50 Best Christmas Gifts for Mom That Will Leave Her Misty-Eyed
Updated on December 14, 2022
Finding the perfect Christmas gift for mom can be challenging since you must find out what she wants and needs. This article lists some of the best presents to buy your mother for Christmas this year.
Mothers do not necessarily want fancy presents or expensive items but a token of their family’s love and appreciation. It could be something as simple as a heartfelt card. But if she has a wishlist tucked away somewhere, it’s worth a peek to give you a better idea of what to get her this holiday. Whether you are looking for something practical or sentimental, handmade or store-bought, consider these ideas to make your mother feel extra special this holiday season.
Here is a list of DIY and store-bought gift ideas to get your mom this Christmas:
- DIY orange-scented bath bombs
- DIY lip scrub
- DIY face scrub
- DIY peppermint body scrub
- DIY gingerbread whipped body butter
- DIY gilded polymer clay triangle necklace
- DIY tassel necklace
- DIY leather tassel necklace
- DIY raffia tassel earrings
- DIY seed bead necklace
- DIY white bead bracelet
- DIY wine cork necklace
- DIY wine cork earrings
- DIY knit sweater
- DIY mittens
- DIY leather and flannel snap scarf
- DIY arm-knit blanket
- DIY recipe box
- DIY apron
- DIY etched cutting board
- DIY etched wooden spoons
- DIY etched glass
- DIY marble-dipped mug
- DIY photo coasters
- DIY photo explosion box
- DIY dreamcatcher
- DIY mason jar snow globe
- DIY rustic twig heart wall art
- DIY yarn-wrapped letters
- DIY felt laptop case
- Personalized scented candle
- Personalized handwriting bracelet
- Heart locket necklace with a custom picture
- Engraved music box
- Letters to My Mom
- Letter blanket with stamps
- Wine glass with a funny message
- Gourmet coffee set
- Assorted specialty tea set
- Foodie Dice
- Indoor herb starter kit
- It Ends with Us romance novel
- The Five Minute Journal
- Affirmation stones
- A 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle
- Paint by Numbers
- Custom pet watercolor portrait
- Shower steamers
- Rechargeable hand massager
- KODAK Printomatic digital instant print camera
Read on to discover more information about these Christmas gift ideas for mothers, including sources for DIY instructions and online shopping.
What are the best DIY Christmas gifts for mom?
There are many great DIY presents for mom this Christmas, depending on what she likes. For instance, get her handcrafted beauty products, jewelry, wearables, or kitchen utensils. Here are some of the best handmade gift ideas:
1. DIY orange-scented bath bombs
DIY orange-scented bath bombs are a Christmas gift idea for a mom who likes to relax and unwind after a hard day’s work by taking a bubble bath. This DIY project idea is from our repertoire and uses orange zest, orange essential oil, citric acid, water, baking soda, a bath bomb mold or another mold, cornstarch, Epsom salt, coconut oil, and food coloring to make the bath bombs brighter. Get the complete instructions for making orange-scented bath bombs.
2. DIY lip scrub
A DIY lip scrub is an easy-to-make and cheap Christmas gift for moms to use a gentle exfoliating formula for lip care. This DIY project uses ingredients you probably already have in the pantry, such as raw sugar, fine white sugar, raw manuka honey, coconut oil, orange essential oil, and a small plastic container. Discover everything you need to know about making this DIY lip scrub in our intuitive tutorial.
3. DIY face scrub
A DIY face scrub is a great Christmas gift for moms who love pampering their face with a gentle exfoliating formula. This DIY project comes from our website and requires a mason jar with an airtight lid, granulated sugar, coconut oil, lemon zest, grapefruit fragrance oil, red food coloring, and a spoon. Check out our complete tutorial for making a face scrub at home.
4. DIY peppermint body scrub
A DIY peppermint sugar scrub is a great Christmas gift for moms who need a body exfoliant and moisturizer. This idea belongs to Meraki Mother and requires sugar, coconut oil, peppermint essential oil, a mason jar, red and green food coloring to create a Christmas-themed scrub, and a matching ribbon. Choose another festive essential oil like pine, gingerbread, or orange if you mom is not a fan of peppermint. Go to Meraki Mother for the complete information.
