This holiday gift guide for working moms does not contain any affiliate links.
Finding the perfect holiday gift can be tough, especially for the working mom who doesn’t need another candle, kitchen towel, or tube of lavender hand lotion. What she needs are items that can make her everyday routine and workday simpler and overall more enjoyable. To help lift the stress and ideally bring more joy to your gifting experience, we’ve crafted a thoughtful holiday gift guide that will bring ease, delight, and add a touch of luxury into any working mom’s lifestyle (and dads!). The products mentioned in this post have been personally used, loved, and enjoyed by me or recommended by my tribe of working moms. These are real products used by everyday parents.
Morning Routines
A parent’s morning routine involves a lot of organization and planning. It’s one of the most stressful times of the day. Teeth brushed, beds made, breakfast consumed, bodies clothed, lunches packed, kids to school, commute to work. It’s a ton of activity happening in a very short period. These seven items will surely help a mom feel ready to conquer the day.
>> Charging station
When corralling kids out the door, the last thing any parent needs to be doing is looking for their phones, watches, and computers. And more times than not, they’re also frantically waiting for their devices to be charged. These simple charging stations help eliminate clutter (which keeps for a stress-free and sane household) by keeping all essential electronics organized and in a tidy fashion.
>> Coffee subscription
To make a parent’s early a.m. routine the best it can be, a subscription to Blue Bottle Coffee would be the pièce de résistance.
>> Coffeemaker
A great cup of coffee is a highly appreciated asset first thing in the morning. As much as every busy parent would love to have the time to wait it out for a handcrafted single drip cup, time is anything but their friend. Add in the reusable Keurig filter allowing for a personal choice of coffee; not to mention a wee -bit more eco-friendly.
>> Coffee mug
Many moms don’t have the luxury of leisurely sipping their morning coffee. They drink their coffee on the road or while multitasking through their morning routine. These spill-proof (for real!)options will keep her coffee piping hot all morning long, and then some.
>> Mascara
Some parts of beauty routine are worth a big splurge. This mascara is worth every penny. You’ll feel just as delighted giving the gift as the mom receiving.
>> Lip gloss
The key to looking polished and put-together are well-dressed and healthy lips. These two selections will brighten anyone’s smile.
>> Eye cream
Due to a combination of late nights and months (years!) of inconsistent sleep, all mommas need a jar of anti-aging goodness. These creams help to reduce dark circles, puffiness, and fine lines.
>> Dry shampoo
When moms are busy with their kids, work, and other daily to-dos, washing and styling their hair sometimes takes the back burner. A bottle of dry shampoo makes for a great hair day — every day.
Out The Door
Part of the morning madness is gearing up to leave the house AND look presentable. The kids might be dressed, fed, and ready to go, but let’s not forget about the parents.
>> Breakfast to go
The kids probably received a healthy and well-balanced meal, but what about mom. What’s she eating? Having a healthy option of grab and go breakfast smoothies and bowls in the fridge will start the day on a healthy note, and bring energy to any busy parent.
>> All purpose bag
No one wants to leave the house looking like a disheveled bag lady. There’s the computer bag, lunch bag, purse, gym bag, shoe bag, and sometimes a yoga mat. Every mom needs a bag that fits their entire life in it — without looking like they are carrying it around with them. These three super-stylish bags will hold it all, and then some.
>> Laptop case
If every mom is carrying around her life in one bag, chances are her laptop is crammed in with juice boxes, almonds, and who knows what else. Putting a computer in a sleeve will prevent it from coming into contact with the crushed up bits circulating at the bottom of the bag.
>> Keychain
Misplaced keys are a pain in the a#$ for anyone. Needless to say, when there’s a car full of kids, and the soccer game starts in three minutes, the pain only worsens.
>> Tech tip gloves
Busy parents stay organized with the help from their phones and watches. There will be no more missed call or frozen fingers with these cozy touchscreen gloves.
