The Design Home is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Gone are the days of macaroni necklaces and handmade ornaments. Today’s mom deserves something as special and sophisticated as she is. What do moms actually want for the holidays? That’s a nearly unsolvable mystery because they’ll never flat-out tell you. They’ll simply shrug and say they have everything they need.
To help you deliver a big smile to a mom’s face this holiday season, we’ve put together a list of gift ideas that should have winners on it for every type of mother out there.
1. SMEG 7-Liter Kettle
Top Features:
- Acoustic alarm for the end of the cycle
- 360-degree anti-slip base
- Auto-shutoff feature
This little number can make an objective fashion statement on the counter of your Mom’s kitchen. It comes in a wide variety of pastel shades, including a particularly striking robin’s egg blue.
It heats up water to just below boiling, which is the ideal temperature for making a cup of tea. With 7 liters of capacity, there is more than enough hot water for a tea party. If you give this gift to Mom, you might just find yourself calling her and telling her to put the kettle on more often than usual. It is a pretty and functional option, perfect for a chic mama with a desire for a cuppa.
View SMEG 7-Liter Kettle on Amazon
2. Royal Copenhagen Contrast Mug
Top Features:
- Wide variety of color options
- Microwave and dishwasher safe
- Silicone to protect hands
This 11-ounce number will add some modern jazz to a tired china cabinet. These mugs are lookers but are meant to be used. No handwashing on these mugs. They are dishwasher safe and meant to handle daily wear and tear. Plus, they fit well in your hand and won’t burn you because of the handy silicone on the lower part of the cup.
It comes in every color of the rainbow and can match any china pattern or make a whole new look to her cabinet.
View Royal Copenhagen Contrast Mug on Amazon
3. J.A. Henkel Chef’s Knife
Top Features:
- Seamless construction blade to grip
- Lifetime warranty
- Ergonomic grip for a balanced blade
For the mom who is a ninja in the kitchen and needs no-frills, there is no more important tool than a sharp knife that fits comfortably in hand. A sharp, well-constructed knife will protect from injury better than what is already in the drawer. It’s not because sharp blades won’t take the tip-off of your finger — they will — but if they cut through even a hard butternut squash with ease, you are less likely to try dum-dum moves with the knife that will result in injury.
The stainless steel construction is easy to sharpen, keeps a good edge, and will last your mom for years to come. Even if she has everything, nothing beats a professional-grade knife with the flexibility to complete almost any chopping task.
View J.A. Henkel Chef’s Knife on Amazon
4. Kitchen-Aid Pro
Top Features:
- 7-quart bowl, largest at-home capacity
- Professional bowl-lift
- Comes with a whisk, paddle, and a dough hook
Are your mom’s Christmas cookies famous? Are her cakes the stuff of legend? This kitchen workhorse might be just the upgrade she never knew she needed. Smaller stand-mixers require the user to tilt the head to add more ingredients or scape the sides of the bowl.
This machine allows the baker to simply lower the bowl and then get back in action with the swift crank. It’s fast and can make nearly double the dough of her original mixer. It’s wonderful for serious bakers and mamas with a love for kitchen gadgetry.
View Kitchen-Aid Pro on Amazon
5. Set of Six Handblown Colored Wine Glasses
Top Features:
- Handblown
- Machine washable
- Colorful
Wine snobs will argue that colored glass is passe. Instead, they might like to observe the color of the wine as part of their experience. But life is too short for not having fun. This set of six handcrafted glasses is great for making Bunko night a blast. All the girls will be able to tell their drinks apart from the different colors available.
Your mom won’t need to be too careful with this set — it will stand up to everyday enjoyment. These beauties need not be for booze alone. Sparkling water or fresh-squeezed juice will look just as fabulous and trendy as any glass of wine.
View Set of Six Handblown Colored Wine Glasses on Amazon
6. Royal Craft Wood Luxury Bath Tray
Top Features:
- Made with renewable bamboo
- Adjustable to fit any bathtub
- Comes fully assembled
While your mom may admire bathroom makeovers on HGTV, this bath tray can offer her a slight reprieve in her bathtub until your dad agrees to a bit of renovation. Baths are luxurious, but wouldn’t they be more indulgent with the latest copy of Vanity Fair and a glass of white wine? However, the issue always becomes where to put all these things without getting them wet.
This bath tray gives you the fastest and easiest way to imitate a spa with no construction. The lightweight bamboo is lacquered, making it waterproof and available in various colorways to fit into any bathroom, no matter the style. Who knew a relaxing spa night was just a tray away?
