We may not be able to treat our mother figures to traditional forms of pampering and wining and dining this Mother’s Day, but the COVID-19 pandemic can’t stop us from celebrating her like the star she is. Here, some of our favorite famous mamas serve as inspiration for 15 gifts you can get for $50 or less that are perfect for moms, even while she’s sheltering in place. (And yes, three of the 15 ideas are wine bottles because, duh, mom juice is an essential item always, but especially now).
Note: I have curated this list for a segment on San Francisco Bay Area’s KRON-TV, so several of the selections are local to Northern California. If you live elsewhere, please take inspiration and support similar businesses in your hometown!
1. Quarantine Wine
Proud parents Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher are selling wine labeled Quarantine Wine, with all profits benefiting multiple COVID-19 response efforts. You can get two bottles for $50 and free shipping in the U.S., so have them sent to your house and bring one to mom and one to your mother-in-law (or save one for yourself!)
Buy Quarantine Wine ($50 for two bottles)
2. Adam & Tamera’s Field Blend
Tamera Mowry cohosts The Real but says her “other day job” is working the tasting room at her family’s winery, Housley Napa Valley. She and her husband even have their own signature variety: Adam & Tamera’s Field Blend, which retails for $28.99. Place your order now with slashed shipping rates — it may not arrive by Sunday, but it won’t go to waste once it arrives with all those virtual happy hours happening these days.
Buy Adam & Tamera’s Field Blend ($28.99)
3. Del Dotto Vineyards Wine
Moms Kim Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, and their momager Kris Jenner visited St. Helena, CA’s Del Dotto Estate Winery & Caves in a recent episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. Khloe shared that it’s the one spot they love returning to when they’re in wine country, and you and your own mama can keep up by ordering a bottle from its website — there are at least eight bottles that cost less than $50.
4. Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam Cheese
Chrissy Teigen can be quoted as saying, “I just discovered cowgirl creamery mt tam triple cream brie and my life is over” — if you follow the mom/model/cookbook author/Twitter clapback queen, you know she keeps it real, so this rave review is one you can trust. Thankfully, the Petaluma, CA-based cheese manufacturer is currently offering next business day delivery in the North Bay and same day touchless pickup from its retail locations at the San Francisco Ferry Building and in Point Reyes. Its products are also sold in many local grocery stores (I got my current block at Mollie Stone’s).
Buy Cowgirl Creamery 8 oz. Mt. Tam Cheese ($14.95)
5. Luna Mexican Kitchen Take-out
Fancy Mother’s Day brunches at restaurants are out, but take-out is in! The Bay Area has always been a culinary destination, so check in with mom’s favorite dining spot to see if they’re doing delivery or curbside pickup these days. For example, the South Bay’s Luna Mexican Kitchen has its full menu available for pickup at both its San Jose and Campbell locations — mom of two Sheryl Crow once enjoyed a margarita at the SJ spot when she was in town on tour.
Order food from Luna Mexican Kitchen
6. Carlo’s Bakery Cake
Gigi Hadid has confirmed she’s expecting a baby (due in September) just in time to celebrate what will technically be her first Mother’s Day! If you have a pregnant mom-to-be in your life, model her gift after this model’s and satisfy some potential pregnancy cravings at the same time — Gigi‘s recent 25th birthday bash included a cake by Carlo’s Bakery. It’s based in Hoboken, NJ but treats can be shipped nationwide via Goldebelly. Most of its cakes cost a smidge more than $50, but cookies are well within that price range.
Buy baked goods from Carlo’s Bakery
7. See’s Candies
Coronavirus survivor and mom of two Rita Wilson has described eating See’s Candies “Every day. Just one.” as “Happiness.” No doubt, the South San Francisco, CA-based chocolatier made many frontline workers happy with donations during its closure and now, we all got the sweet news that it has resumed production and is fulfilling online orders. Rita appears to be a fan of the Bordeaux, which is currently sold out, but you can get a piece of it in the Silver Assorted box, which’ll cost you $13.25 plus shipping.
Buy See’s Candies Silver Assorted Box ($13.25)
8. Huckleberry Cafe’s Cookbook
Everybody’s baking: Bread. Banana Bread. Brownies. Early on during California’s shelter-in-place order, mom of three and #PretendCookingShow host Jennifer Garner declared the English muffins from Santa Monica, CA’s Huckleberry Cafe the “top of the comfort food list” at her house and proceeded to prepare a batch for her babies. The cookbook she used is available on Amazon in Kindle form, so it’ll for sure be ready to go for gifting by Sunday.