>> Electric car starter
Jumping into a warm and toasty car when it’s sub-zero temperature will put joy into any parent’s life. Their kids will thank you too. Remember, the crucial part to this gift is having it installed.
>> Outerwear
Seems simple, but a mom feels ready to tackle the world if she leaves the house looking polished and properly put together. These three options jackets will do just that.
>>Water bottle
It’s the little things in life that bring great joy, like a beautifully styled water bottle. For every Soma purchased, a donation goes to support clean water to people in need through their nonprofit partner, charity: water.
At the office
Balance is something parents are always striving to achieve. At times, it can feel elusive. Between managing a happy household, planning birthday parties, juggling drop-offs, pick-ups, while still spending numerous hours at the office to maintain and advance their careers, parents need to optimize their time diligently. It boils down to staying focused on prioritizing what needs to happen during time spent at the office.
>> Notebooks & planner
To-do lists, reminders, birthdays, meeting notes, grocery lists, notes to babysitters, goal tracking, brainstorming sessions — a mom is always busy writing things down. With these notebook selections, she will look ever so stylish while she’s feverishly jotting down all her stuff.
>> Lightning cable
A mom can never have a dead cell phone, watch, or computer. This beautiful cable will power up any mom’s life.
>> Headphones
Sitting in a noisy office filled with access to all sorts of distractions makes completing an eight-hour workday (when it really needs to be 10) seem impossible. Staying focused and blocking out all distractions will help minimize the temptation to take part in the office chatter.
>> Lunch container & bags
Busy parents have mastered the art of multitasking. For those days when errands need accomplishing, birthday invitations need emailing, and school supplies need purchasing, eating lunch on the go is the only option. These two container options are ideal for transporting and easy cleanup.
>> Meditation app
When there’s a craving for calm and a bit of ‘me time,’ a quick meditation can be a mom’s best friend. For the beginner or experienced, a meditation app can relieve anyone of the daily stresses and distractions.
>> Matcha starter set
Matcha tea is an easy and straightforward way to add significant health benefits. There’s a mega dose of antioxidants in every sip. Making a matcha tea or latte can be a productive distraction when you need that 3:00 pm pick me up.
In for the night
Home is where the heart is and where the most memorable moments happen. To create a work-life balance that’s achievable, families need to lighten the load at home. Outsourcing and allowing new technologies and on-demand services will allow for more quality time with the kiddos.
>> Home assistant
While Alexa and Google will not clean the toilets or wash windows, it does make for an excellent sidekick. Set the alarm, get a reminder, ask for a dictionary definition, get flight information, listen to your favorite music, create a shopping list, stay current on traffic updates, get a weather update, and the list goes on…..all with just a simple voice command.
>> Ring video doorbell
The Ring Doorbell will let you see who’s at your door, even when no one is at home. Adding an extra layer of security gives parents peace of mind. Remember, the crucial part to this gift is having it installed.
>> Oil diffuser
Essential oils can interact with the brain and the nervous system to impact mood and health. For the moms that have jumped on the essential oils (guilty!), this beautifully designed diffuser has excellent safety and run-time features.
>> Grocery & meal delivery service
After working an eight+ hour day, no parent wants to come home and prepare a home-cooked meal (not to mention going to the grocery store and meal planning). However, chances are they do want to spend quality time with their family around the dinner table sharing the happenings of their day. A gift certificate to any one of these services would lighten the load for any working parent.
>> Personal meal planning
For those parents who don’t mind to cook, but get frazzled about coming up with new and delicious dinners week-over-week, a meal planning service can give you a creative boost with simple step by step instructions and easy to navigate grocery lists.
>> A cleaning crew
Parents have tiny humans following them around, making sure to undo everything they have cleaned, organized, and tidied. It’s exhausting! So, whether it’s a weekly, or monthly top to bottom clean, there will be peace and satisfaction that comes with being in a clean house.