5. DIY gingerbread whipped body butter
A DIY gingerbread whipped body butter is an awesome Christmas gift for a mom who appreciates a homemade deep moisturizer. This DIY project comes from Farmhouse on Boone and asks for a pot, a glass bowl, a glass storage container, measuring cups or spoons, and a mixer. Add a bit of arrowroot powder to absorb the extra oil of the butter if it ends up too greasy. Check out Farmhouse on Boone for the complete instructions.
6. DIY gilded polymer clay triangle necklace
A DIY gilded polymer clay triangle necklace is a Christmas gift for a mom who loves modern jewelry. This DIY project comes from our website and asks for a gold-plated chain, a pin, gold leaf, gold jump rings, a knife, a cylindrical glass, pliers, polymer clay in two or more colors, and super glue. Check out our guide for making a gilded polymer clay triangle necklace.
7. DIY tassel necklace
A DIY tassel necklace would be an endearing Christmas present for mom, particularly when making a pair of these necklaces for a mom-and-daughter combo. This DIY project idea comes from our collection and pliers, scissors, a gold-plated chain, assorted embroidery floss, an embroidery needle, jump rings, wire pins with loops, and cotton rope. Get all the details for making a tassel necklace.
8. DIY leather tassel necklace
DIY leather tassel necklace is a Christmas gift idea for a mom who loves handmade jewelry and leather. This DIY project is from our repertoire and does not require leatherworking sills. You need leather, a needle, scissors, needle-nose pliers, a chain, and a jump ring. Read the full instructions for crafting this leather tassel necklace.
9. DIY raffia tassel earrings
DIY raffia tassel earrings are Christmas gift ideas for moms who love bright, folksy jewelry. This DIY project comes from our collection and uses round-nose pliers, raffia yarn, turquoise crewel yarn, cardboard, scissors, eye pins, earring wires, pliers, a glue gun, and twisted yarn. Make it Christmasy by using festive colors like red and gold. Head over to our website for complete instructions on making raffia tassel earrings.
10. DIY seed bead necklace
A DIY seed bead necklace is another Christmas gift for moms who love homemade jewelry. This DIY project comes from our website and teaches you how to make a simple, lightweight necklace using seed beads in three colors, standard pliers, round-nose pliers in two sizes, headpins, chain, pliers, and eye pins. Use red, white, and green seed beads to make the gift Christmas-themed. Find out more about making a seed bead necklace by viewing our guide.
11. DIY white bead bracelet
A DIY white bead bracelet is an elegant yet inexpensive Christmas gift that your mom can pair with fancy clothes. This DIY project is from our website and calls for scissors, a jewelry line, white beads, and a magnet fastener. Check out the complete instructions for making this white bead bracelet.
12. DIY wine cork necklace
A DIY wine cork necklace is an inexpensive way to create jewelry as a Christmas gift for your mom. This DIY project comes from our website and requires headpins, a chain, a tear-shaped pearl, a knife, a fastener, wine corks, eye pins, acrylic paint, standard pliers, round-nose pliers, screw eye pins, open jump rings, and a paintbrush. Take a look at our complete tutorial on making a wine cork necklace.
13. DIY wine cork earrings
DIY wine cork earrings are a great Christmas gift for a mom who loves jewelry. This DIY project comes from our repertoire and requires acrylic paint, a pencil, head-mounted wands, drop-shaped pearls, wine corks, a loop mounting rod, earring hangers, a folding utility knife, a threaded hanger, a mounting ring, a paintbrush, pincers, and conical tongs. Follow our step-by-step instructions for crafting wine cork earrings.
14. DIY knit sweater
A DIY knit sweater is a thoughtful Christmas gift for your mom to cozy up during the cold season. This DIY guide comes from our website and requires sweater knit material, burlap fabric, wooden buttons, suede cord, coordinating thread, a needle, scissors, and a sewing machine. Check out the complete step-by-step instructions for making a knit sweater.
