gift card to a local spa would make a fantastic Christmas gift for a mom. Let her go and spend a few hours getting pampered away from the kids. Be sure to make arrangements for someone to watch the kids (or volunteer to watch them yourself) to give her a break to fully enjoy herself.
Spa/Bath Set
Alternatively, giving a mom a spa or bath set is also a great way to encourage her to relax and take some time for herself.
Spa and bath sets typically include items such as lotion, bath gel, bath bombs, candles, bath salts, loufas, and more. Bath sets are a great way to encourage self care for mom, even when she doesn’t have a lot of time to do so.
Just using scented bath products during a regular bath or shower can take it up a notch and help moms to relax.
There are so many different sets available, and in so many different scents, you’re sure to find one that she’ll love. Personally, I’m looking to get this vanilla scented set, and/or this Refreshing Oceans scented set. (*EDIT: I got the Refreshing Oceans Set, and it is AMAZING!)
Book
Have you caught the common theme of giving mom gifts that help her relax and enjoy herself?
Books are another great way to accomplish this, and make great gifts (and are very beneficial for moms)! Just be sure to help her make time to actually read it. You can do this by taking care of the kids for a bit, or helping her clean up at night so that she has time to read before bed.
Don’t know what book to get her? I’m currently reading Tending Roses by Lisa Wingate, and I would definitely recommend it (read my review of it here)! I’m also a big fan of any of books by Becky Wade or Katie Ganshert.
Chore Coupon
If you’re looking for a gift that is low on cost, you might try making coupons that mom can redeem to get out of a chore.
Yes, this means more work for you. But really, most chores don’t take that long to do. It’s the quantity of them that makes them overwhelming for moms. Sacrificing a small amount of your time and effort to help out with a specific chore or two will be hugely appreciated by any mom.
Plus, you can make these yourself with card stock paper and markers. Easy peasy! If you’d rather not make them yourself, you can also get these cute ones from Amazon.
Flowers
I am quite certain that every mom loves flowers. Heck, make that every woman in the world.
You seriously can’t go wrong with flowers. There’s just something about them that makes moms feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
To show mom some extra love this Christmas, grab her some roses or wildflowers from a local flower shop or grocery store.
Pro Tip: If mom doesn’t live near you, or if you won’t see her for Christmas, you can order flowers from Amazon and have them shipped straight to her door. Before we got married my husband did this several times, and they always showed up looking awesome! (I think they actually looked better than the ones in the store usually do….) Just be sure that someone will be home to bring them inside when they arrive.
Chocolate/Favorite Snack
Not going to lie, I would be perfectly okay with getting chocolate for Christmas.
Most women like chocolate, so this is a great gift to give mom! Whether as a stocking stuffer, or as a whole box of assorted chocolates under the tree, this is sure to make mom happy.
Alternatively, you can also do her favorite snack. Make or buy a whole batch just for her. Because let’s be honest, most times everyone else in the family eats a lot of mom’s favorite snack before she gets very much (if any) of it.
Music
Other ideas for a Christmas gift for mom include music.
What mom doesn’t like turning on some music while she cleans, cooks, or relaxes? If you need ideas for a Christmas gift for mom, this is a good one to go with.
Get her a CD of her favorite artist, or grab her a digital copy (or a gift card to get it herself).
Some moms (like me!) would love a CD of classic Christmas music to listen too during the winter.
Night Out
Last but definitely not least, a night out is a fantastic Christmas gift to give mom if you can’t seem to think of any ideas for gifts.
Volunteer to watch the kids (or make other arrangements) and let mom get out of the house for a few hours by herself.
You could give her a gift card or cash to pay for lunch or dinner, or get tickets to an event or activity she likes to do.
Cover the costs and let her get out and do something she likes to do on her own. So no, letting her go grocery shopping by herself does not count as a night out!
Seriously, if you need ideas for gifts, finding a way to let her get out and do something she enjoys may be the best Christmas gift for any mom.
Have other ideas for a Christmas gift for a mom? Share them with me in the comments below, or tag me on Instagram with your idea! I would love to hear from you!
Love this! You definitely covered all of my favorite things. The only thing that I’d have to add is the gift of a homemade meal. One year my sister-in-law created several food gifts for me…some homemade bread, a few freezer main dishes and some baked goods. As a busy mom of littles, it was my favorite gift ever!
That is such a great idea! That would be so incredibly helpful on the days that don’t go as planned, or when you just need a break. Thanks so much for sharing!