Reflect their love this Mother’s Day: 50+ ideas to give love back to the moms in your life

A lettered quote that reads

Moms give a lot to be good mothers—things like time, attention and affection. They also give up a lot over the course of motherhood to be there for us, like private bathroom time or the concept of eight hours of sleep. We’re just going to say it: We owe the moms in our lives. Big-time.

As you start thinking of ways to put some shine on the moms who are mom-ing excellently in your life, here are some Mother’s Day ideas that will show them just how much the caring, wisdom, humor, unshakable love and unbreakable faith they put in to loving us matter.

Whether you’re looking for ideas to delight the mom you’re raising a family with, the mom who raised you, the stepmoms, like-a-moms and “other mothers” who care or siblings and friends you love and admire, we’ve pulled together thoughtful things you can do yourself, like shared time and memory-making experiences and special things you can give them, like cards and gifts, to reflect back the love she gives as a mom.

Inspired? Create and share by tagging @HallmarkStores.

Gift her with words  

You can use your words and ours, too! For Mother’s Day, how cool would it be to handwrite mom a card or letter sharing your favorite thing about her? Very cool.

  • Write mom a card or letter using these ideas and prompts.
  • Want to level up the love? Put together a little book of five to 10 cards or letters that tell her story or your story together.
  • Write Mom a card or letter about a specific favorite memory you have of her or a memory the two of you made together that is still meaningful to you.
  • Send her a note on beautiful stationery or in a card expressing your favorite thing about her, whether it’s her sweet and bold demeanor or her badass personal style.
  • Tell her how and why she’s your role model.
  • Thank her for being your friend and for being on your side.
  • Remind her that you dig her as a whole person and not just as a mom.
  • For two moms celebrating their love and family together, show double the love with cards acknowledging each mother and how they give love and care to their children.
  • Write a serious or silly song and record it on your phone to share.
  • Make her a personalized meme.
  • Have the kids write and read poems that can be sent as video or presented live on Mother’s Day.
  • If they’re having trouble getting started, these Mother’s Day writing prompts for kids can help them find their words.
  • Gift her with a beautiful, funny, meaningful quote that could be framed, calligraphed on a lovely piece of paper or embroidered on a pillow. Use one of ours!
  • Pull her into a big hug and say “I love you, Mom” in the special way that only you can. Sounds simple. Means everything.

Gift her with gifts  

Ever since you handed her that first macaroni necklace made with your love, you know the thrill of giving Mom something that lets her know just how special she is to you. Here are our best Mother’s Day gift ideas, homemade or purchased with her in mind:

  • Show her love with a handmade coupon book that includes gift coupons throughout the year for washing dishes, doing laundry, giving her “me-time” or “we-time.”
  • Make mom a memory box filled with mementos, trinkets, notes and other objects that remind her of special memories you share.
  • Print out pictures to make a collage of your good times together. You could paste them together artfully or buy a collage frame to display.
  • Have the kids do hand-drawn pictures of Mom doing what she does best—loving everybody. Show her they see her, too.
  • If Mom is new to motherhood, let her know that you know just how special and sweet that is with a gift that celebrates her new and incredibly important role.
  • The whole family, from the littles to the grown-ups, can get in on crafting a tea towel or personalized bandana for mom.
  • If she’s all “Get it, Queen Charlotte!” and could use a quick escape to another time and place, surprise her with these pretty Bridgerton gifts.
  • Help her spice up her ’fits with a meaningful and sparkling jewelry set with the birthstones of the kids who call her Mom.
  • Buy her favorite flowers or surprise her with your knowledge of the language of flowers. Give her a bouquet with blossoms, real or pop-up, that symbolize happiness, friendship, serenity, “I love you” or whatever your wish for the day is.
  • Help Mom keep her strength and beauty game strong by gifting her a few hours with a personal trainer, a gym membership or a masseuse.
  • You could also give gift cards for makeup palettes and brushes, her favorite creams or her signature scent.
  • Hire a professional makeup artist to enhance her beauty for pictures with the fam, whether you do a professional portrait or candid shots on your phone.
  • Support her “Me Time” with gifts like bathtub caddies and pillows, artisanal chocolates, champagne and cool wine glasses or champagne flutes that would enhance her soaking experience.
  • Give her the power of a foot and hand massager. Help Mom relax and unleash the stress.
  • Give her a pretty journal where she can keep her thoughts and record memories. No worries! We’re sure she won’t complain about you in it!
  • Give Mom something prayerful that recognizes and celebrates her faith life.
  • Every mom can use a mealtime off. Subscribe Mom to a monthly or periodical food kit (like Blue Apron) or an online ordering and food delivery service (like Door Dash).
  • Help Mom explore the world of wines with a gift box subscription that delivers right to her door every few weeks.
  • Nothing says, “Sit. Relax, Mom!” quite like a tried-and-true mug for her coffee or tea.
  • Remember that a Mother’s Day card can be a gift unto itself. Handwriting a card is an extra dose of love that Mom can hang on to forever.

