Mother's Day Gifts for Grandma, the Mom Who Started It All
By the Giftruly editorsUpdated 17 hand-picked ideas
Mother's Day gets a little crowded once there are grandchildren. The spotlight tends to swing toward the younger moms with small kids, and grandma, who raised the family that's now raising a family, can end up with a card and a phone call. She'd never complain. But she notices when someone remembers that this is her day too.
This guide is for the grandchildren, and the grown children, who want to get it right. It opens with flowers that last longer than a week, moves on to keepsakes that tie three generations together, pauses for a word on who should be buying what, and finishes with gifts for gardening grandmas and for those who'd love a quiet morning in.
Shopping for more than one mom this May? Our general Mother's Day gifts guide and Mother's Day gifts for mother-in-law may help, and our main gifts for grandma guide covers the rest of the year.
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Tell Truly about them in a sentence. You'll get ideas picked for them, each with a reason why.
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Three easy wins
Flowers that outlast the weekend
Flowers are the default Mother's Day gift, and for a grandma they're still a good one. The trick is choosing blooms that don't end up in the compost by Thursday.
A living plant she can keep, or later set out in the garden, turns a one-day gesture into something she'll see every summer.
- Our favorite1
Potted Hydrangea Plant
~$45
Big, generous flower heads that look wonderful on a dining table for weeks, then can go into the garden once the blooms fade. With a little luck, it flowers again each summer and reminds her of the grandkids every time. Ask her children where it might go before you buy, and choose a variety suited to her climate.
- 2
Live Potted Rose Bush
~$40
For the grandma who has always grown roses, or always meant to. Plant it with her on Mother's Day weekend and it becomes a family landmark: the rose the grandkids gave her. Pick a hardy, disease-resistant variety; a fussy rose is more work than gift for someone with a sore back.
- 3
Everlasting Dried Flower Bouquet
~$35
A bouquet that keeps its shape and color for months without water. It's the right call for a grandma in assisted living, where fresh flowers can be tricky to keep, or for one who has said for years that cut flowers are a waste of money. It also ships well if you're far away.
- 4
Spring Bulb Garden Pot Kit
~$22
A pot, soil and bulbs to plant together, ideal for young grandchildren who want to give her something they made. It's cheap, it's hands-on, and she gets to watch it come up over the following weeks. Have the kids paint their names on the pot before planting.
Three generations in one gift
On Mother's Day, grandma is both a mother and a grandmother, and the gifts that honor that tend to land best. Each of these brings her children and her grandchildren into the same object.
- 5
Mom's Family Tree Name Necklace
~$55
A small engraved disc for each of her children and grandchildren, all on one chain. It's the kind of piece a grandma wears to church, to lunch and to every family photo for years. Count carefully and include every grandchild, step-grandchildren too; leaving one out is the only way to get this wrong.
- 6
Custom Family Portrait Illustration
~$60
An artist turns photos of each family into one framed drawing of everyone together, which is handy when the clan is spread across three states and never in the same room. It suits grandmas who already have a wall of family photos. Order a month ahead to allow for drafts and framing.
- 7
Personalized Garden Stepping Stone
~$40
A weatherproof stone engraved with "Grandma's Garden" or with the grandkids' names, set by the back door or among her flowerbeds. She'll walk past it every day. It's a better choice than jewelry for an outdoorsy grandma who doesn't wear much, and it can follow her to a new home if she downsizes.
- 8
Blank Family Recipe Book Binder Kit
~$30
A binder for her famous recipes, ready for her to fill in or for a grandchild to fill in while she talks them through. Give it with a promise: you'll come over once a month to cook one recipe together and write it down. It works best for grandmas who are known for one dish everybody wants.
Who should be doing the shopping?
Mother's Day for grandma usually involves three generations, and it helps to agree in advance who's doing what. Her own children, the grandkids' parents, normally lead: they plan the brunch or the visit, and they buy the main gift. Grandchildren can add something small and personal of their own, like a card, a drawing, a plant they potted or a letter. Adult grandchildren with their own homes and budgets can go bigger, but check with your parents first so grandma doesn't get three necklaces.