15. DIY mittens
DIY mittens are a cool Christmas gift for mom to keep her hands warm during the cold season. This DIY project comes from Make and Do Crew and teaches you how to sew mittens from an old sweater. The list of supplies includes a felted sweater mitten pattern that you can download for free, a 100% wool sweater, a t-shirt or another soft fabric for lining, pins, wool yarn, and a large darning needle. A sewing machine is preferable since it gets the job done fast, but manually sewing the mittens is the next best thing.
To make this Christmas gift extra special, use one of your mom’s old, favorite sweaters that no longer fits or is outdated or damaged. Or use one of your old sweaters that your mother loves. Go to Make and Do Crew to get the complete instructions for making these mittens.
16. DIY leather and flannel snap scarf
A DIY leather and flannel snap scarf is a cool Christmas gift for a mom who needs to get warm in winter while looking stylish. This DIY project comes from Delia Creates and asks for a soft leather trim piece, heavy-duty snaps and a snap tool, a leather sewing machine needle, flannel fabric, matching thread, a sewing machine, scissors, a rotary cutter and a self-healing mat, a ruler, a hand sewing needle, pins, and clover clips or binder clips. Head over to Delia Creates for the complete instructions.
17. DIY arm-knit blanket
A DIY arm-knit blanket is a great Christmas gift for your mom since she can get under the covers and keep warm while reading a book. This DIY project comes from The DIY Mommy and requires ultra-thick yarn and nothing else since the arm-knit technique uses hands only. Head over to The DIY Mommy for all the necessary details.
18. DIY recipe box
A homemade recipe box is a fantastic Christmas gift for the mom who loves to cook and needs a safe place to keep all her recipes. This DIY project idea comes from The Wood Grain Cottage and requires woodworking skills. The list of supplies includes a tape measure, an 18-gauge nail gun, a stain, an air compressor, a package of cedar tongue and groove, clamps, a table saw, metal bookplates, medium-grit sandpaper, finishing wax, 5/8-inch 18-gauge brad nails, index cards, a sheet of underlayment, and a miter saw. To make the box extra special, fill it with your mom’s favorite recipes before gifting it. Head over to The Wood Grain Cottage to get the complete instructions.
19. DIY apron
A DIY apron would make a lovely Christmas gift for mom since it is fully customizable. For instance, draw winter-inspired shapes like pine trees, gingerbread men, or snowflakes, or write a heartfelt message like Merry Christmas! Love you, mom! This DIY project idea belongs to Crafts by Courtney and uses a cutting machine with heat transfer vinyl and a weeding tool, a simple apron, ribbon, and hot glue. In this version, the apron says Baking spirits bright. Visit Crafts by Courtney to get all the information you need.
20. DIY etched cutting board
A DIY etched cutting board is a great Christmas gift for the mom who loves to cook. Engrave any design on the cutting board using the etching technique. For example, a message like Merry Christmas! Love you, mom! would be a guaranteed show-stealer. This DIY project belongs to Design Mom and asks for an etching tool, a cutting board, and the design. Check out Design Mom for the step-by-step instructions.
21. DIY etched wooden spoons
DIY etched wooden spoons are a cool Christmas gift for moms who spend a lot of time in the kitchen. The wooden spoons could be functional or purely decorative, depending on your mother’s wishes. This DIY project comes from Design Mom and goes hand in hand with an etched cutting board. The list of supplies contains plain wooden tools, an etching tool, and a design. Make simple shapes reminiscent of Christmas, such as tiny snowflakes, trees, gingerbread men, stockings, Santa hats, sugarcane candies, or angels. Prepare the present by wrapping the spoons with a simple red bow. Go to Design Mom to learn more about this homemade project.
22. DIY etched glass
A DIY etched glass is a Christmas gift idea for the mom who loves customized glassware since you can draw or write anything. This DIY project belongs to Practically Functional and requires a Cricut or Silhouette machine or scissors or an X-ACTO knife, a small paintbrush, a piece of glassware, etching cream, and an adhesive stencil like stencil vinyl or transfer paper. Head over to Practically Functional to get the step-by-step instructions.
23. DIY marble-dipped mug
A DIY marble-dipped mug would make an ultra-modern Christmas gift for a mom who loves bright and colorful designs. The idea for this cool project belongs to House of Hipsters and uses plain white coffee mugs, nail polish, a container or a plastic bin, bamboo skewers, and paper towels or parchment paper. Check out House of Hipsters for the tutorial.
