Unique Mother’s Day Gift Options for Less Than $100
Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 9, and Mom deserves a gift for the ages — but you know she’ll be disappointed if you spend too much. Don’t worry. There’s a middle ground. GOBankingRates combed the online shopping verse for Mother’s Day gifts that break the mold, but that aren’t gimmicky or kooky just for the sake of being different.
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Some are modern incarnations of old traditions, others are brand new creations that weren’t even on the market until recently. They all come with sub-$100 price tags and they all have style — even the ones that are inexpensive aren’t cheap. In several cases, the price listed is the entry-level of the gift’s concept and you can upgrade, if you choose, to something bigger, more highly customized or made from different materials. Most importantly, they’re all meaningful expressions of love and gratitude — and it just so happens that most of them are either on sale or available with some form of discount. Happy shopping!
Last updated: May 3, 2021
Custom Music Box: $37.79
Mothers have been handing music boxes down to their children for generations, so why not go the other way this Mother’s Day and get a music box for your mom, instead? But not just any music box. Etsy has a whole bunch of options, and plenty of them are well-made and well-reviewed. This one, however, is 30% off from its $53 regular price. It’s available in five colors and can be custom engraved with your choice of messages and even photos.
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Hand-Written Letter Blanket: $32.78
Although it’s a bestseller from one of Etsy’s highest-rated merchants, this personalized blanket is so unique that it’s all but certain that your mom will be shocked to see what’s beneath the wrapping paper. Designed to mimic a letter written by hand on schoolhouse looseleaf, your actual writing becomes the blanket’s design — you can draw or doodle whatever you like, too. You can pay more depending on the size you want — the smallest size is currently 20% off its $40 standard price and shipping is free.
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Madagascar Dragon Tree: $17.99
Traditional Mother’s Day flowers are pretty and they smell nice — for a few days. A houseplant, on the other hand, arrives alive and stays that way for years to come. That’s especially true with a plant like the super-easy Madagascar dragon tree, a great indoor plant that can thrive almost anywhere, even in low light. One of the coolest-looking houseplants you’ll find, they grow in tall, skinny stalks like palm trees with spiky clusters of leaves on top. Unlike roses, this gift keeps on giving — they can grow up to 8 feet in 10 years under the right conditions. It’s an affordable plant, too. This one from Hirt’s Gardens is currently on sale from its original asking price of $20.
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Forever Rose: $56.99
Maybe a Madagascar dragon tree is a little too off the beaten path and both you and your mom prefer old-fashioned roses. A classic forever rose stays on that theme, but it jazzes things up and extends the flower’s life from a few days too, well, forever. Just make sure the one you buy began as a real fresh-cut rose before it was sealed with resin and trimmed with gold plating. The cheap ones are made from plastic roses and you can see the difference right away. This one from Amazon is 19% off its original $69.99 price and it comes with a stand made of K9 quality crystal.
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Russian Ring Necklace: $99.95
If your mom is a sucker for jewelry that has a meaning, you can squeak in just under the $100 wire with this sterling silver Russian ring necklace. You can go up to as many as five rings and/or upgrade to gold, rose gold or premium silver for an extra charge. You get to choose the name to be inscribed on each ring, so it’s a perfect gift for anyone looking to go halves with a sibling — one ring of each brother or sister and one for Mom. The design is inspired by the traditional interlocking three-circle Russian wedding ring.
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Vintage Leather-Bound Journal: $23.25
For moms who keep a diary, a journal or a datebook, you’re not going to do much better in the gift department than this custom laser-inscribed journal. It’s got three color options, all of which have a vintage look and feel, and there are different sizes that cost a little more the bigger they get. You choose the inscription to be laser engraved. The finished product looks like it was branded on. It’s made entirely by hand from 100% leather that looks, smells and feels authentic. Right now it’s 25% off from its original $31 asking price.
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Long-Distance Love Reminder: $22.50
If you live in one state and Mom lives in another with more distance in between than either of you would prefer, let her know you’re never far away with this rustic reminder. It’s crafted from 100% jute burlap but backed with lamination to make it last. You pick both of your cities, states and the relationship (mother/daughter, mother/son, etc). It’s on sale right now, down 10% from $25.
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Laser-Engraved Crystal Photo: $84.55
The magic of 3D printing is on display with this photo suspended in crystal. The 1.1-pound block of optically clear K9 crystal is free from impurities, which makes it the perfect substrate for photo-quality engraving. Just upload your picture and ArtPix will get to work bringing it to three-dimensional life inside of a perfectly clear rectangle, where the image will endure for a lifetime. The company performs free background removal so the photo’s subjects really pop. The end result puts the traditional picture in a frame to shame. Looking to supersize? You can scale all the way up to creations approaching 30 pounds and $700.
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A Woman-Power Coin: $79
The U.S. Mint recently announced that poet Maya Angelou and astronaut Sally Ride will debut in 2022 as the first two honorees in the American Women Quarters Program. If your mother is a history buff, a collector or simply likes bright, shiny things, an uncirculated collectible coin is as good as it gets — and what better way to stay on theme than with a coin dedicated to a woman worth honoring? You don’t have to wait until next year. The Mint has collectors coins of first ladies and other women in history, including a pure silver dollar dedicated to another famous female astronaut, Christa McAuliffe.
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Chocolate and Wine: $89.99
On Mother’s Day, it’s hard to go wrong with chocolate. Add a bottle of wine and with most moms, you’re golden. Harry and David offers a sweet package called the Chocolate Treasure Box With Wine. It’s packed with several styles of gourmet chocolate plus a bottle of red. You can easily upgrade to more wine, more chocolate or both, and there are all kinds of similar baskets with different themes, sizes and offerings — every single one of which are perfect for Mother’s Day.
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