Remember the in-between moms, too. If your mom is now a grandma herself, she's caught between celebrating her own mother and being celebrated. Splitting the day, with brunch at great-grandma's and dinner at grandma's, keeps everyone happy. And if grandma lost her own mother recently, or a long time ago, Mother's Day can stir up feelings. A quiet visit, a few old photos and some time to talk may be the gift she values most.
For the grandma with soil under her nails
Mother's Day falls right when planting season gets going in most of the country, so a gardening grandma is already outside. Give her something for this year's beds.
- 9~$45
Kneeling Garden Bench and Seat
A padded kneeler with handles for getting back up, which flips over into a low seat. Kinder to knees than kneeling on the lawn, and very practical.
Gardenerspractical - 10~$20
Seed-Saving Envelopes and Garden Journal
For the grandma who saves seeds from her best tomatoes. A place to note what grew well, and a way to pass her best varieties on.
GardenersBook Loverspractical - 11~$35
Cedar Bluebird Nesting Box
Hang it in spring and watch for a nesting pair. Grandkids can help mount it and ask for updates on the chicks every time they call.
Bird WatchersGardenerspractical - 12~$40
Waterproof Garden Clogs
Easy to slip on at the back door and rinse off later. Choose a pair with a good grip; wet grass is slippery at any age.
Gardenerspractical
A slow morning at home
For a grandma who'd love nothing more than a lie-in and a cup of tea, these make the morning feel like an occasion. Mostly inexpensive and easy to combine.
13.Bamboo Breakfast in Bed Tray with Folding Legs ~$35
Bring her breakfast on it Mother's Day morning, then leave it behind for crosswords and tea in bed for the rest of the year.
14.Jasmine Pearl Tea Tin Gift Set ~$24
Fragrant green tea in a pretty tin she'll keep afterward. A nice change from the everyday tea bag for a curious tea drinker.
15.Raw Honey Gift Set with Wooden Dipper ~$25
Good honey for her toast or her tea, with a little wooden dipper. A sweet add-on from a grandchild with a small budget.
16.Literary Scented Candle ~$30
A candle named after a book she loves. Skip it if she lives in assisted living, where open flames are often not allowed.
17.Clip-On Rechargeable Book Light ~$15
Clips onto a book and lights the page without a lamp, so she can read late into the night without waking anyone else in the room.
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Under $25
$25–$50
Getting Mother's Day right for grandma
Coordinate with your parents and siblings so the gifts complement each other instead of doubling up.
Give her something that lasts. A plant, a necklace or a framed portrait will remind her of the day long after the brunch dishes are done.
Make sure the grandkids' voices are part of it: a card in their handwriting, a drawing or a short video message if you live far away.
If she's in a care home, plan your visit around her routine. Late morning, after breakfast and before lunch, is often when residents are at their brightest.
Out of ideas? Our gift finder can suggest options if you tell it a bit about her garden, her hobbies and how you'll be celebrating.
What people ask about Mother's Day for grandma
Should you buy grandma a Mother's Day gift?
Yes. She's a mother as well as a grandmother, and many grandmas quietly feel forgotten on the day. It doesn't need to be expensive: a plant, a card from the grandchildren or a visit tells her she's been remembered.
What can grandkids give grandma for Mother's Day?
A spring bulb pot they planted themselves, a handwritten card, a drawing or a small jar of honey. Older grandchildren might add a bluebird box they helped put up or a recipe binder they'll fill in with her.
What are good Mother's Day flowers for grandma?
Choose something that lasts. A potted hydrangea or rose bush can go in the garden afterward, and a dried flower bouquet keeps its color for months. If you do send cut flowers, ask the florist to include a vase so she doesn't have to hunt for one.
What's a Mother's Day gift for grandma that includes the whole family?
A necklace with a disc for every child and grandchild, a custom family portrait illustration or an engraved garden stone with all the grandkids' names. All three put the whole family together in one gift.
One last thought. Mother's Day is a rare chance to tell grandma, out loud, what she got right. Most grandmothers spent years wondering whether they were doing a good job with their own kids. Hearing from a grown grandchild that the family turned out well, and that she had a lot to do with it, is a gift no shop sells.