The best Christmas gifts in the UK for mums, grannies, aunties and friends

Fancy stationery, cashmere knits and truly beautiful ceramics … we’ve handpicked 61 thoughtful gifts to spoil the mother figure in your life for Christmas 2026

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A lot of stuff gets marketed as perfect for mums. But be careful, she really doesn’t want a kegel exerciser in her stocking, nor anything that makes washing up easier, unless you just do it instead of her. Also, beware of joke presents – they end up in the bin.

The perfect present for a mother figure of any age – be that a cherished aunt or beloved granny – is, I think, something either personal (which is where personalisation options can be useful) or an elevated version of something you know she likes that she may not treat herself to. Both take a little time and research, which I’ve done for you here.

Whatever your budget, go for quality over quantity. Size does not matter here, so don’t worry if it looks small, as long as it’s chosen with love. If you can rope in others to pool resources – siblings or cousins, perhaps – it can be worth clubbing together to buy one special thing. Whatever you wrap up, the most important bit will always be a handwritten note telling her just why you value her; that will mean more than anything on this list.

If you’ve been forwarded this by someone – as I heard a lot from my Christmas gift guide for mums last year – take note. They like where this is heading …

The cool mums have moved on from spicy margs and now are all about at-home martinis. I asked the barman at the Dover in Mayfair, London, what glasses were used for its signature martinis, and it’s these Luigi Bormioli ones (they use the Optica fluted style).

This is on the expensive side but, as with everything from Toast, I find the quality is exceptional, and you know it will last a lifetime (if it does need repairs, Toast has a free mending service). The brushed cotton feels incredibly soft, and the cheery pop of orange makes dark mornings a little brighter.

My glug glug jug is a real party piece – named because it actually makes that sound when you pour it. I’ve had my Villa Bologna Pottery one, handmade in Malta, for years, and it looks lovely on the shelf or table.

For a down-to-earth, nature-lover, the environmentally conscious Cornish-made candle and perfume brand St Eval is a great port of call. My favourite fragrance is the bay and rosemary, and I love that it comes in a little tin, which you can of course reuse.

I’ve worn the Small Home slippers for 10 years: they hug your feet like two tiny blankets. I take them when I go away for the weekend, and even when popping to someone’s house for coffee. I had to replace the pair I wore to hospital when my daughter was born, but I can’t blame the brand for that; my new pair are still going strong five years later. The sizing options make them easy to gift, with small (EU 36-37), medium (38-39) and large (40-41).

A striking incense holder becomes a sculptural presence on a shelf. This one by Monoware in collaboration with London-based designer Byron Friesem is hand-carved from solid aluminium and looks like a piece of jewellery. I love the ritual of lighting the stick and watching it burn down.

A well-crafted mug is a thing of pure beauty: I have a hodgepodge collection in my cup drawer and love each one. This piece by Bristol-based ceramicist Nicholas Dover is finished in a soft grey glaze, big enough for a proper cup of tea, and is shaped to fit snugly into a cupped hand.

If she loves premium candles, like Diptyque, surprise her with a brand she won’t already have. Nette’s Sunday Chess is a really musky, incense-y number that I think smells phenomenal (I don’t love anything too floral), and the simple jar will ultimately make a great pen pot. There are big (£70, linked above) and little (£30) versions to choose from according to budget.

I love the ethos behind the nightwear brand Siân Esther (I own several pairs of its lovely PJs); it’s a female-run, B Corp-certified brand using responsibly sourced cotton and ethical factories in Portugal. It also gives back through profits (and donated pyjamas) to the Luminary Bakery, which trains women from disadvantaged backgrounds to bake. The sizing of this mask is very generous, totally covering your eyes, and not too tight on the head.

My husband and I have monogrammed alphabet brush pots with our initials on, and have at times used them on our desk or just on the kitchen shelf to add a pop of colour. They’re fun, personal and useful.

Letterbox flowers were a great invention, but I find they often arrive looking tired and don’t last that long. Instead, I’ve been building up a collection of Ett Hem London’s realistic faux flowers. I love this (50cm) sprig of white foxgloves for the winter months, and they come in an elegant box that makes them feel special.