24. DIY photo coasters
DIY photo coasters are a thoughtful Christmas gift idea for a mom to cherish precious family pictures while enjoying a cup of tea or coffee. This DIY project comes from The Frugal Girls and requires small foam paint brushes, ceramic tiles, Mod Podge, photos, waterproof acrylic sealer spray, white acrylic craft paint, felt, fleece or cork scraps for baking, and hot glue. Check out The Frugal Girls for the complete directions.
25. DIY photo explosion box
A DIY photo explosion box is a cool Christmas gift for mom since it’s a gift box that opens up to reveal a series of pictures. This homemade project belongs to Chaotically Yours and asks for cardstock, complimentary scrapbook paper, scissors, a glue stick, pictures, a paper cutter, a scoring tool, and decorations like ribbons, tin boxes, paper flowers, or tiny bottles. For example, add family pictures or photos of just you and your mom. Check out Chaotically Yours for additional details.
26. DIY dreamcatcher
A DIY dreamcatcher is a wonderful Christmas gift for your mom to ward off bad dreams and hang a lovely decoration next to her side of the bed. This DIY project comes from our own collection and requires scissors, silk ribbon in two colors, strass, regular yarn, twisted yarn, an artificial flower, hot glue, and a metal hoop. Since it is Christmas, use festive colors like red, white, and green. Check out the complete instructions for this homemade dreamcatcher on our website.
27. DIY mason jar snow globe
A DIY mason jar snow globe would make a lovely Christmas gift for a mom who loves store-bought snow globes and would appreciate the craftsmanship of a homemade version. This DIY project belongs to Michaela Noelle Designs and uses a mason jar, tiny fake Christmas trees, a glue gun, and fake snow. Go to Michaela Noelle Designs to learn all the details.
28. DIY rustic twig heart wall art
DIY rustic twig heart wall art is an adorable Christmas gift for the mom who likes the farmhouse design. This DIY project is from our own repertoire and requires brown crepe paper, a pencil, ribbon, branches, artificial leaves, cardboard, scissors, an arm saw, a glue gun, white pom-poms, silk, and jute ribbon. To make it Christmasy, replace brown crepe paper with red and white pom-poms with gold. Check out the complete instructions for making rustic twig heart wall art.
29. DIY yarn-wrapped letters
DIY yarn-wrapped letters made a heartfelt Christmas gift for your mom since the project is fully customizable. For example, craft letters to spell out your mom’s name or simply MOM. The list of supplies for this DIY project includes cardboard, a glue gun, twine, a ruler, a silk ribbon, two colors of yarn, scissors, hemp, a jute ribbon, and a pencil. For the yarn, use your mom’s favorite colors or a combination of Christmas-themed colors, such as red and green. Find out more about making yarn-wrapped letters on our website.
30. DIY felt laptop case
A DIY felt laptop case is a practical Christmas gift for a mom who wants to protect her computer from damage while looking stylish. This DIY project comes from our repertoire and requires sewing skills. You need a sewing machine, thick felt, pins, measuring tape, coordinating thread, colored waistband elastic, and scissors. Check out our guide for making a felt laptop case to get the full instructions.
What are the best Christmas gifts to buy for mom?
There are many fantastic Christmas presents to buy for your mother if you don’t feel comfortable with your crafting skills. Here are the best ones:
1. Personalized scented candle
A personalized scented candle is a great Christmas gift for the mom who loves aromatherapy. Besides, the candle has an endearing message that reads Best Mom With Love, so the gift carries sentimental value, too.
This candle is made from natural soy wax with pure essential oil, and it has cotton candle wicks to ensure a long-lasting burn. The scent is wild bluebell and lavender. But if your mom is not a fan of this fragrance or if you want to take the more Christmasy route for this present, go for eucalyptus, gingerbread, pine, rosemary and thyme, clove, orange, or another festive scent.
View price on Amazon2. Personalized handwriting bracelet
A personalized handwriting bracelet is a meaningful Christmas gift for mom since she will wear an elegant piece of jewelry and read a lovely message that will always remind her of you. For example, add your mom’s signature, name, date of birth, or I love you. The bracelet has a sturdy fastener that ensures it does not come off the wrist. Choose sterling silver and yellow gold plating when placing an order.
