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So, Mother’s Day snuck up on you this year, and now all the gift options that require shipping are looking risky. Well, don’t worry, because if you have a reader for a mom, I have last-minute gift ideas for you that won’t seem last minute. I had to mention the usual suspects, like bookstore gift cards and book subscription boxes, but I have some more creative options here, too—including some crafts you can complete before Mother’s Day.
Of course, books are always a good option, and if you have a bookstore near you, they can be last-minute gifts. Not sure what to get? Check out these 10 Books to Get Mom for Mother’s Day, Thought-Provoking Fiction About Motherhood and Family, and these Books Both You and Your Mom Will Enjoy. (You could get two copies and buddy read with your mom!)
Oh, and in case seeing this post was the exact moment you realized you forgot Mother’s Day, it’s May 11th this year!
A Bookstore Gift Card
This may be too obvious, but you can’t go wrong with giving your book-loving mom a gift card to her favorite bookstore. If you don’t have one nearby, go with a Bookshop.org gift card, which supports indie bookstores. If you want to make it a little more personalized, write in the card that you want to make a day of it: treat her to a coffee and pastry first and then browse the shelves together.
A Book Subscription Service
Another great option for any reader is a book subscription service. Who can resist getting a box of books in the mail? I recommend Book Riot’s own Tailored Book Recommendations—not just because I’m biased, but also because our bibliologists provide personalized book recommendations, so you can’t go wrong. The recipient will fill out the survey, so don’t worry about knowing every detail of your mom’s reading taste. You can choose from hardcover or paperback books, or you can opt for just a digital list of recommendations. You can also sign up for a year or just do one round. TBR starts at $18.
The Goods
Sign up to The Goods to receive emails about rad bookish items that will make your reading life a little better.
Coffee, Tea, or Snack Subscription Boxes
If you don’t want to go the book subscription box route, you could instead sign your mom up for some reading compatible subscription boxes, like coffee, tea, or snack selections. For example, there’s the Tea Passport from Little Woods Herbal, which offers a selection of artisan tea blends every month—perfect for sipping while flipping pages! One month is $17 or you can get three for $45.
Passes to a Literary Experience
Experience gifts are always a good option. Think about any upcoming literary events your mom may be interested in, whether it’s a book signing by one of her favorite authors, a museum exhibit with a literary focus, a book festival, Comic-Con, a book-binding workshop, or something else entirely. For some of these, you can buy tickets in advance. For others, you may just have to go with an IOU in her card. For instance, you could offer to go with her to an upcoming book sale and pay for her books. (You may want to put a limit on that. I don’t know your wallet or your mom’s book buying intensity.)
Not Just a Book
Of course, you still have time to buy her a book for Mother’s Day. That can be a bit of a risk, because readers are picky with what they pick up. But if you know her taste, it’s an option. I recommend taking it up a notch by gifting it with some matching accessories, like a bookmark that matches the cover, snacks appropriate to the book’s setting, or tea that has similar vibes as the premise. That really takes it from a good gift to a great one.
Printables
One other option for Mother’s Day gifts that don’t rely on shipping is printables, like these cute reading tracker bookmarks, which are only $1. They’re a great add-on.
I also really like these library pocket card bookmarks for $4. You can print out a stack of them, since a new one is meant to be filled out for each book.
Another printable option is art prints that relate to your mom’s favorite books. For instance, if your mom loves Toni Morrison, you could get her this poster with a Toni Morrison quotation for $6. Search Etsy for her favorite authors and books, then narrow it down to digital downloads. Once you’ve picked one, check out where you can get high-quality printing done nearby. Bonus points for framing it.
Crafty Gifts
If you’re artsy or crafty, consider making your mom some bookmarks! Since they’re small, they’re usually pretty quick to finish, whether you’re making them using origami, cross-stitch, sewing, crochet, or some other technique. Origami is a good choice even if you’re not very crafty: you can find tons of tutorials online. (Including ours!)
Try a new spin on the classic bouquet of flowers by crafting roses out of book pages! You can use a falling apart book, grab a random one at a thrift store, or customize it by using pages from a book your mom loves. (By which I mean a cheap copy of Pride and Prejudice, not pages from the actual copy your mom owns!) The example above is by CraftyPaperThings on Etsy and starts at $18, but you can make a bouquet yourself. Here is a guide from Instructables to get you started.
I hope you found something here perfect for your book-loving mom!