View Royal Craft Wood Luxury Bath Tray on Amazon
7. Gorilla Grip Bath Pillow
Top Features:
- Waterproof
- Designed to fit straight back and curved tubs
- Extra thick padding
Anyone who has had the pleasure of bathing in a deep, antique, cast-iron tub can tell you the delights of soaking away. Cast iron is an excellent conductor of heat, keeping waters warm longer than most tubs. As deep and warm as these tubs can be, they are definitely not comfy. Porcelain is not so calming to rest against.
This pillow offers luxurious comfort with none of the mildew or slippage that comes with traditional bath pillows. This pillow promises to stay in place on any tub and will repel water, keeping it as fresh as the first use for a long time.
View Gorilla Grip Bath Pillow on Amazon
8. Diptyque Five-Candle Sampler Set
Top Features:
- Long burning candles
- Mix-and-match scents
- Small enough to bring for travel
Diptyque is a brand that has been favored by the fabulous for decades. If these candles are good enough for Audrey Hepburn and every beauty editor ever, then they might be just up your mom’s street. They smell expensive and quickly fill a room despite their diminutive stature. Baies and Feu de Bois are two well-known favorites that are included in this set. Plus, there are classics like a rose that will always endure.
These little candles will make any mundane activity like bathing or reading a book seem special, and that is what Christmas gifts should be all about. As a bonus, the used jars can be reused as tiny flower vases or chic Q-tip holders.
View Diptyque Five-Candle Sampler Set on Amazon
9. Dr. Singha’s Mustard Bath
Top Features:
- All-natural solution
- Great for achy muscles and inflamed skin
- Helps with sleeplessness
What can you get your mom that looks great and will make her rest easy? Nothing looks as stunning on a bathroom counter as the cobalt blue canister Dr. Singha’s mustard bath comes packaged in. It is a great decoration, but it also works.
Mustard seed is the secret ingredient. It is known to help detox the body through sweat and relax the skin, muscles, and mind. Not to worry, it will not stain the bathtub, nor will you smell like a sandwich. It is scented with essential oils and is just the thing when you are feeling under the weather.
View Dr. Singha’s Mustard Bath on Amazon
10. Egyptian Cotton Extra Large Bath Sheet Set
Top Features:
- Absorbent cotton
- Ring-spun and brushed for maximum fluffiness
- Oversized for extra coziness
There are bath towels, and then there are bath sheets. Bath towels certainly get the job done and don’t take up too much space in the linen closet. However, after a luxurious soak in the bath, the low pile of frequently washed and bleached towels will simply not do the trick. This set of two extra-large sheets will keep your mom toasty and dry quickly in their very absorbent high cotton pile.
View Egyptian Cotton Extra Large Bath Sheet Set on Amazon
11. iRobot Roomba i3
Top Features:
- Wifi-enabled
- Self-emptying for up to 60 days
- Great for pet hair
It’s a shock that in the 2020s, Rosie, the robot maid of Jetson’s fame, is not yet an option. The iRobot is the next best thing, and it takes one thing off the list by maintaining generally clean floors. That’s a boon for any mom if the house is filled with kids, pets, and husbands who all track in dirt, fur, and general uncleanliness.
With the WiFi enablement, she can tell her robot vacuum to do a spin. Or she can program a planned time every day for the vacuums to take a spin. To boot, she does not need to worry about an overfilled robot. This model can dump its refuse every time it plugs into its charging station for up to 60 days.
View iRobot Roomba i3 on Amazon
12. NuFace Facial Toning Kit
Top Features:
- Reduces fine lines
- Tones facial muscles
- Works like in-office treatments
Who said that all small appliances for moms need to do with keeping house and chasing children? She needs something that is just for her and maybe even gives her a little bit of confidence to boot. This facial toning kit is an item she probably won’t buy on her own because it is a splurge. However, the results are incredible, and a little time for self-care is always a good thing for mothers.
The device uses electric microcurrents to give sagging facial muscles a little workout. The effects of gravity are inevitable but, who says a little bit of pushback is not in order? This addition to the bathroom counter is just the thing to give your mom her groove back. She might not know what being well-rested means anymore, but she will certainly look the part.
View NuFace Facial Toning Kit on Amazon
13. Waterpik Sonic Fusion Toothbrush
Top Features:
- Two times more effective than traditional flossing
- Variable pressure adjustment
- Saves time
Is this gift glamorous? Well, no, but it is a beneficial addition to the vanity. It’s a rule that no one likes the dentist. Humans are genetically programmed to want sharp objects far away from their chompers, not to mention paying for dental work is an infernal punishment. So keep your mom’s butt out of that dental chair with a high-powered toothbrush which offers the same features as a sonic toothbrush and a water flosser rolled into one.