View price on Amazon3. Heart locket necklace with a custom picture
A heart locket necklace with a custom picture would be an endearing Christmas gift for your mom that she will cherish for years. Add photos of both of you and write custom text on the back side, like Merry Christmas! Love you, mom! When placing an order for this necklace, choose between sterling silver and yellow gold for the plating.
View price on Amazon4. Engraved music box
This engraved music box is a fantastic Christmas gift for mom since she will spin the crankle handle to listen to You are my sunshine while reading a touching message from her son or daughter. The box is small, portable, lightweight, and has a vintage design. Since it has a crankle handle, it does not run on batteries.
View price on Amazon5. Letters to My Mom
Letters to My Mom would make a heartfelt Christmas gift for mom since she can read twelve letters written by you and treasure this keepsake forever. Each letter has a unique writing prompt to give you a nudge when you can not find inspiration. Prompt examples include A special memory I have of you is…, From you, I learned the importance of…, and I always think of you when… There are two extra blank letters that give you enough room to write your heart out. Place the letters in fold-and-mail-style envelopes and watch your mom bawl her eyes out on Christmas day.
View price on Amazon6. Letter blanket with stamps
A letter blanket with stamps is a lovely Christmas gift for mom since it is both practical and loving. Firstly, she can cozy up in the blanket while enjoying a glass of wine and watching her favorite TV show. Secondly, the blanket’s message starts with To my dear mom and ends with I love you, a guaranteed tear-jerker.
This letter blanket with stamps is made of soft flannel, suitable for the bedroom or living room. It is machine-washable and comes in two sizes: 50 x 60 inches and 60 x 80 inches. Your mother will surely adore this Christmas present.
View price on Amazon7. Wine glass with a funny message
A wine glass with a funny message is an amusing Christmas gift for moms who love wine. The message reads My Favorite Child Gave Me This Funny Wine Glass, which works when you have siblings. But it’s even funnier if you are an only child. The text is white, so it becomes noticeable only after pouring red wine or rosé.
The funny wine glass is dishwasher-safe and durable since it is made from top-quality crystal-clear stemware, and the text was added through etch printing. Your mom will laugh out loud when receiving this present for Christmas.
View price on Amazon8. Gourmet coffee set
A gourmet coffee set is a great Christmas gift for the mom who loves coffee and experimenting with new coffee flavors. This set has twelve flavors of medium-roast ground coffee: French Roast, Spiced Eggnog, Glazed Cinnamon Roll, Hot Buttered Rum Coffee, French Vanilla, Chocolate Coconut Blizzard, Candy Cane, Gingerbread, Donut Shop Blend, Peppermint Mocha, Roasted Chestnut, and Christmas Cookie. Each coffee type is wrapped in individual bags
View price on Amazon9. Assorted specialty tea set
An assorted specialty tea set is a great Christmas gift for moms who prefer tea over coffee. This package contains a total of 48 individually wrapped and tagged tea bags sorted into six groups for each flavor: English breakfast tea, decaffeinated breakfast tea, Assam tea, Earl Grey tea, lemon and orange tea, green tea with jasmine, organic peppermint tea, and organic chamomile tea.
View price on Amazon10. Foodie Dice
Foodie Dice is an innovative Christmas gift for moms who love to cook but lack the inspiration for new recipes to try. Foodie Dice contains several wooden dice, where each is engraved with a unique cooking method, meat and vegetarian protein options, herbs, grans, bonus ingredients, and seasonal veggies. Whenever they wonder what meal to come up with next, cooks roll the dice and use the ingredients described there.
View price on Amazon11. Indoor herb starter kit
An indoor herb starter kit is a cool Christmas gift for moms who love to grow their own herbs or at least dabble in this idea. The package includes 40 pieces with all the tools and materials required for a kitchen windowsill garden, including reusable pots, drop trays, seed packets, soil discs, bamboo markers, and an instruction guide with herb caring tips.