>> Professional organizer
We all have that space in our house that no one wants to mention – the garage, the attic, the linen closet, the pantry. It’s these unmentionable spaces that make moms feel overwhelmed. Getting (and staying) organized is the key to keeping busy families happy, healthy, and productive.
A little R&R
Parenting is hard work — moms and dads are always “on.” It’s a 24/7 job. Most of the time parents are so caught up in meeting their family’s needs that they often neglect their own. From binge-watching popular television series to getting a little pampering and indulgence, any one of these options would make a momma swoon. Even the smallest amount of self-care goes a long way.
>> Television subscriptions
Because sometimes a little mind candy is just what it takes to unwind and decompress. Who cares if there is laundry piling up, the house is a mess, and there’s a quarterly report due at work the next day. Sometimes a few hours of Gilmore Girls, Shameless, or Handmaid’s Tale is calling.
>> Bubbly
A glass of bubbly is uplifting with a touch of elegance. The best way for moms to care for their mind and spirit is by drinking a glass (or 2) of beautifully crafted bubbly while in their comfy PJs, slippers, binge-watching a favorite show.
>> Sip in style
The days of sipping wine from the expensive crystal are long gone. Parents are enjoying their beverages while scrubbing floors, giving baths, and reading bedtime stories. These stylish travelers will keep your beverage at the right temperature all night long.
>> POPSUGAR Must Have
A dazzling array of beauty, home decor, fashion, and lifestyle products from incredible brands delivered once a month.
>> Face massage
This gift might seem like a weird one; however this little tool boast loads of stress relieving benefits. Plus, it’s excellent for improving the elasticity of the skin and reducing wrinkles. What mom doesn’t want to stay looking young and fresh.
>> Chatbook gift card
A perk of today’s technology is the ability to grab a phone, or watch, or tablet and quickly snap dozens of photos. This accumulates into THOUSANDS of photos that probably will never get printed. And who knows where they will (or won’t) end up. Chatbooks takes away the photo printing and organizing stress. They print out all the selected photos throughout the year and put them into cute little books — all at a very affordable price.
>> Turkish bath towels
She might not be staying at a five-star hotel, but that does not mean she cannot reap the benefits from luxurious bath towels. Every mom deserves to have her skin pampered.
>> Leggings
Yes, leggings are a mom’s favorite piece of clothing. One can never have too many black leggings in the dresser. To note, a high-quality legging can be worn as pants.
>> Apple Watch
An Apple Watch is the ultimate splurge, but it’s worth every penny. It’s not only the best for tracking fitness, but it also ensures you’ll never miss a call, text, meeting, or reminder. Plus, it’s water resistant! Overall it’s a beautiful statement piece that will unexpectedly make any hectic life less complicated and overall more fun.
>> Slippers
If you’re pampering a busy mom with PJs, chocolates, and bubbly, she’ll also need a fabulous pair of comfy slippers to complete the package. She needs the total comfort package.
>> Comfy wear & pajamas
After running around day, a mom deserves to be comfy, relaxed and stylish. Tell her it’s time to throw away the yoga pants from 2002 and upgrade to a sophisticated lounging attire.
>> Cashmere sweater
Every mom should have a cashmere sweater (or 2 or 3 or 4!) in their wardrobe. Great with jeans, leggings, or with skirts and over dresses. Clearly a stylish staple.
>> Tasty treats
These fun and fancy indulgences are perfect for the mom with the sweet tooth. She’ll want to secretly eat these in the bathroom, so she doesn’t have to share her tasty delights.
A few honorable mention gifts that have a powerful mom-sanity impact.
- An appointment to get a mani & pedi
- A gift certificate for a massage or facial
- Starbucks gift card
- A clean car that has been meticulously detailed
- A regular night out with friends
- A gift certificate to care.com or urbansitter.com for date nights
- A gift card to Target
Is there anything missing from our holiday gift guide? Share your list with us on Facebook.
