May has officially arrived, and that means Mother’s Day is coming up very soon (on May 10, to be exact). If that date is approaching much faster than you expected and you’re now scrambling to find a nice gift to give, don’t worry, we’re here to help you out with some ideas.
Has your mom been searching for some new earbuds this year? AirPods 4 could be a fun surprise. Or, is she a big reader and looking for a new book to enjoy? We’ve got some suggestions for that, too. No matter your budget, we have a selection of Mother’s Day gift ideas for 2026 that are sure to put a smile on her face.
The Best Mother’s Day Gifts To Buy in 2026
If you just want a TL;DR of this article, you can scroll through all of our picks above. However, if you keep reading, you can see them broken down by category, complete with blurbs and all.
Gift Ideas Under $50
For those who don’t want to spend too extravagantly on a gift this year, there are plenty of fun options to choose from that will cost you $50 or less. Above you can find some of our favorite picks, from an adorable cats jigsaw puzzle to a pretty journal, an Ulta gift card (for the mom who loves makeup), cozy slippers, gardening gloves for moms with a green thumb, and some books.
When it comes to books, we’ve picked out a few different options to cater to different interests: The Housemaid is an incredibly popular thriller (that was turned into an equally popular movie), and the A Court of Thorns and Roses romantasy series has been a major hit, but my personal recommendation is Project Hail Mary. I absolutely adored this book from start to finish, and think it’s well worth gifting for someone else to enjoy if they love sci-fi. Plus, if your mom ends up loving the book, you can catch the movie after.
Candy Gift Ideas
When it comes to gift giving, chocolate is always an excellent, reliable purchase. If you’re looking for a variety pack to gift this year, Dove, Lindt, and Ghirardelli all have some great options to check out. M&M’s even has the option to customize a gift jar for your mom, which is a delightful way to personalize it! No matter which one you choose to buy, she’ll surely appreciate the tasty treat.
Flower Gift Ideas
It’s hard to go wrong with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. No matter what your price range is for Mother’s Day shopping, we’ve got a variety of options to choose from above. Walmart has a selection of different arrangements that you can pick up from your local store, but there’s also delivery options available through retailers like From You Flowers and 1-800 Flowers.
If you want to spend a little extra on a fancier bouquet, these shops have bigger arrangements to choose from, and you can also add an accompanying vase and a number of other extras, too.
LEGO Gift Ideas
I think LEGO sets are always a fun gift idea, especially the Botanicals sets. These displays look lovely once they’re all pieced together, and work as a more engaging and permanent alternative to the classic fresh flower bouquet. But they’re not the only sets worth surprising a mom with.
Does your mom love art? A set like Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers could be a great project for her to work on (and an excellent display piece after its all fitted together). Or, if she loves wildlife, the kingfisher model or floating sea otters sets are two that are sure to make her day. There’s also the fountain garden set, which is another pick worth considering that looks like it has a lovely final result.
Tech Gift Ideas
In the realm of tech, there’s plenty of different gift ideas you could give. Here, we’ve gathered up a variety of options that are perfect for moms with different interests.
Does your mom love to read? How about gifting her a Kindle Paperwhite so she can start building up a digital library? Or is she someone who loves to take photos everywhere you go? This cool photo printer for your smartphone from Kodak can help her keep some of her favorite digital memories in a physical format. These are just a couple of the options we’ve found, though. Check out more of our top techy gifts above.
Apple Gift Ideas
A selection of tech gifts wouldn’t be complete without some picks from Apple. If you want to treat your mom to a nice new piece of tech this year, Apple products are always worth a look. Now is a great time to shop for them as well, as there are some excellent discounts available on select items.
Not looking to spend too much? AirPods 4 (without Active Noise Cancellation) have dropped to $99.99. Alternatively, if you want to splash out on fancier earbuds, the AirPods Pro 3 are also on sale for $199.99. Even the Apple Watch Series 11 has received a $100 discount that’s brought its price down to $299, so now is a great time to grab it.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.