View price on Amazon12. It Ends with Us romance novel
It Ends with Us would make a fantastic Christmas gift for a mom who loves reading romance novels. This book is a New York Times bestseller and Booktook phenomenon that tells the story of a young woman named Lily that falls in love and starts a relationship with a guy named Ryle, only to have her feelings confused by the resurface of Atlas, her first love. It Ends with Us is a binge-worthy, nerve-racking book with a second part called It Starts with Us, which is just as good, if not better. So you can always get your mom the sequel if she loves the first.
View price on Amazon13. The Five Minute Journal
The Five Minute Journal would make an excellent Christmas gift for the mom who practices mindfulness. This journal contains daily prompts for jotting down affirmations, expressing gratitude and making a note of motivational thoughts. It will encourage your mom to focus on herself for 5 minutes every day, which does not seem like much but will surely lead to a positive outcome in the long haul.
View price on Amazon14. Affirmation stones
Affirmation stones are a good Christmas gift for spiritual or religious mom s. Affirmation stones are popular among Christian circles because they contain uplifting biblical quotes. This set contains six affirmation stones in different colors. The rocks are opaque and translucent.
View price on Amazon15. A 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle
A 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle is a Christmas gift idea for moms who love brain teasers and cooling down by doing a puzzle. The 1000-piece version has an increased difficulty level, which translates to more hours of self-entertaining. Besides, a jigsaw puzzle provides entertainment to the entire family since every member can take turns doing the puzzle or join forces and collaborate to get the job done quicker.
View price on Amazon16. Paint by Numbers
Paint by Numbers is a great Christmas gift for moms to relax and explore their creative side by painting and making art. Compared to other painting projects, Paint by Number caters to inexperienced artists since they have to match the paint to the numbers. This process requires only patience and a steady hand.
View price on Amazon17. Custom pet watercolor portrait
A custom pet watercolor portrait is a thoughtful Christmas gift for the mom who loves her pet almost as much as her kids. Send the artist a high-quality, clear picture that shows details of your mom’s dog, cat, or bunny. You should go with a picture that was taken outdoors in natural light or in bright indoor light. Then you will receive a faithful, watercolor rendition of the pet’s pictures in a vertical or horizontal portrait, depending on your preferences.
View price on Amazon18. Shower steamers
Shower steamers would make a cool Christmas gift for moms to relax while taking showers. Shower steamers are similar to bath bombs since their role is to create a pleasant atmosphere by diffusing scented essential oils. This pack contains lavender, menthol/eucalyptus, vanilla/orange, watermelon, grapefruit, and peppermint shower steamers.
View price on Amazon19. Rechargeable hand massager
A rechargeable hand massager is a thoughtful Christmas gift for the mom who needs to relax after a hard day. This handheld device uses vibration and kneading technology to reduce hand fatigue and stimulate blood circulation. It has an ergonomic design specially crafted for seniors with arthritis or people who work with their hands on daily
This rechargeable hand massager is quiet and has four massage heads that will provide your mom with the relief she needs. The batteries last 3-4 hours before they need a recharge. More settings are for toggling three program modes, three intensity levels, and two heating levels. You can not go wrong with this Christmas gift for your mom.
View price on Amazon20. KODAK Printomatic digital instant print camera
The KODAK Printomatic digital instant print camera is a wonderful Christmas gift for moms who prefer physical pictures to the digital format. This model prints 2×3-inch-film sticky-backed pictures. Your mom will be able to put together a photo collage or scrapbook album, stick the pictures to any surface, and create keepsakes for friends and family.
View price on AmazonConclusion
Moms have been spending months giving themselves to provide for their loved ones. So come the holiday season, they deserve special treatment. Many mothers love to feel pampered and appreciate thoughtful gifts. So, when searching for the perfect present for your beloved mom this Christmas, remember that she deserves something that reflects her personality and interests. Since you are looking for presents for your parents, check out the best Christmas gifts for dad.
So wonderful ideas. I love Leather and Crystal Bracelet most. I have a collection of best mothers day ‘s jewelry to happy this event http://giftsandwish.com/mothers-day-jewelry-best-gift/
Omg these are amazing!! I’m sooooooo going to do the mug one!! Great job!!!
These are not DIY these are store bought :((