Mother's Day gift ideas in Canada

Personal beats expensive

Most moms would rather have a book of the grandkids than a costly gadget. The Mixbook photo book and the Aura frame both put family photos in front of her. The book is a one-off keepsake. The frame keeps updating as the family sends pictures, with no subscription. Choose the book for a mom who likes paper and the frame for one who wants new photos every week.

Time is the other personal gift. The Chef Upstairs class in Toronto gives a mom an afternoon cooking with her kid, and a partner or grandparent can buy it on the children's behalf.

If you are a partner buying for young children, let them do part of it. A child can pick the photos for the book, choose the slippers' colour or write the card, and that is the part she keeps.

Mistakes to avoid

Scent is the biggest risk. Hand creams, soaps and diffuser oils come in fixed scents. Check what she already uses, or pick the tea set or a puzzle instead.

Slipper sizing is the second. Some Manitobah sizes sell out, so check her shoe size and order early.

The third is leaving a photo book to the last week. Designing a good one takes hours, and printing and shipping take time after that. Start at least three weeks before the second Sunday in May.

What to spend

Under $50 covers the cutting board, the puzzle, the hand cream, the photo book and the pruner. Between $50 and $150 is the slippers, the tea set, the bath set, the studs and the diffuser. Above that, the Aura frame and the Revolution Wool throw are the strong choices.

Adult children can split the cost of the frame or the throw and give her something better than three small gifts. Picks priced in US dollars, like Storyworth and the cookbook, will show a currency conversion on your card.

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.