Mother's Day gift ideas in Australia

Buy for May

Mother's Day in Australia is the second Sunday in May, when the weather is turning. A wool throw, sheepskin scuffs and a good candle all get used straight away. Gardeners are pruning and tidying for winter, which is when the Felco secateurs and the knee pad earn their keep.

If your mum lives in the UK, note that Mothering Sunday there falls in March, so you are working to a different date.

Personal beats expensive

Time together is the gift most mums remember. The chocolate workshop is a four-hour class you can book for two. A picnic on the Isla rug with lunch you packed costs less and lands just as well.

If you want to spend, spend on something she touches every day. The throw and the scuffs both get worn and used all winter by the right person.

If you are a partner buying for young children, let them do part of it. A child can choose the candle scent, pick the puzzle or write the card. Adult children can club together for the chocolate class or the planter and give her one good thing rather than three small ones.

Mistakes and what to spend

Scent is the biggest risk. Hand creams and candles come in fixed scents, so check what she already uses or pick the matcha set or the puzzle. Slipper sizing is the second risk: the Yellow Earth scuffs run large, so order a size down.

Under $35 covers the puzzle and the knee pad. Between $35 and $100 is the throw, the scuffs, the hand creams, the candle, the matcha set, the secateurs and the coffee subscription. Above that, the planter, the picnic rug and the chocolate class are the bigger gifts.

Order a week or more before the day for anything sent by post. If you are late, the Dinosaur Designs card is emailed.

Questions people ask

When is Mother's Day?

In the US, Canada and Australia, Mother's Day is the second Sunday in May. In the UK and Ireland it is Mothering Sunday, which is tied to Easter and falls in spring, usually in March. If you are sending a gift overseas, work to the date where your mother lives and allow extra time for international shipping.

What do you get a mom who says she does not want anything?

Something personal or something she uses up. A photo book of the family, a framed set of grandkid photos or a cooking class with her kids gives time and memories rather than clutter. Consumables also work: good loose-leaf tea, a candle or soap in a scent she already likes. Avoid gadgets she will need to learn.

What is a good Mother's Day gift under $50?

The Hawkins New York amber vase with a bunch of flowers, the Rare Tea Company afternoon tea set, the Koh Living hand cream trio, a Persephone novel or the Springbok bird puzzle all come in under $50. Pair a small gift with a handwritten card. Most moms keep the card longer than the gift.

What can I send for Mother's Day at the last minute?

Email a gift card. Brightland's digital card arrives on the date you pick, for a mom who cooks. The Dinosaur Designs virtual card works for Australian mums. A Heywood Hill subscription can also be bought late, since the books arrive over the year. Add a printed note with a plan to visit or call.