For more, read our guide to the best flower deliveries in the UK

I came across the brand Mora Interiors, which has fun options such as frames for a strip of photo booth pictures, or a mount that slightly off-centres the photo, meaning they look more statement than bog-standard (you can also create bespoke frames). I like the colour selection too: I’ve paired a pink mount and a burgundy frame on the wall (next to a frame and mount in the reverse colours) and love the combination.

Pelegrims makes luxurious soap using waste products from the wine-making process from a family-run winery in Kent. This soap has English Ortega grape extract, which helps repair and hydrate the skin, but also smells delicious – rose and tomato-y. You can buy refill pouches so the glass bottle doesn’t go to waste.

This is the most intriguing little gift: a lovely jar to store trinkets in with a ceramic lid that you drop fragrance on to. I’ve found one drop lasts a couple of weeks: every time I walk into my living room, I’m met by the most delicious scent, created by Reia and designed with Sister by Studio Ashby. Each talisman, which comes with a 30ml scent refill, is made to order and arrives hand-drenched, so when she unwraps it, she’ll smell it immediately. It’s expensive, I know, for something that perhaps on first glance looks just like a box, but honestly gorgeous.

I have longstanding photo guilt that nine years of my children’s lives are stuck as memories on my phone. I’ve started to tackle the problem, creating a book a year with Popsa, but what a gift it would be if someone else were to do that for me. The app is easy to use; it can lay the photos and book all out for you using AI, though I prefer to arrange as I want – which takes longer. Hardback looks nicest, and more permanent, but even a softback is a joy to receive and flick through.

Photobooks are from £22, but use the code GUARDIAN50 for 50% off until 1 Feb

On a mission to write more letters, I recently bought a Kaweco fountain pen from Choosing Keeping, a wonderful stationery shop where you can get lost for hours (though I have since found it cheaper online). It’s a lovely thing to hold and use – and has definitely encouraged me to write more. I recommend a cheery red.

This personalised leather notebook from the British brand Priestleys is up there with my ultimate Christmas gifts; it’s thick and substantial-feeling, hand‑cut and hand‑finished in its studio. You can choose initials (up to three is free) or a name, date or short phrase to emboss on the outside for £5. You can also select charms from £2.99. The presentation box makes it feel even more deluxe. I’ll be buying this for everyone.

How to Make a Woman by Marie Darrieussecq

A little blue Fitzcarraldo book poking out of a bag is always a good sign. How to Make a Woman tells the story of two friends, Rose and Solange, growing up in the Basque region of France in the 1980s, from teenage years into adulthood. It’s a brilliant portrait of the complexities of female friendship, and feels akin to Elena Ferrante’s writing.

Stationery addicts and neat freaks will get excited for this: an A5 cotton canvas pouch designed to store notebooks in (but works just as well for travel documents). As someone who has a pouch for everything (purse, keys and iPhone cable, for instance, in my daily handbag; a bigger one for gym kit), I love this. The brand, Mark + Fold, is a serious IYKYK: founded by Amy Cooper-Wright because she couldn’t find the perfect diary for herself. I already buy a diary and wall planner from it every year, but am adding the pouch to my wishlist.

Wildness, Myth, Mystery and Mischief by Anna McCracken

For a mystical mother, this is a “witchy field guide” to the hidden world of birdsong, moon cycles and stargazing that gently suggests ways to reconnect with nature, even if you live in the middle of a city.

A wool necktie is one of the most useful pieces for a winter wardrobe: it can transform an outfit in seconds. I have several Kiltane cashmere versions – a cheery red, a brown and this burgundy – and they are so soft I find I can wear them all day. You could add in the matching fingerless gloves (£35) to make a complete package.

If she’s a fan of Claudia Winkleman’s style on The Traitors (and who isn’t), then these luxurious, knitted wrist warmers are a nod to the trend. All the wool from Herd pieces is traceable to Bluefaced Leicester sheep from the north-west of England, made into yarn within 150 miles of the farms and knitted in England. These wrist warmers are one size, soft and durable (I’ve had a pair for two years).

While I couldn’t pull off last year’s knitted bonnet trend, this hooded scarf is a more wearable and flattering take. It’s not wool, but it is soft and chunky. Navy is the most flattering colour to pick.

I’ve got several pairs of chunky, knitted socks from Rock and Ruby. They are lovely and sturdy, in a range of joyful colours (I’m particularly into the red), and will be a welcome upgrade to your mum’s sock drawer.

