Best gifts for mum 2021: Thoughtful and personalised present ideas

Abha Shah
·6-min read
(Composite)
(Composite)

Gift shopping can be an… experience, particularly when buying something for someone who means so much.

Mums, and mother figures like your grandma, aunties and close family friends, can be notoriously tricky customers, whether they’re hard to shop for in the first place, or because a gift to her needs to convey the sorts of things that are difficult to wrap up in a bow.

Yet, there are special presents that will hit the mark, from gourmet hampers to indulgent beauty she'd never splash out on for herself.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the sheer choice on offer, we’ve sifted through the selection to bring you a gift guide filled with things every mum is bound to love. Mother may know best, but we’ve got the right gift to bring her joy and happiness no matter the occasion.

See our favourites below

Lola Rose London Mama Necklace

Treat your mum to the bling she deserves with this Mama necklace from London-based designer Lola Rose. For something as special as the starring lady in your life, it is crafted in sterling silver but available in gold, rose gold or rhodium plating. The letters are embellished with diamonds and set individually across the 37cm chain. We also love the iterations from cult LA jeweller Jennifer Meyer (£675), the playful Alison Lou (£705), Aurum + Grey (£260) and Rachel Jackson (£65).

Wolf & Badger
Wolf & Badger

£275 | Wolf & Badger

Roberts Beacon 320 Portable Bluetooth Speaker, Dusty Pink

Whether she loves warbling along to ABBA while washing up or wants to catch up on podcasts in style, Roberts first ever Bluetooth speaker, the Roberts Beacon, is the perfect upgrade to her audio kit. It offers rich sound in multiple directions, and it's portable too with 12 hour playback, so she can take it everywhere from the garden to trips out once spring arrives.

Available in a choice of three elegant colours.

Roberts
Roberts

£149.99 | John Lewis

Also available at Roberts

PUMA Suede VTG Trainers

For a suitably seasonal pair of new kicks, it doesn't much more stylish than Puma's suede pair, in a shade called High Risk Red. They're available in an array of sizes and come with metallic gold logo detailing for that extra flair.

PUMA
PUMA

£77 | PUMA

Snail & Hare beauty gift vouchers

Small businesses need our support now more than ever. If you're thinking about spoiling your mum with a chic new manicure, a facial or a relaxing massage, head to Snail & Hare, a new salon just off Oxford Street. We can vouch for the manicures; done with ethical vegan varnishes, you can add an array of cool nail art looks designed by the salon (so you won't get it anywhere else).

There are also packages to book in for head-to-toe pampering.

Snail & Hare
Snail & Hare

Book now

Rachel Jackson London Star Studded Bangle Gold

A simple piece of jewellery that will suit all tastes, this gorgeous gold bracelet is finished with tiny star etchings. Guaranteed to get the mum nod of approval. Also available in silver.

Rachel Jackson London
Rachel Jackson London

£150 | Wolf & Badger

Also available at Rachel Jackson London

Lashify Control Kit

Salon trips are on hold for the time being, but you can still give the gift of fabulous lashes thanks to Lashify. Offering an easy way to DIY lash extensions at home, the starter kit will see her peepers framed with dark, dramatic lashes in no time at all. Application is a little fiddly to begin with, but once you’ve got the knack, applying the delicate lashes is a breeze - trust us, we’ve got the killer wink to prove it.

Lashify
Lashify

£106.98 | Lashify

Galerie du Thé

If your mum loves nothing more than relaxing with a fresh brew, open up her world with the delightful gift sets at luxury tea house, Galerie du Thé. There are artisan leaves from some of the world’s best producers - varieties include Black, Green, Oolong and White teas along with a selection of elegant accessories and teaware to make sure she gets the most out of every sip.

Galerie Du The
Galerie Du The

Shop now

PortoVino Classic Collection bag

This innocent-looking bag has a boozy little secret - it can hide two whole bottles of vino (or 1.5L) in a zippered insulated pocket which will keep it chilled for hours. She can use it now for wintry park walks with her pals, and into the spring and summer for picnics and days out. The minimal design means it will go with everything and there’s plenty of room in the main compartment for all the essentials. Much chicer than a cool bag.

PortoVino
PortoVino

£69.95 | Amazon

Estee Lauder Limited-Edition Gold Advanced Night Repair, 50ml

Housed in a beautiful gold gift bottle, Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair may just be the show-stopping present you have been searching for. The hero product is a must for mature skin; simply smooth a few drops onto the face and neck before bed for glowing, younger-looking skin.

Estee Lauder
Estee Lauder

£82 | Estee Lauder

Jo Malone Midnight Musk & Amber Cologne, 100ml

Is she a fan of beautiful scents? If so, Jo Malone London is always a sure-fire win. This particular fragrance, Midnight Musk & Amber, was inspired by 20s railroad glamour and has a gorgeous faceted cologne bottle. It’s pure magic.

Jo Malone London
Jo Malone London

£105 | Jo Malone

Bo-Kx

Flowers are a forever-favourite gift with mums, whether its for their birthday, Mother's Day or an occasion like Christmas. While there are plenty of incredible florists to choose from, Bo-Kx is the latest to bloom onto the scene. Their USP? Instead of cards, they're offering video messaging, where the recipient can scan a unique QR code to watch a video message from you on their phone. A very 2020 way to send a heartfelt message if you can't be together this Christmas.

Bo-Kx
Bo-Kx

Shop now

Shop the best flower delivery services in the UK

Edge of Ember x Inthefrow Orion Necklace - Gold

This stunning necklace of 18ct gold-plate with topaz stones is the perfect way to let your mum know how much you care. Made in collaboration with Inthefrow’s Victoria Macgrath, it’s inspired by the brightest conselltation in the night sky and is a simple but chic piece that’s bound to become her favourite piece in her jewellery box. Engraving and gift wrapping available.

Edge of Ember
Edge of Ember

£195 | Edge of Ember

One4all Gift Card

For the mums that are impossible to buy for, the One4all Gift Card covers all bases. Whether she wants to splash out on a new piece of homeware or update her 2021 wardrobe, this little card can help. Shop goods from more than 55,000 stores across the UK - think M&S, John Lewis, Rituals, H&M, Warehouse, The Perfume Shop, B&Q and lots more.

And if you've left getting her gift to the eleventh hour, the card can be sent directly to her phone by getting the One4all Digital Gift Card instead. Just be sure to load it up with a healthy amount to avoid a Christmas scolding - you can add anything from £10 to £120.

A gift card may seem impersonal, but for mums with particular or exacting tastes, it's the perfect way to let her get what she really wants.

One4All
One4All

Shop now

The White Company Cashmere Bed Socks

Gorgeously made and beautiful on the skin, these socks will save your mum from the scourge of chilly toes this winter. As well as this elegant camel shade, they come in pale blue, rose and clean white.

the White Co
the White Co

£36 | The White Company

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