Most people are not the best at flossing or remembering to do it. This appliance is a one-stop-shop for dental health.
View Waterpik Sonic Fusion Toothbrush on Amazon
14. Manduka PRO Yoga Mat
Top Features:
- Extra dense cushioning
- Longtime yoga teacher favorite
- Quality materials from a zero-emissions factory
Does your mom love embracing her inner pretzel, or is she new to yoga and doesn’t know where to start? Well, good equipment is a massive part of the equation. Knowing that her body will be well supported is a good start.
This mat is extra comfy and has good traction, allowing her to move into that crow pose. It’s a wonderful way to make sure she keeps her New Year’s resolution. It’s so enticing, you may want one too.
View Manduka PRO Yoga Mat on Amazon
15. Mr. Captain Rowing Machine
Top Features:
- Solid oak construction
- Bluetooth enabled
- Real water experience
Group fitness classes may still not be in the cards with a global pandemic, but that doesn’t mean your mom should stop her workouts. Exercise may prove to be an essential outlet to keep her sanity. This option is excellent for full-body activity and cardiovascular exercise.
This machine is professionally crafted by shipbuilders and meant to feel close to the actual experience of rowing up a river. This machine is Bluetooth enabled and will connect with the fitness app where your mom can post her stats and even compete with her frenemy. It’s luxurious and can fold upright to fit in a closet.
View Mr. Captain Rowing Machine on Amazon
16. Home Pottery Wheel
Top Features:
- Premium materials including steel plates
- Adjustable speed
- CE certified for safety
Does your mom have a she-shed or a creative side just waiting to be called to action? This pottery wheel may be just right for her. The therapeutic qualities that come from playing in the mud, throwing pots are unrivaled. This little machine can give the same results as the studio all in the home.
Speeds are adjustable, and it’s quiet, which is especially important for use in the house. It is appropriate for both seasoned professional artisans and at-home amateurs.
View Home Pottery Wheel on Amazon
17. Noguchi Lantern
Top Features:
- Signed work of Isamu Noguchi
- Approachable table-top size
- Full lamp
Just like your mom, the Noguchi lantern is a classic. Many try tracking down earlier, more fanciful lanterns by the Japanese-American sculpture artist at flea markets and antique shops. Although, the used lamp is seldom in good condition. The delicate paper lantern is sometimes ripped, or the lantern lacks the material needed to make it a functioning lamp. Mom does not require a project or a wild-goose chase.
This little mid-century holdover is amazing for the top of a desk or for a little bit of ambient light at the bedside.
View Noguchi Lantern on Amazon
18. The Original Gravity Blanket
Top Features:
- Available in 15-, 20-, 25-pound weights
- Wide variety of colors
- Removable microfiber cover
Anxiety, stress, and worry are something moms have to deal with on a daily basis. One of the easiest, drug-free ways to get some relaxation is deep pressure therapy or sitting underneath weighted objects, like a dog or even a blanket. The pressure can signal a release of feel-good chemicals like dopamine and make the user feel relaxed.
This version with a washable cover comes in a variety of different weights and colors. Find a blanket around 10 percent of your mom’s body weight and give it shot.
View The Original Gravity Blanket on Amazon
19. Baxton Studio Venza Mid-Century Modern Chair
Top Features:
- Solid rubberwood construction
- Easy-to-clean polyester fabric
- Lightweight
Chairs are usually the domain of grouchy dads. However, a mom deserves a place to rest, too, and she doesn’t even need to behave in a curmudgeonly manner to earn her seat in the living room.
This lounger is classic with clean lines and neutral color palettes; it can fit well with many styles while being staid and refined. It is an easy, feminine response to the overstuffed dad chair, while not lacking in comfort.
View Baxton Studio Venza Mid-Century Modern Chair on Amazon
20. Rattan French Bisto Set for 2
Top Features:
- Weather-proof and powder coated
- Handmade rattan construction
- Double tube frame adds strength
A trip to Marseille might not be in the cards this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t dream. Having a cafe au lait et un croissant every morning at the bistro table can make you feel like maybe you are almost on the Mediterranean coast. This set will last decades and has easy-to-follow assembly instructions.
The double reinforced frame will keep the petite table in shape for even the most significant brunch spreads. It’s an easy escape and wonderful for a retired mom looking to live a beautiful life.
View Rattan French Bisto Set for 2 on Amazon