14 Gifts for Mother’s Day

Tie one on this Mother's Day. It's a wasted opportunity to let the celebration slide by without finding a special and unique way to represent the ties that bind. Suetables Rebecca Wishlets are ribbon ties with whimsical imprints and a sterling silver charm that will ‘knot' (get it?) be a disappointment for anyone in the family, least of all Mom, who dons it.

We have burning love for anything that stops the blinding sun…and crows feet. Seeing is believing and Stella McCartney's line of chic and simple sunglasses not only provide cover from rays and red-eyes (hello, sleep deprivation), they offer some guaranteed style on those days moms barely have enough time to get dressed. Now that's our kind of optical illusion.

Wipe that grin off your face. A little imbibing indulgence rarely hurts, but sometimes it can have everyone seeing red…on teeth and lips. We're toasting the makers of Wine Wipes for their products which prevent terrible tannis from staining our teeth after a glass (or two) of our favourite rouge beverage. Made of a proprietary blend of baking soda, calcium, salt, glycerin and tiny amount of hydrogen peroxide, the wipes will prevent 'Mommie Dearest' from looking like a total Joker on her next night out.

She's the ultimate mompreneur, so it's fitting to give a gift from her namesake collection inspired by her own mere. Tory Burch's stellar line of sole coverings includes the classic Reva (her mom's name) flat which offers comfort and slight cushioning, and never goes out of style. Stepping into fabulous flats is one foot fetish we're not ashamed to share.

Time keeps on slipping (slipping, slipping…) into the future. Make a mother's mesmerizing ability of always knowing who needs what, where and when, a little more manageable with the Adidas Candy watch. With bright colours, digital time, brushed stainless-steel face and mechanics that include timer, alarm, lap calculator, time day and date, we can't think of why it isn't a great gift.

Even if she's been living under a rock, any mother (including yourself) has probably heard of 30 Rock, or at least it's indomitable star and producer, Tina Fey. Fey's new book, BossyPants is laugh-out-loud funny and her wry observations about parenting, motherhood, and womanhood will make anyone an instant fan.

Everyone wants to come out of the closet, eventually. Any mom who has a daily struggle with sartorial styling each morning will appreciate a gift of their own personal stylist for a day or more. A wardrobe consultation, a closet makeover, well-fitted new clothes…can total acceptance (of all her accessories) finally be near?

Don't lose hope. The perfect Mother's Day gift is almost in hand. You're just seconds away from offering a helping hand with a donation in your favourite mom's name. Plan Canada's Gifts of Hope offer ethical gift-giving and provide gifts that include birthing kits, livestock, books for schools, sustainable planting and more. Being taken for granted may be an occupational hazard for a mother, but we doubt these gifts will suffer the same fate...

Other than the gift of life (thanks, Mom!), the gift of a good night's sleep ranks right up there. For any mother who finds the nocturnal noise from a snoring partner less than soothing, we recommend the gift of a noise machine. The Marpac Sleepmate eliminates aggravating sounds and instead, offers the quieting sound of rushing air. Instead of kicking, rolling around or reading in the middle of the night to get some zzz's, get her a Sleepmate that doesn't snore (or hog the sheets).

Get out of here. The gift of travel will always be a well-received one, but paying for an all-expenses trip may be beyond your budget this Mother's Day. The Flight Centre offers gift cards to be used towards travel and accommodation anywhere they book, so for any mother you know who has dreams—if not the dineros—to get away from it all, a thoughtful contribution will go a long way towards her own personal flight plan. Book it, baby.

Mother knows best—especially when it comes to our derrières, denim and a dressing room mirror. Treat yourself, and maybe even your own mother, to a shopping spree that will rid you of your mom jeans in honour of Mother's Day. Sometimes a mother needs to take things into her own hands to get them done right. Right?

There are volumes and volumes of things we could write about our mother: the lessons we learned, the ones we didn't (admittedly, the Smurf tattoo was a bad idea…). These gorgeous, scarlet leather-bound “i carry your heart with me – e.e. cummings” journals from lapaperie, a Canadian Etsy store, are the bomb. They're not only rich in appearance, they will provide a perfect place for all her rich pearls of wisdom and life experiences.

If you think you've coasted through life relatively unscathed, your mother probably had a hand in it. Since there's no way to really thank her properly, spoil her with something beautiful and only slightly extravagant—something she would love but wouldn't spend on herself. These set of six Une Plume coasters made of canvas and batting with stamped peacock feathers from the Mountain Thistle Etsy store come in several colours to match any design scheme. Seriously, aren't you proud as a peacock to call her Mom?

Soon to be the most well-used item in the house (we wish), this lovely and functional breakfast-in-bed tray from Crate&Barrel is perfect for Mother's Day…and maybe the next time the kids get sick and need nourishment in bed. You may not get to enjoy it for another 364 days, so milk it (literally) for all it's worth. Bon Appetit!