This is a splurge (unless there are siblings to divvy it up between), but it will be a lifelong gift. I had & Daughter’s Ada cardigan in my mental basket for two years until I bought it in cherry red in January, and I don’t regret it for a second. The Ada cardigan is a lovely crew neck style, but with a roomier fit than most and works with everything in my wardrobe.

A big blousy scrunchie looks just as good on the wrist as in the hair; this by the cult nightie brand If Only If is made from cotton voile to match its oak floral print, but is perfectly acceptable as a gift in its own right.

The speedily assembled “mum bun” is often an essential hairstyle, and a pretty claw clip makes it look more intentional. This collaboration between Shrimps and Tort brings together the creativity of its two female founders. The brown claw is my favourite for a subtle, go-with-anything piece, and the matching slides catch stray hairs, which make me look more polished on the school run than I often feel.

This is a premium update for something a glasses-wearer uses every day. I have a Stow London bag, and love the quality of the leather (I’ve really thrown it around in a thorough test). This case is handmade in its Spanish workshop and can be personalised with up to three initials, which makes it feel like a special gift. Carol Lovell helped to start Stow London with a Kickstarter campaign in her 40s. I always love a midlife reinvention story.

If the mother in your life loves travelling, this is an excellent overnight bag: sturdy and chic in its own right, with enough space for all her packing needs for a weekend. Plus, it has the most ingenious strap on the back, which allows you to hook it on to a wheeled suitcase (any size, any brand). It’s one of those gifts whose true value may not be fully realised upon unwrapping, but I honestly couldn’t travel without it.

For those who feel the cold, this shearling hot-water bottle cover is total luxury. Handmade from soft New Zealand wool, it’s cosy, and the quality is excellent. I have one attached to my lap from November to February.

With its notes of cardamom, cinnamon, cedarwood and sandalwood, M&S’s Apothecary Warmth is an impressive dupe for the far pricier Le Labo Santal 33 fragrance, which I love.

Lots of the eye masks you see influencers wearing on Instagram are budget-busting, but these by the new beauty brand Rocco are more affordable, and instantly perked up my eyes. Founder Laura Jackson says they have special non-slip formulations, so I did what I tell my children not to do and hung upside down off the sofa with them on – I can confirm, no slippage.

A hand cream at Christmas is always a welcome gift; whose hands aren’t dry and cracked? There are lots of hand creams to choose from, but this from Emma Lewisham is particularly lovely. I’m already a fan of her skincare, and this promises to treat hands and nails, plus it smells of tomato leaves and geranium, which are two of my favourites. It sinks in immediately, leaving no greasiness but just a light scent.

I didn’t know I needed pudding for my hair, but this tub has transformed my locks. You use the tiniest amount to smooth flyaways (which get worse as you develop greys, I’ve discovered), while a bigger blob works as a mask, leaving your hair smooth and shiny for days. Plus, the tub is an extremely pleasing shape and colour.

These restorative bath salts are a serious treat, with magnesium and lavender among other relaxing botanicals; I’ve found the ritual of pouring them into a hot bath deeply soothing. A big tin lasts a long time, can be refilled, and looks chic on the side of the tub.

Few of us can splash out on Victoria Beckham’s clothes, but her beauty line is a more affordable treat. The Vast Lash mascara is particularly good – it glides on smoothly, lifts your lashes naturally, and feels like a luxe present.

If she struggles with sleep, I can recommend Dreem Distillery’s CBD drops, which make you feel kind of spacey and relaxed. But a more budget-friendly gift is the magnesium butter. It’s a lovely nightly ritual (which I’ve also used on my kids), and smells divine.

This ring brings a bit of statement, but can be worn every day and looks a lot more expensive than it is. I’ve got several pieces from reasonably priced L’Atelier 73, including three of its Talisman Amours – little bracelets handmade in Jaipur – which I bought for me and my daughters to wear.

Laura Vann is a wonderful jewellery designer based in Birmingham whose collections are art-deco inspired – her newest is an ode to her city – and look elevated and polished. While her fine jewellery pieces are an investment, she has a lovely line of more purse-friendly gifts, such as these sculptural mixed-metal earrings which were, touchingly, inspired by the ridged lids of vintage perfume bottles on her mother’s dressing table.

