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.

A typographic music print featuring Taylor Swift Bejewelled lyrics on high-quality paper, unframed. Best Believe I'm Still Bejewelled By Taylor Swift Music Lyrics Print £8.00 Unframed wall art print featuring the text 'In A World Of Grey, Be A Flamingo' in colourful, vibrant lettering. In A World Of Grey, Be A Flamingo Print (A4 & A3) £8.00 A colourful typographic wall art print with the quote 'I work hard so that my dog can live a better life' in A4 or A3. I Work Hard So That My Dog Can Live A Better Life Print (A4 & A3) £8.00 A colourful fitness wall print illustrating the HYROX competition race format with running and functional workout steps. Hyrox Competition Race Format Print (A4 & A3) £8.00 Pack of 6 Minimalist Wooden Drinks Coasters Pack of 6 Minimalist Wooden Drinks Coasters £4.50 All You Need Is Love / Love Is All You Need Print (A5 - A3) All You Need Is Love / Love Is All You Need Print (A5 - A3) £8.00 Look At The Stars Song Lyrics Print (A5 - A3) Look At The Stars Song Lyrics Print (A5 - A3) £8.00 Music Sounds Better With You Music Print (A5 - A3) Music Sounds Better With You Music Print (A5 - A3) £8.00

Shop gifts for mum

Gifts she'll keep

By budget

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

What misses

What to spend, honestly

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

Hand-poured candles

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

65th Cake & Candles Birthday Card For Wife 65th Cake & Candles Birthday Card For Wife £3.87

Coasters and desk pieces

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

Pack of 6 Minimalist Wooden Drinks Coasters Pack of 6 Minimalist Wooden Drinks Coasters £4.50 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 Square drinks coaster with the humorous text Relax I Have a Spreadsheet For That, ideal gift for office colleagues. Relax I Have a Spreadsheet For That Funny Drinks Coaster £3.75 Pack of 6 Fun Cartoon Drinks Coasters Pack of 6 Fun Cartoon Drinks Coasters £4.50 Pack of 6 Fun Geometric Pattern Drinks Coasters Pack of 6 Fun Geometric Pattern Drinks Coasters £4.50 Harry Potter Wax Seal Drinks Coaster in Maroon & Gold Harry Potter Wax Seal Drinks Coaster in Maroon & Gold £5.99 Pack of 4 Powerpuff Girls Drinks Coasters Pack of 4 Powerpuff Girls Drinks Coasters £6.00 Pack of 6 Small Cartoon Dog Drinks Coasters Pack of 6 Small Cartoon Dog Drinks Coasters £4.50 Pack of 6 Minimalist Wooden Sun & Mood Astrology Coasters Pack of 6 Minimalist Wooden Sun & Mood Astrology Coasters £4.50 Mum, You'll always Be My Best-tea Drinks Coaster Mum, You'll always Be My Best-tea Drinks Coaster £3.99 A4 novelty certificate gift for Father's Day reading World's Best Dad with gold border and seal detail. World's Best Dad A4 Certificate (Father's Day Gift) £9.99 Best Mummy in the World Drinks Coaster Best Mummy in the World Drinks Coaster £3.99

Prints for the wall

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

A typographic music print featuring Taylor Swift Bejewelled lyrics on high-quality paper, unframed. Best Believe I'm Still Bejewelled By Taylor Swift Music Lyrics Print £8.00 Unframed wall art print featuring the text 'In A World Of Grey, Be A Flamingo' in colourful, vibrant lettering. In A World Of Grey, Be A Flamingo Print (A4 & A3) £8.00 A colourful typographic wall art print with the quote 'I work hard so that my dog can live a better life' in A4 or A3. I Work Hard So That My Dog Can Live A Better Life Print (A4 & A3) £8.00 A colourful fitness wall print illustrating the HYROX competition race format with running and functional workout steps. Hyrox Competition Race Format Print (A4 & A3) £8.00 All You Need Is Love / Love Is All You Need Print (A5 - A3) All You Need Is Love / Love Is All You Need Print (A5 - A3) £8.00 Look At The Stars Song Lyrics Print (A5 - A3) Look At The Stars Song Lyrics Print (A5 - A3) £8.00 Music Sounds Better With You Music Print (A5 - A3) Music Sounds Better With You Music Print (A5 - A3) £8.00 Colourful typography poster featuring the text You're Gonna Hear Me Roar from Katy Perry's song, unframed music print. You're Gonna Hear Me Roar Poster (Music Lyric Print) £8.00 Graphic music lyric print featuring a giant open mouth and lyrics from Lola Young's song Messy. Cause I'm Too Messy And Then I'm Too Fucking Clean (Music Lyric Prints) £8.00 Taylor Swift Who's Afraid of Little Old Me lyric print featuring minimalist black typography on a white background. Whose Afraid Of Little Old Me By Taylor Swift Music Lyrics Print £8.00 "Let It Be" Beatles lyric print featuring a guitar illustration and song lyrics, displayed as unframed wall art. "Let It Be" By The Beatles Inspired Music Lyrics Print (Guitar) £8.00 Humorous wall art print featuring four lined-up pints of Guinness stout and the text 'line. them. up.' with a white border. Line Them up Guinness Print (A4 & A3) £8.00

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 Happy Valentines Day, Bab (Valentines Day Card) Happy Valentines Day, Bab (Valentines Day Card) £3.87 "Woof Woof" Sausage Dog Valentines Day Card "Woof Woof" Sausage Dog Valentines Day Card £3.87 The Eggplant Tarot-inspired Cheeky Valentines Day Card The Eggplant Tarot-inspired Cheeky Valentines Day Card £3.87 The Peach Tarot-inspired Cheeky Valentines Day Card The Peach Tarot-inspired Cheeky Valentines Day Card £3.87

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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.