Buy Huckleberry: Stories, Secrets, and Recipes From Our Kitchen ($15.33 for the Kindle Edition)
9. Stasher Bag
Mom’s gotta be able to put all those quarantine baked goods somewhere, and there’s no better, nor more stylish, a spot than inside one of Stasher‘s eco-friendly, reusable, silicone storage bags. The Emeryville, CA-based business counts famous mamas Jessica Biel and Alicia Silverstone as fans. Bags of all shapes, sizes, and colorways can be ordered direct from Stasher (shipped free if you order $40+ worth of products). Or, to guarantee you’ll get this gift by mom’s big day, you can add a stash of these useful bags to your regular shopping orders at various local CVS, Target, and Whole Foods stores and use the pickup or delivery options. (Sidenote: I’ve got my own supply of Stashers that I find incredibly useful for my gadget cords and chargers when I travel. Can’t wait ’til we can do that again, amiright?!)
Buy Stasher bags ($7.99-$19.99/each)
10. Heath Ceramics Tall Tumbler
Honest Company founder and mom to Honor, Haven, and Hayes Jessica Alba has “been drinking lots of tea lately,” with “rose and vanilla almond” being her favorite flavor combination served up in a Heath Ceramics cup for quaran-tea time. The Sausalito, CA-based company, which has two additional locations in San Francisco, sells the same Tall Tumbler in the color Redwood for $37 — it’s sold out right now, so maybe buy mom a gift card she can use once its back in stock, or to pick out a different mug to elevate her shelter in place coffee breaks.
Buy Heath Ceramics Tall Tumbler in Redwood ($37)
11. City Lights Bookstore Gift Card
Mom of Katharine Mindy Kaling made it to San Francisco’s famed City Lights independent bookstore in a past visit to the Bay Area, and since reading is a great way to pass time while sheltering in place, this SF landmark is the perfect place to pick up mom’s next book club title (perhaps it’s one of these celebrity-approved reads). Many California retailers will be allowed to reopen on Friday for curbside pickup and social-distanced shopping under the Phase 2 guidelines of Governor Gavin Newsom‘s Report Card, though it’s not yet known if City Lights will be one of them, so it’s best to place your bet on buying a gift card from its virtual storefront.
Buy a City Lights gift card (Starting at $25)
12. White Mountain Puzzle
Two-time mom Sarah Michelle Gellar has been passing time in quarantine by slaying puzzles — collage jigsaw puzzles by White Mountain Puzzles, to be precise. They come in 300 to 1000+ piece counts, and a variety of fun, colorful themes, so there’s something for everyone of all ages and abilities to enjoy together. These puzzles are so popular, many are sold out, so be sure to check the current in-stock link to see what you can order for your mom right now.
Buy White Mountain Puzzles (Starting at $6)
13. Olive & June Manicure Kit
TV-mom Mandy Moore (aka, Rebecca Pearson on This Is Us) resorted to a “home mani” once all nail salons were shut down in March 2020 by shelter in place orders. She used celebrity favorite salon Olive & June‘s signature tool — The Poppy ($16) — and perhaps topped her nails off with the polish named after her, the MM ($8). The Poppy and several of the salon’s nail polishes are available at many Target stores, so add to cart and pick up in person to up your like-a-mom’s self-care game this Mother’s Day.
Buy Olive & June’s The Poppy ($16) and nail polish ($8)
14. Lele Sadoughi Headband
Riley, Ryan, and Canon’s mom Ayesha Curry got the memo: Lele Sadoughi headbands make messy mom-buns better. These hair toppers come in super handy when mom’s gotta get dressed (at least from the waist up) for that work meeting or happy hour on Zoom. Snag her one of these and you’ll certainly score MVP of your family’s quaranteam over your siblings.
Buy a Lele Sadoughi headband (starting at $34)
15. Socially-Distanced Dinner
After 25 days of separation, model mama Brooklyn Decker shared in early April 2020 that her “mom has been understandably very down” about not being able to see her grandkids since Brooklyn‘s “dad is a healthcare professional going from hospital to hospital.” To cope, she “invited them over for a socially distanced dinner” and described it as “perfect and beautiful and sad.” She went on, “these are weird times, but I’m grateful for family.” It’s a sentiment we all can share in some way. So whatever the cost of the meal you make, doing something like this just might be the most priceless gift you can give the mom in your life for Mother’s Day 2020.