A simple gold chain bracelet suits everyone, and can be personalised with initials engraved into the pendant. I’ve got this in a necklace version, with the initials of my first daughter on the first disc, with another disc added for my second child. I absolutely love them – and still wear them 10 years on – but am now eyeing up this 18k gold vermeil bracelet.

I love the sister-founded British jewellery brand Otiumberg and have built up a collection over the years. One of my favourite pieces is this simple cord bracelet with my daughters’ initials on it, which I stack with other jewels or just wear alone.

An ear cuff makes you feel cool, at any age. Scrape your hair back on a bad-hair day, slip one on and suddenly feel put together. This mixed-metal one from Astley Clarke looks more expensive than it is (gift nirvana), and is comfortable enough that you forget you’re wearing it.

I previously bought these birthstone earrings for a November birthday, and they went down exceptionally well. There’s something special about personalising your gift, and birthstones are a great alternative to letters on a chain or inscribing something on a pendant. These are subtle, made from 18k gold, and could be worn every day – reminding her of you.

This is so charming, and perfect for a mother or grandmother of small children: a 14k gold vermeil signet ring with a little person’s fingerprint on. For dog mothers, there’s the option of a snout print, too. Get a wiggle on if you want it by Christmas, as it takes 6-8 weeks to make. Otherwise, there are lots of other charming and reasonably priced jewellery options by the brand.

Tilly Sveaas’s T-bar designs – inspired by her great-great-uncle’s pocket watch chain – have garnered a celeb fanbase (Taylor Swift, Kylie Jenner, Elle Macpherson among them), but because of their historic reference, they don’t look like a trend piece. This lighter version of her chunkier styles is a great size for someone who doesn’t want it to be a big, blingy statement; it’s more budget-friendly than others in the collection, too.

I start dreaming about my morning coffee the night before, and I love trying new blends. Spring Valley Coffee is among Africa’s few B Corp-certified coffee producers and also one of the few coffee brands in the world to keep everything from cultivation and farm management to cherry collection, processing, roasting and packaging all in Kenya, which equals traceability … and money going to those on the ground. Plus, it’s delicious. I particularly love Masara because it tastes almost chocolatey.

A friend bought me these cocktail picks for my birthday, and they not only look like little gems individually but are also sweet to have out when you have guests over. I’ve used them a lot.

This 350ml hot drinks flask is ideal for commuting, is made from recycled plastic and steel and funds the collection of “ocean‑bound” plastic. It’s also great for holidays or just taking a cuppa out into the garden. There are 13 colours to choose from, along with three exclusive Liberty prints, and you can add engraving (from £6). I’ve got several Ocean Bottle bottles and cups at home, and they really feel made to last.

Ottolenghi x Citizens of Soil extra virgin olive oil, 500ml

Olive oil is having its wine moment, and a fine bottle of it is a treaty gift. Citizens of Soil, founded by olive oil sommelier Sarah Vachon, sources traceable oils directly from regenerative farmers across Europe. In an olive oil she developed with Yotam Ottolenghi, the flavours are ones he remembered from childhood summers spent in Tuscany and Umbria. Utterly delicious.

Sapling’s “climate positive” vodka is made in the UK using organic winter wheat that’s grown slowly through the seasons, and the brand plants a tree for every bottle sold. It tastes good, with a silky smooth finish ideal for martini lovers.

There’s now a wide range of alcohol-free drinks available but, to my tastes, many are too sweet. Mother Root’s ginger switchel gives you a spicy kick, is deliciously bitter and looks handsome on the shelf. If you want to give extra, wrap it up with a small bottle of soda water, an orange and a sprig of rosemary so that it’s ready to serve.

Anna Jones online vegetarian cookery course

To me, Anna Jones is a total kitchen legend, and while your mum may already have her recipe books, this online video course might be a welcome gift for vegetarians and those wanting to expand their repertoire. I’ve taken this – and other Create Academy courses – before and it’s excellent.

This is a gorgeous book filled with more than just recipes, but oh boy, will you want to cook them all. Risbridger cleverly divvies up ideas into categories for when you might need them – a night on the sofa, for instance, you might fancy sticky-crispy Korean tofu, pistachio chilli, pumpkin and raisin roasted rice, while if you’ve got a big group of hungry friends coming around, it could be sheet-pan leek latkes, pig cheek and queen bean burritos, paired with smoky rosemary palomas. I enjoyed reading and bookmarking, then making her creations.