Gifts for Mum

Gifts for mum: what to buy when she says she doesn't want anything

Mum will say she doesn't want anything, and she will also keep whatever you give her for fifteen years. Both things are true, which is why the present needs to be small and genuinely good rather than large and impressive.

Below are the gifts that survive that test, grouped by budget, plus the things that reliably miss.

If it's Mother's Day or her birthday, the card is doing most of the work. Write something specific in it.

Shop gifts for mum

Candles, coasters and prints she'll actually keep, made in the UK and posted with the card.

Derby County Pride Park coaster Derby County Pride Park coaster £5.00 Tranmere Rovers FC coaster of Prenton Park Tranmere Rovers FC coaster of Prenton Park £5.00 One Percent Poster (1% Club) (A4) One Percent Poster (1% Club) (A4) £7.99 One Percent Poster (Every Damn Day) (A4) One Percent Poster (Every Damn Day) (A4) £7.99 An A4 Certificate of Bravery with a lion's mane illustration and blank spaces for name, deed, date, and signature. A4 Certificate Of Bravery £3.00 Newcastle United coaster of St James' Park Newcastle United coaster of St James' Park £5.00

Shop gifts for mum

Gifts she'll keep

  • A hand-poured candle in a scent she already likes.
  • A print for the kitchen — the room she's in most.
  • Coasters, which quietly become the ones she always uses.
  • A framed photo of the grandchildren, or of you, reluctantly.
  • Something with the family joke on it.
  • A handwritten letter tucked inside the card.

By budget

  • Under £10: a candle or coasters, plus a proper card.
  • £10–£25: a print, or a candle-and-card set boxed up.
  • £25–£50: a keepsake print with a date on it.
  • Group gift: one good thing from all the children beats three small ones.
  • No budget at all: cook, drive, or take something off her list.
  • Last minute: a candle and a card, ordered today.

What misses

  • Anything that's really a household chore in disguise.
  • Perfume you're guessing at.
  • Another bunch of garage-forecourt flowers.
  • A gift set of things she'll never open.
  • An expensive present with a blank card.
  • Something that needs dusting.

What to spend, honestly

  • Close friend or sibling: £15–£30 is the range most people land in.
  • Colleague or acquaintance: £5–£10, and a card matters more than the gift.
  • Partner or parent milestone: £30–£60, usually one good thing rather than three small ones.
  • Group gift: £5–£10 a head buys something far better than five separate presents.
  • Children's party gift: £5–£15 is the UK norm, and nobody minds the lower end.
  • When in doubt, spend less on the object and more on the message inside the card.

Hand-poured candles

Soy candles made in the UK — the gift that gets used rather than shelved.

Opulence 250g Scented Soy Candle Opulence 250g Scented Soy Candle £30.00 Glittery pastel mushroom shaped candles handmade in soy wax Glittery Mushroom Shaped Candles £10.00 Handmade soy wax ghost candle wearing a small orange pumpkin hat Ghost Candle with Pumpkin Hat £7.00 Three handmade soy wax pumpkin shaped candles in different sizes Large Pumpkin Shaped Candles £7.00 Group of handmade white soy wax ghost candles for Halloween Ghost Candles - Halloween Candles £6.00 Apple pie mini scented candle with a warm spiced apple fragrance Apple Pie Mini Scented Candle £12.00

Coasters and desk pieces

Small, funny and permanent: the things that stay out on show.

Derby County Pride Park coaster Derby County Pride Park coaster £5.00 Tranmere Rovers FC coaster of Prenton Park Tranmere Rovers FC coaster of Prenton Park £5.00 Newcastle United coaster of St James' Park Newcastle United coaster of St James' Park £5.00 Brentford FC drinks coaster of Brentford Community Stadium Brentford FC drinks coaster of Brentford Community Stadium £5.00 Aston Villa Coaster of Villa Park Aston Villa Coaster of Villa Park £5.00 West Bromwich Albion F.C. The Hawthorns coaster West Bromwich Albion F.C. The Hawthorns coaster £5.00 Liverpool FC coaster of Anfield Liverpool FC coaster of Anfield £5.00 Manchester United coaster of Old Trafford Manchester United coaster of Old Trafford £5.00

Prints for the wall

Framed-ready prints for kitchens, hallways and home offices.

An A4 Certificate of Bravery with a lion's mane illustration and blank spaces for name, deed, date, and signature. A4 Certificate Of Bravery £3.00 I Am Enough Affirmations Wall Art (A4) I Am Enough Affirmations Wall Art (A4) £7.99 I Am Always Enough Affirmations Wall Art (A4) I Am Always Enough Affirmations Wall Art (A4) £7.99 One Percent Poster (Member of the 1% Club) (A4) One Percent Poster (Member of the 1% Club) (A4) £7.99 Weird & Wonderful Poster (A4) Weird & Wonderful Poster (A4) £7.99 One Percent Poster (1% Club) (A4) One Percent Poster (1% Club) (A4) £7.99 One Percent Poster (Every Damn Day) (A4) One Percent Poster (Every Damn Day) (A4) £7.99 One Percent Poster (Everyday Progress) (A4) One Percent Poster (Everyday Progress) (A4) £7.99

Cards to send with it

Add the card and the whole present arrives in one UK parcel.

You Old Bastard (Funny Birthday Card) You Old Bastard (Funny Birthday Card) £3.87 Cheeky Wordsearch Valentines Day Card For Him Cheeky Wordsearch Valentines Day Card For Him £3.87 Fifty & Even More Fabulous Than Ever (50th Birthday Card) Fifty & Even More Fabulous Than Ever (50th Birthday Card) £3.87 Cheeky Wordsearch Valentines Day Card For Her Cheeky Wordsearch Valentines Day Card For Her £3.87 I Wish You Looked At Me Like Any Can of Diet Coke Ever (Valentines Day Card) I Wish You Looked At Me Like Any Can of Diet Coke Ever (Valentines Day Card) £3.87 Sixty Looks Pretty Good On You (60th Birthday Card) Sixty Looks Pretty Good On You (60th Birthday Card) £3.87 Top Trumps 60th Birthday Card for Dad Top Trumps 60th Birthday Card for Dad £3.87 I Wish You Looked At Me Like Any Can of Strongbow Dark Fruits Ever (Valentines Day Card) I Wish You Looked At Me Like Any Can of Strongbow Dark Fruits Ever (Valentines Day Card) £3.87

Where to shop next

Frequently asked questions

What's the best gift for mum who says she wants nothing?

Something consumable or used daily — a candle, coasters, a print for the kitchen. The objection is usually to clutter, not to being thought of.

What should I get mum for Mother's Day?

A candle or a print with a handwritten card. Order early in the week and both arrive together from the UK.

How much should I spend on a gift for mum?

£15–£30 is the usual range, or pool it with siblings and buy one better thing between you.