We’ve got even more Mother’s Day Ideas here for you if you need more inspiration for plussing up your gift list.

Gift her with time  

If Mom loves togetherness (you’re adorable, why wouldn’t she?), here are Mother’s Day ideas for planning a bespoke day, perfectly fitted to her, where you all do her favorite things together.

  • Binge her favorite shows and movies. Hallmark+ is a great way to find her favorite feel-good Hallmark series and movies all in one place, on demand. Comes with some pretty nice perks, too! You can get her a gift subscription here.
  • Play her favorite games. Whether she kills it at board games, video gaming or party games like charades, get into it!
  • Put together a playlist and get to dancing. Whether you’re making a family production for TikTok or starting a Soul Train line, shake what your mama gave you with Mom.
  • Stage a play or variety show for Mom. Make her the theme or just entertain her with silly ideas you love. Little ones will especially love writing, directing and performing for Mom.
  • Feature Mom in a fashion show and have fun putting together “lewks” that showcase her style or make her laugh.
  • If it’s age appropriate, take a class together like a “Paint ’n’ Sip,” “Sew ’n’ Sip” or “Zumba and Wine/Dance ’n’ Sip.”
  • If she’s always wanted to visit a botanical garden, go to a museum or take a trip to celebrate with other moms in the family, Mother’s Day is the day to make that wish come true.
  • Plant something beautiful inside or outside her home. She’ll think of you every time that something beautiful flowers.
  • Throw Mom a high tea with beautiful little sandwiches, pastries and personalized tea bags.
  • Volunteer at her favorite cause, whether it’s petting puppies at the animal shelter, filling food backpacks or helping to feed someone a hot meal, help her increase the caring.
  • Make Mom a meal that comes complete with a built-in cleanup crew. Whether she would like to eat in bed, in the kitchen or in the formal dining room, make sure the spot is immaculate without Mom’s help afterwards.
  • If you want to put a different, but convenient and affordable, spin on brunch for Mom, why not make it an indoor picnic?
  • Take it up a level with Mom’s brunch by hiring an affordable personal chef to make her a unique, personalized and appetizing menu. Feature her as the star or invite a bunch of her mom-friends together for a group affair.
  • Maybe you want to make Mom’s meal an elegant dinner affair instead. Pull out the candles and some special recipes. If you need recipe ideas, try some of ours.
  • Or take Mom to a “white linen tablecloth and candlelight” kind of space, where she has to dress fancy-schmancy for her favorite (or a new) cuisine.
  • Make or send Mom to a retreat space where she can read, write, pray, meditate, stretch, do yoga or just bliss out however she wants.

We hope all these Mother’s Day ideas for finding the right words, giving the best gifts and spending some tender time together will help you reflect the love you get from moms back to their spirits this holiday!