5 Things your Ma will actually like for Mother’s Day

Words: Shamim de Brún
Artwork: Paul Smith
Images: Unsplash & Instagram

Mother’s Day always seems to bring out the “mothers are delicate flowers” tropes in people. The recommendations are forever limited to flowers, chocolates and afternoon tea. I’m sure there are many people whose mothers will love this. But maybe not every single year. So here we’ve put together a list of five last-minute gift ideas your Ma might actually like.

Let me call it as I see it: your mam has enough pyjamas. Most people prefer to buy their own slippers. No one wants any jewellery with the word ‘Mam’ on it. Unless she’s into collecting mugs a personalised mug is probably not what she wants. She probably doesn’t need another candle holder, she definitely doesn’t need a dust-gathering ornament. Never get anyone, (who hasn’t explicitly asked for it) anything to clean or cook with. These are presents for the house, not for your Ma.

The key to gifting is always thinking about what the person likes doing with their spare time but would never spend the money on themselves.

Does your Ma like food?
Try a reservation and a voucher for a Michelin Bib restaurant

Michelin Bib restaurants are not outlandishly expensive the way Michelin Star ones are. They’re a great guide to quality globally so you know, no matter which Michelin mentioned restaurant you pick they will be of good quality and of good value. If you haven’t made a reservation for actual Mother’s Day by now, you won’t get a good one. But If you make a reservation for one of these more upmarket places for any time in the future it looks planned, thought through, and is exciting to look forward to doing together. A perfectly considered last-minute lifesaver.

These have open reservations at the moment: Peploe’s, Etto, Glas, Library Street, Dax, Big Fan, Pigs Ear, Host, The Old Spot, Grano, Mamo

Does your Ma like to celebrate?
Try a bottle of whiskey

Who’s Ma doesn’t like the odd Irish coffee or a hot whiskey? Everyone always buys women’s gin, and gin is great. But this year lean into the whiskey and see how she goes. Maybe get on from one of the female distillers of Ireland such as Method and Madness starting at forty-odd euro and climbs up to three grand; if you’re feeling generous. Not that how much you love your Ma is measured in how much you spend on her.

Does your Ma like wine?
Try not just wine but a wine class or subscription

That way it looks like you planned it and didn’t just pick it up on the way over to her. You can get wine subscriptions from WineLab, BoxOfWine, WinesDirect and more from as little as fifty euros. Wine classes are way more craic than the word class will lead you to believe and can be lined up at Neighbourhood Wine, La Cave, Searsons and more from around the fifty quid mark.

Does your Ma like cheese?
Try a cheese board

You can make one yourself or get a voucher for a cheese board at a wine bar like Fallon and Byrne or Loose Cannon. If you can’t make heads nor tails of a good cheese then pop to a cheesemonger like Sheridan’s and they’ll put together a whole basket for you including all the accoutrements. You can spend as little as a tenner here and as much as you please.

Does your Ma like music?
Of course she does so try some Vinyl

As the record renaissance surges to new heights don’t forget your mam likes music too. The Stunning, Blondie, The Gogos, Enya, Cliff Richard, The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, Dolly Parton, Dianna Ross, Led Zepplin, Thin Lizzie, The Cure, I’m sure your mam will like one of these. If not then I’m sure between you, your siblings and hers you know at least one musical act she’ll like. All these have Vinyl available whether it’s from Urban Outfitters or Free Bird Records you’ll pick up something easily. There are second-hand golden finds from a tenner and they max out around fifty unless you’re looking to go rare? If your mam doesn’t have a record player, fear not; they’re perpetually available in Lidl or Aldi for thirty-odd blips.